BOOK BY BOOK SUMMARY OF
THE ILIAD
OCR 2017 onwards
BOOK 1 SUMMARY
•The bard asks who started the argument between Achilles and Agamemnon.
•Apollo sends a plague on the Greeks because Agamemnon won’t release Chryseis, daughter
of Chryses the priest. Prophet Calchas says she must be given back. Agamemnon takes
Achilles’ prize, Briseis, to compensate. Athene stops Achilles killing Agamemnon.
•Achilles calls Agamemnon lazy and cowardly and says one day he will be upset Achilles is
dead. Nestor tells them to stop quarrelling and they separate.
•Patroclus is told by Achilles to hand Briseis over to Agamemnon’s heralds.
•Achilles tells his mum Thetis to make Zeus grant victory to the Trojans until the Achaians
honour him; Zeus agrees.
•The Greeks give Chryseis back to Chryses with a hecatomb (hundred oxen) and the plague is
lifted.
•Hera is annoyed Thetis’ request has been granted but Hephaestus persuades her to make
peace with Zeus. The gods feast and then go to sleep.
The Iliad | Book 1
THE ILIAD
OCR 2017 onwards
BOOK 1 SUMMARY
•The bard asks who started the argument between Achilles and Agamemnon.
•Apollo sends a plague on the Greeks because Agamemnon won’t release Chryseis, daughter
of Chryses the priest. Prophet Calchas says she must be given back. Agamemnon takes
Achilles’ prize, Briseis, to compensate. Athene stops Achilles killing Agamemnon.
•Achilles calls Agamemnon lazy and cowardly and says one day he will be upset Achilles is
dead. Nestor tells them to stop quarrelling and they separate.
•Patroclus is told by Achilles to hand Briseis over to Agamemnon’s heralds.
•Achilles tells his mum Thetis to make Zeus grant victory to the Trojans until the Achaians
honour him; Zeus agrees.
•The Greeks give Chryseis back to Chryses with a hecatomb (hundred oxen) and the plague is
lifted.
•Hera is annoyed Thetis’ request has been granted but Hephaestus persuades her to make
peace with Zeus. The gods feast and then go to sleep.
The Iliad | Book 1
