Stricken with grief, the Trojans move through a twelve-day mourning process that culminates with the hero’s burial. The poem therefore ends on an elegiac note, emphasizing the greatness of the Trojans’ loss and, by extension, of the Achaeans’ loss as well.

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How does the Iliad end and why does the story end there instead of at the end of the war?

How does the Iliad end? The Iliad ends with the death and funeral of Hector, a prince and great warrior of Troy. Achilles, the hero of the Iliad, kills Hector in an act of revenge and anger for killing his friend Patroclus. The story ends not with the end of the Trojan War but with the enemy’s funeral.

What is tragic about Hector's death?

Thus, his death at the hands of Achilles is the most moving and tragic of all the many deaths that occur in The Iliad. Hector’s death effectively symbolizes the fate of Troy itself. Though the war will continue, Troy will soon be plundered and destroyed now that its guardian Hector has been killed.

What happens after Hector dies in the Iliad?

Near death, Hector pleads with Achilles to return his body to the Trojans for burial, but Achilles resolves to let the dogs and scavenger birds maul the Trojan hero. The other Achaeans gather round and exultantly stab Hector’s corpse. Achilles ties Hector’s body to the back of his chariot and drags it through the dirt.

What book ends the story of Iliad?

Lesson Summary Book 24 is the final book in The Iliad. With the influence of Apollo and Zeus and the escort of Hermes, Priam asks Achilles for his son Hector’s body. Up until this point, we have always seen Achilles’ pride and rage win.

Does the story have a twist or an unexpected ending Iliad?

There’s a twist, however. The god Zeus has declared that Patroclus will be killed by the Trojan hero, Hector. Achilles warns Patroclus only to defend the Greek ships, and not to go after the Trojans. Zeus’ prophecy spells doom for Patroclus, but he forges ahead anyway.

What is the final line of the Iliad?

The Iliad as we have it ends with this line: Ὣς οἵ γ’ ἀμφίεπον τάφον Ἕκτορος ἱπποδάμοιο. ‘Thus they busied themselves with the burial of Hector, tamer of horses.

What happens to Achilles at the end of the Iliad?

How does Achilles die? Achilles is killed by an arrow, shot by the Trojan prince Paris. In most versions of the story, the god Apollo is said to have guided the arrow into his vulnerable spot, his heel. In one version of the myth Achilles is scaling the walls of Troy and about to sack the city when he is shot.

What is the final scene of the Iliad quizlet?

Definition: the Iliad ends with the death of Hector at the sword of Achilles who then files his body and takes him back to the Achean camp much to Hektors family’s sadness.

Why was Zeus sorry for Hector?

Why does Zeus feel sorry for Hector? Other gods will not praise him. Zeus would like to interfere and either “pluck the man from death and save his life” or “strike him down at last, here at Achilles’ hands.” What does Athena and she and the other gods will do if Zeus interferes?

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Who is the last woman to lament Hector's death?

Both sets of laments, however, aim at praising Hector and establishing him as the protector of family and city life, a man dear to the people and the gods. Andromache is the last mourner in book 22 and the first one in book 24. (22.482-84; cf.

What is the fate of Hector in The Iliad?

Achilles pursues him thrice round the walls of Troy. The gods debate concerning the fate of Hector; at length Minerva descends to the aid of Achilles. She deludes Hector in the shape of Deiphobus; he stands the combat, and is slain.

Was Hector a hero in the Iliad?

In The Iliad by Homer, many heroes arise on the battlefield due to their gallant acts on both sides. … According to Bernard Knox’s interpretation of a hero, Hector is the true hero because he is daringly courageous, solely devoted to his family and people, and selfless to others around him.

Why did Achilles give Hector's body back?

The gods argue back and forth, but eventually Zeus, the king of the gods, sends Achilles’ mother, Thetis, to request that Achilles return the body of Hector to the dead man’s father for a ransom of gold. Achilles agrees in order to show respect for the gods.

Who Killed Achilles in the Iliad?

How did Achilles die? According to legend, the Trojan prince Paris killed Achilles by shooting him in the heel with an arrow. Paris was avenging his brother, Hector, whom Achilles had slain. Though the death of Achilles is not described in the Iliad, his funeral is mentioned in Homer’s Odyssey.

Why is the plague significant in the Iliad?

Considering the Hippocratic method was not around of at the time of Homer, it is expected that he describes the plague in the Iliad as an act of divine punishment from the god Apollo. Homer talks about how the healing of the Greeks was brought about through prayer and recompense to the angry Apollo.

How did the Trojan War end the Iliad?

The epic ends with the death and burial of the Trojan warrior, Hektor. The events after the Iliad that lead to the fall of Troy are not a part of the poem. After the burial of Hektor, the Trojans call on outside forces for help, and the Greeks lose many warriors.

Why does Achilles call a twelve day truce?

Why does Achilles call a 12 day truce? So the Trojans can perform Hectors funeral rites. She says she doesn’t believe the son will come to full adulthood and says he’ll end up doing labor work.

Is the Iliad incomplete?

The Iliad is complete. It’s not supposed to be an account of the entire Trojan War, or of Achilles’ life.

How important is the Iliad in the ancient world?

Transcending almost 3000 years of time with its emotional resonance, integrity, and relevance to both the Ancient and Modern world, the Iliad is arguably one of the most outstanding poetic feats in the history of Western literature, praised explicitly throughout the ages by esteemed historians and scholars alike.

What does the Iliad teach us?

The Iliad, the story of the Trojan War, offers several moral lessons to its readers, including the importance of leaders treating their soldiers with respect, the importance of accepting apologies, and the need for respecting family bonds.

Who kills Hector in the Iliad?

Achilles, distraught and wanting to avenge the death of his friend Patroclus, returns to the war and kills Hector. He drags Hector’s body behind his chariot to the camp and then around the tomb of Patroclus.

What happens when Patroclus dies?

Zeus knows that the death of Patroclus will force Achilles to fight for the Greeks (Achaeans/Danaans/Argives). This will allow Zeus to fulfill his promise to Achilles’ mother, Thetis, to give glory to Achilles.

Who told Patroclus wearing Achilles armor?

Patroclus wanted to wear Achilles’ armor to intimidate the Trojans and lead the Greeks to victory, but Achilles had his mom ask Zeus to support the Trojans since he was shamed and wanted the Greeks to lose. He even thought Patroclus sounded whiny when asking to wear his armor.

What gift did Achilles mother give him?

After pointing out that Achilles got his wish and the Greeks need him now more than ever, Thetis gives Achilles a new suit of armor made by Hephaestus.

What woman killed before the tomb of Achilles will be the final sacrifice of the war?

In the first half of the Hecuba, she loses her virgin daughter Polyxena to the violence of the Greeks. Polyxena is sacrificed as an offering to the tomb of Achilles, who, as a powerful hero after his death, has apparently demanded some kind of prize before the Greeks can leave Troy.

Which God does not partake in the battle in the Iliad?

This happens because Agamemnon demands that he have Achilles’s war prize, the lovely maiden Briseis. This wounds the pride of the great Achilles. As a result, Achilles refuses to partake in the war, and the absence of his strength causes the Greeks to suffer greatly in their battle against the Trojans.

Did Achilles have a wife?

However, he demanded a replacement concubine in exchange: Achilles’ wife, the Trojan princess Breseis. Achilles did as his commander asked and relinquished his bride.

Is Achilles death narrated in the Iliad?

Although predicted by Hector with his dying breath, the death of Achilles is not narrated in the “Iliad.” However, as predicted, it does occur relatively soon after Hector’s death: Paris, Hector’s cowardly brother, manages to kill the greatest of the great heroes with an arrow hitting Achilles’ heel, the only …

Why is Achilles in the underworld?

After he was fatally wounded when Paris shot his heel with an arrow, his shade descended to the Underworld, where he was eventually hired by Hades to train a young Zagreus in battle and military discipline in exchange for allowing his lover Patroclus into Elysium.

How did Andromache react to Hector's death?

Andromache tells Hector about how his family is all she has. Here, we learn how she lost her family to Achilles and how she is terrified to lose Hector as well. She says she would be better off dead than without him. … She mourns Hector’s death even though he is still alive since she is convinced that he will soon die.