BOOK BY BOOK SUMMARY OF
THE ILIAD
OCR 2017 onwards
BOOK 18 SUMMARY
• Antilochus brings word to Achilles of Patroclus’ death and the hero loses control of himself.
• Thetis hears his weeping and comes with her water-nymph sisters from the ocean to learn
what troubles her son.
• Achilles tells her of the tragedy and insists that he will get revenge. Thetis responds that since
Hector now wears Achilles’ armour, she will Hephaestus make him a new set, if Achilles will
delay exacting his revenge for one day.
• Iris, sent by Hera, comes to tell Achilles that he must go outside and make an appearance on
the battlefield, which will scare the Trojans into abandoning the fight for Patroclus’ body. He
does this.
• That night, each army holds an assembly to plan its next move. In the Trojan camp,
Polydamas urges his comrades to retreat to the city now that Achilles has decided to return to
battle.
• Hector dismisses the idea as cowardly and insists on repeating the previous day’s assault. His
foolhardy plan wins the support of the Trojans, for Athena has robbed them of their wits
• Meanwhile, in the Achaean camp, the men begin their mourning for Patroclus. Achilles has
men clean Patroclus’s wounds to prepare him for burial, though he vows not to bury him until he
has slain Hector.
The Iliad | Book 18
THE ILIAD
OCR 2017 onwards
BOOK 18 SUMMARY
• Antilochus brings word to Achilles of Patroclus’ death and the hero loses control of himself.
• Thetis hears his weeping and comes with her water-nymph sisters from the ocean to learn
what troubles her son.
• Achilles tells her of the tragedy and insists that he will get revenge. Thetis responds that since
Hector now wears Achilles’ armour, she will Hephaestus make him a new set, if Achilles will
delay exacting his revenge for one day.
• Iris, sent by Hera, comes to tell Achilles that he must go outside and make an appearance on
the battlefield, which will scare the Trojans into abandoning the fight for Patroclus’ body. He
does this.
• That night, each army holds an assembly to plan its next move. In the Trojan camp,
Polydamas urges his comrades to retreat to the city now that Achilles has decided to return to
battle.
• Hector dismisses the idea as cowardly and insists on repeating the previous day’s assault. His
foolhardy plan wins the support of the Trojans, for Athena has robbed them of their wits
• Meanwhile, in the Achaean camp, the men begin their mourning for Patroclus. Achilles has
men clean Patroclus’s wounds to prepare him for burial, though he vows not to bury him until he
has slain Hector.
The Iliad | Book 18
