BOOK BY BOOK SUMMARY OF
THE ILIAD
OCR 2017 onwards
BOOK 4 SUMMARY
•At an assembly of the gods, Zeus provokes Hera by mentioning Aphrodite's rescue of Paris in
contrast to Hera and Athena's lack of intervention for the Greeks and suggesting a truce. Hera is
incensed, and her hatred of the Trojans is such that she says Zeus can freely destroy her
favoured cities in return for inciting Athena to make the Trojans break the truce.
•Athena, disguised as a Trojan, encourages the Trojan archer Pandarus to shoot Menelaus. His
arrow hits Menelaus, but Athena deflects it into the strongest part of his armour. Agamemnon is
distraught, thinking that Menelaus might be mortally wounded, but it is a mere flesh wound.
Agamemnon sends for a healer, Machaeon, and he arrives and tends to Menelaus' wound.
•As the Trojans prepare for war, Agamemnon inspects his troops, encouraging those who are
eager for battle and reprimanding those who are more reticent. He passes by Idomeneus, loyal
leader of the Cretans, the two Ajaxes and the aged Nestor of Pylos, discussing tactics with his
men, and praises each in turn. However, when he comes to Odysseus, and then to Diomedes
and Sthenelus, he rebukes them, accusing them of cowardice. Odysseus rails at these
accusations and Agamemnon takes his remarks back, while Diomedes makes no reply out of
deference to his leader and rebukes Sthelenus when he speaks out against Agamemnon.
•The two armies clash, spurred on by the gods. Fierce fighting rages, with many lesser heroes
felled on both sides, including two of Priam's sons. The Trojans begin to retreat but Apollo urges
them on to rejoin the fray, while Athena does the same for the Achaeans, and the death and
destruction continue on into the fifth book.
The Iliad | Book 4
THE ILIAD
OCR 2017 onwards
BOOK 4 SUMMARY
•At an assembly of the gods, Zeus provokes Hera by mentioning Aphrodite's rescue of Paris in
contrast to Hera and Athena's lack of intervention for the Greeks and suggesting a truce. Hera is
incensed, and her hatred of the Trojans is such that she says Zeus can freely destroy her
favoured cities in return for inciting Athena to make the Trojans break the truce.
•Athena, disguised as a Trojan, encourages the Trojan archer Pandarus to shoot Menelaus. His
arrow hits Menelaus, but Athena deflects it into the strongest part of his armour. Agamemnon is
distraught, thinking that Menelaus might be mortally wounded, but it is a mere flesh wound.
Agamemnon sends for a healer, Machaeon, and he arrives and tends to Menelaus' wound.
•As the Trojans prepare for war, Agamemnon inspects his troops, encouraging those who are
eager for battle and reprimanding those who are more reticent. He passes by Idomeneus, loyal
leader of the Cretans, the two Ajaxes and the aged Nestor of Pylos, discussing tactics with his
men, and praises each in turn. However, when he comes to Odysseus, and then to Diomedes
and Sthenelus, he rebukes them, accusing them of cowardice. Odysseus rails at these
accusations and Agamemnon takes his remarks back, while Diomedes makes no reply out of
deference to his leader and rebukes Sthelenus when he speaks out against Agamemnon.
•The two armies clash, spurred on by the gods. Fierce fighting rages, with many lesser heroes
felled on both sides, including two of Priam's sons. The Trojans begin to retreat but Apollo urges
them on to rejoin the fray, while Athena does the same for the Achaeans, and the death and
destruction continue on into the fifth book.
The Iliad | Book 4
