Timed Reading — The Iliad and the Odyssey

The Trojans seem to be losing, so Hector, the greatest Trojan warrior, returns to Troy to ask his mother to offer sacrifices to the goddess Athena. She performs the rituals, but Athena refuses to accept them. Meanwhile, Hector discovers Paris safe in his bedroom with Helen and shames him into returning to battle. Then Hector visits his wife and their baby son. It is clear that Hector is deeply devoted to his family, yet he feels the terrible weight of his responsibility as commander-in-chief of the Trojan army.

During the fighting that continues, the Achaeans begin to lose. At one point, the goddess Athena fears that the entire Achaean army may be killed. Thus, she and Apollo decide to have Hector challenge one of the Achaean warriors to a duel in order to settle the war. The Achaean warrior Ajax battles Hector bravely, and the contest ends in a draw. A truce is called, and both sides bury their dead. During the truce, the Achaeans are able to build a wall to defend their ships.

When the fighting resumes, so many Achaeans are killed that Agamemnon suggests that his armies sail for home, but finally he is convinced that he must return to the fighting. Messengers are sent to Achilles asking him to return to battle, but Achilles is still angry and refuses to fight.

Soon Agamemnon, Diomedes, Odysseus, and old Nestor are all seriously wounded, and Achilles realizes that the Achaeans are in danger of losing the war. Therefore, he sends his best friend Patroclus to talk to the Achaeans.

Patroclus talks with old Nestor, one of the wisest of the Achaean soldiers. Nestor asks Patroclus to dress in Achilles’ armor and return to battle. The Achaeans, he says, will rejoice and have new faith when they think they see Achilles returning. The Trojans will fear the wrath of the mighty Achilles and be easily defeated. Patroclus promises to ask Achilles for permission to use his armor and ride into battle disguised as the mighty warrior.