BOOK BY BOOK SUMMARY OF
THE ILIAD
OCR 2017 onwards
BOOK 10 SUMMARY
•During the night Agamemnon is restless. He gets up and looks with horror at the fires of the
Trojan camps. He goes to Nestor and runs into Menelaus who is also unable to sleep. The
brothers speak, and Agamemnon tells Menelaus to go and wake Ajax.
•When he finds Nestor, he expresses his concern about the coming day and the raging fires.
Nestor tells him that he should not be concerned but that he should be angry with Menelaus
because they are awake while Menelaus is sleeping. Agamemnon explains that Menelaus is
actually awake, and Nestor takes back his comments. Nestor dresses and puts on his armour
and gathers the rest of the captains.
•Odysseus wakes up Diomedes who is upset to be woken. All the chiefs climb into the trench
and Nestor asks if anyone is brave enough to make a raid on the Greek camp. Diomedes
volunteers to go with companions. Many of the chiefs raise their hands, but Diomedes picks
Odysseus to accompany him. The pair prepare to go and when they leave, Athena gives them a
sign. Both men pray to Athena in gratitude for the sign asking for protection. Diomedes promises
a sacrifice if they are successful.
•The Trojans, however, are not sleeping. Hector stirs up the chiefs challenging the men to go on
a night raid. Dolon, who is not very good looking but quick on his feet, volunteers. Diomedes
and Odysseus see him coming despite the darkness. They follow him and lie down with the
corpses. At first, he assumes they are friends, but he realises his danger when they cut him off
and Diomedes throws a spear ahead of him to stop him.
The Iliad | Book 10
THE ILIAD
OCR 2017 onwards
BOOK 10 SUMMARY
•During the night Agamemnon is restless. He gets up and looks with horror at the fires of the
Trojan camps. He goes to Nestor and runs into Menelaus who is also unable to sleep. The
brothers speak, and Agamemnon tells Menelaus to go and wake Ajax.
•When he finds Nestor, he expresses his concern about the coming day and the raging fires.
Nestor tells him that he should not be concerned but that he should be angry with Menelaus
because they are awake while Menelaus is sleeping. Agamemnon explains that Menelaus is
actually awake, and Nestor takes back his comments. Nestor dresses and puts on his armour
and gathers the rest of the captains.
•Odysseus wakes up Diomedes who is upset to be woken. All the chiefs climb into the trench
and Nestor asks if anyone is brave enough to make a raid on the Greek camp. Diomedes
volunteers to go with companions. Many of the chiefs raise their hands, but Diomedes picks
Odysseus to accompany him. The pair prepare to go and when they leave, Athena gives them a
sign. Both men pray to Athena in gratitude for the sign asking for protection. Diomedes promises
a sacrifice if they are successful.
•The Trojans, however, are not sleeping. Hector stirs up the chiefs challenging the men to go on
a night raid. Dolon, who is not very good looking but quick on his feet, volunteers. Diomedes
and Odysseus see him coming despite the darkness. They follow him and lie down with the
corpses. At first, he assumes they are friends, but he realises his danger when they cut him off
and Diomedes throws a spear ahead of him to stop him.
The Iliad | Book 10
