(Compiled by A.A. Salnikov. Second edition)

Canto One

Ulcer. Anger

The following is an explanation of how this anger arose. The entire army of the Achaeans (they are Danaans and Argives) is dying from pestilence, mountains of corpses are rotting around. Pestilence arose from the arrows of Apollo, who was angry for his priest Chrysus. At the next division of the booty, the supreme king and leader of the Achaeans, Agamemnon, got the daughter of Khryza. The old man came to the army with a large ransom and asked to return his daughter. Agamemnon rudely refused. The priest with tears begged Apollo to avenge him. Then Apollo sent pestilence.

Achilles at the meeting proposed to give the priest's daughter Chryseida. Agamemnon was against it, but agreed only on the condition that in return he would take his beloved captive Briseis from Achilles. So Achilles and Agamemnon quarreled. Agamemnon decided to take the prisoner of Achilles for himself, and return his prisoner to the priest.

Achilles, in anger, wanted to kill Agamemnon, but Athena, sent by the Hero, stopped him. Offended, Achilles refused to participate in the war and went to his camp near his ships.

Agamemnon sent his people to Achilles to pick up Briseis. Achilles gave. Then he went to the seashore and in tears asked his mother Thetis to persuade Zeus to take revenge on the Achaeans and Agamemne for his shame. The mother promised to beg Zeus when he returned from the Ethiopians: since the day before he had flown to their feast.

Meanwhile, the Achaeans prepared gifts for Chryseida to send to her father. Odysseus led the embassy. He handed his daughter to the priest Khriz and, having made a hecatomb, the Achaeans held a holiday. Seeing this, Apollo rejoiced in the sky.

Twelve days passed, led by Zeus, the gods returned to Olympus, and Thetis begged Zeus to help Achilles Pelid take revenge on Agamemnon for the insult. Zeus promised, because Thetis had previously saved him from the conspiracy of the gods against him. Hera overheard their conversation.

The feast of the gods is shown. At the feast, Hera tried to taunt Zeus for being secretive with Thetis, but he threatened her with punishment, and she submitted. Then the gods went to bed. Zeus lay down with the Hero.

Canto two

Dream. Boeotia, or List of ships

Gods and people sleep, but Zeus cannot sleep. He is worried about the promise to Thetis. He thinks how to avenge Achilles. Then he calls to himself the Dream, tells him to fly to Agamemnon and inspire him to lead the hordes of the Achaeans into battle. The deceptive Dream suggests to Agamemnon that he can conquer Troy even without Achilles. So Zeus wanted to make it clear to Agamemnon that he could not do without Pelid. Agamemnon believed Sleep.

In the morning, Atrid Agamemnon gathered all the leaders for advice and told his dream. He understands that after 10 years of war, his army is weak and wants to go home. He decides to test the army, and tells the leaders about it. They decide that Agamemnon will offer everyone to return home, and if the army agrees, then the generals will keep it, choosing a war to victory. Gathered an army. Of course, everyone decided to return home as soon as possible. Then Odysseus intervenes and beats the main instigator and screamer, urging everyone to fight the enemy so as not to return home in disgrace. Then everyone agrees to war. At the meeting, Nestor proposes to divide the entire army into clans (regiments, militias) according to compatriots.

In Troy at this time there is a meeting at the house of King Priam. The messenger of Zeus, Irida, in the form of a sentinel Politus, says that the Achaeans are already on their way. The Trojans also decide to come out of the city to meet the enemy, each with his squad.

The army comes out of the gates of Troy. The first was Hector with a squad of Trojans. The following is a list of the Trojan army and their allied troops, which go to battle with the Achaeans.

Song Three

Oaths. View from the wall. Combat of Alexander and Menelaus

Both the Achaean and Trojan armies prepare for battle. Paris-Alexander stepped forward from the Trojans and invited the bravest of the Danaans to fight him. Mnemenlai, seeing him, rushed at him, but Alexander immediately disappeared into the crowd of Trojans. Hector began to reproach his brother. Then Paris agreed to a duel and asked Hector to calm the troops. Hector arranges a duel. Paris and Menelaus, Helen's present and ex-husbands, converge.

The messenger Iris informs Helen, disguised as her sister-in-law Laodike. Elena at that time was embroidering the exploits of war heroes on fabric. Irida encourages Elena to watch the duel. Helena goes to the Scaean gate of the wall of Troy. The Trojan elders have already gathered there. Elder Priam calls Elena to him. He asks her the names of the Achaean heroes, pointing at them from the wall, and Elena tells him their names and tells about them.

Before the battle, they decided to make sacrifices to the gods and an oath that the winner takes Elena and her wealth, and the war stops.

The battle between Menelaus and Paris begins. Menelaus defeats Paris and drags him by the helmet to the Achaean army. But Aphrodite suddenly takes Paris home. The goddess calls Elena and leaves Paris with Elena in the bedroom.

Meanwhile, Agamemnon orders, in view of the defeat of Paris, to fulfill the conditions of the duel and return Helen to the Achaeans.

Canto Four

Oath breaking. Detour of the troops by Agamemnon

On the golden porch near the house of Zeus, the gods held a council. Drinking nectar. Zeus makes fun of Hera, who patronizes Menelaus, as Aphrodite saves Paris, although Menelaus' victory was obvious. Hera asks Zeus to let the war continue. Zeus agrees and sends Athena to have the Trojans break the truce.

Athena falls from Olympus like a star between the troops and incites Pandarus to shoot Menelaus with his bow. Pandarus only hurts Menelaus. Seeing the blood of Menelaus, Agamemnon is horrified, but Menelaus says that the wound is not serious. Agamemnon ordered the doctor Machaon to be called.

While the leaders of the Achaeans crowded around Menelaus, the Trojans went on the offensive. Agamemnon takes command. He bypasses the troops, scolds negligent leaders, and praises those who are ready for battle. Encourages Idomeneus, two Ajaxes, Nestor and some other leaders for discipline in their armies.

The battle has begun. Many famous warriors perish on both sides.

Song Five

Labors of Diomedes

The fifth canto mainly describes the exploits of the hero Diomedes, assisted by Athena. But not only him. Many heroes died and many proved themselves. So Diomedes killed Pheges, Agamemnon killed Odia, Idomeneo killed Festus, Menelaus killed Scamandrios, Merion killed Ferekles, Meges killed Pedeus, Eurypylus killed Hypsenor, and so on.

But most of all in this battle, Diomedes struck the enemies.

Pandarus wounds Diomedes with an arrow in the shoulder. Athena heals the wound to the hero, gives him strength and tells him to beat all enemies except the immortal gods, but if Aphrodite gets caught, then she is allowed to strike with weapons.

Diomedes killed Astinoy, Gipenor, Abas, Polyid, Xanthus, Fon, Chromia, Echemon, and others.

Pandarus and Aeneas got into the chariot and rushed to Diomedes. A fight ensued, as a result of which Diomedes killed Pandarus, and Aeneas was badly wounded in the thigh with a stone. He would have killed Aeneas if his mother Aphrodite had not saved him. But Diomedes wounds the goddess in the hand.

Aphrodite gives Aeneas to Apollo for protection, and she flies and complains to Zeus that she was wounded by a mortal. Zeus takes pity on her daughter, but says that the war is not her business and it is better for her not to interfere in the war.

Diomedes still presses on Aeneas, but Apollo protects him and takes him to the Pergamon temple, where Aeneas is treated by the gods.

Apollo calls on Ares to help the Trojans. Ares flies to the aid of the Trojans.

Aeneas returns to the battlefield, he kills the Achaeans Orsilochus and Crephon. Hector kills Menesthes and Anchialus. Hector and Aeneas kill many Achaeans. Heroes are dying on both sides.

Hera and Athena come to the aid of the Achaeans. With the help of Athena, Diomedes injures Ares, who then groans off to Olympus and complains to Zeus. Zeus tells him to be quiet and not cry. Then he ordered the god Pean to cure him.

All the gods who participated in the battle return to Olympus, to the house of Zeus.

End of introductory part. You can download a summary of the Iliad with instructions for all the heroes of the poem

BOOK 5
The exploits of Diomedes are recounted, assisted by Athena. He is wounded by Pandarus, but Athena heals the wound. Aeneas helps Pandarus fight Diomedes. Pandarus is killed, and Aeneas is saved by his mother, Aphrodite, who is wounded in the arm by Diomedes. Apollo comes to the aid of Aeneas and takes him to the Pergamon temple in Troy, where his wounds are treated. Ares comes to the aid of the Trojans. Aeneas returns to the battlefield. Hector and Aeneas kill many Achaeans. Hera and Athena come to the aid of the Achaeans. With the help of Athena, Diomedes injures Ares, who then complains and rushes off to heaven.

BOOK 6
Achaean assembly. Hector is called to Troy to lead a religious procession to the temple of Athena, where Hecuba and other matrons ask the goddess to lead Diomedes from the battlefield. During the battle, Diomedes meets the Trojan Glaucus. Upon learning that their ancestors were bound by sacred bonds of hospitality, they exchange weapons as a token of friendship. Hector convinces Paris to return to the battle. Hector himself says goodbye to his wife Andromache and son Astyanax and returns to the field.

BOOK 7
Athena helps the Achaeans. Apollo begs her to postpone the battle and tell Hector to challenge one of the Achaeans to fight. Of the nine Achaean leaders, the lot to fight Hector falls to Ajax. The night is coming. The Trojans meet for a council. Antenor offers to return Helen to the Achaeans, but Helen refuses and in turn offers to give the Achaeans all her wealth. Priam sends a messenger to announce this decision to the Achaeans, and also to ask for a temporary truce for the burial of the fallen. Agamamnon agrees to the second, but refuses Elena's wealth. After burning the dead, the Achaeans, on the advice of Nestor, build fortifications to protect the ships and the camp. Poseidon, the patron saint of the Trojans, protests against this, but Zeus reassures him. Both armies spend the night feasting. Zeus frightens the Trojans with lightning, thunder, and other signs of discontent.

BOOK 8
At the council, Zeus threatens to punish the gods if they continue to interfere in the war; but Athena persuades him to let her give one piece of advice to the Achaeans. The battle begins. On Mount Ida, Zeus weighs the fate of the Achaeans and Trojans. Then he strikes terror into the Achaeans with thunder and lightning. One Nestor continues to fight and exposes himself to great danger. Diomedes comes to his aid. The exploits of Diomedes and Hector are recounted. Hera tries to convince Poseidon to defect to the Achaeans, but in vain. In a battle with Hector, Teucer is wounded. Hera and Athena want to help the Achaeans, but Zeus forbids them to do so. The Achaeans are driven out behind the fortifications and the Trojans spend the night on the plain.

BOOK 9
Agamemnon invites the Achaeans to return home, but Diomedes and Nestor protest. Nestor convinces Agamamnon to send to Achilles with promises of gifts and the return of Briseis to him. Odysseus and Ajax go to Achilles, accompanied by Felix, an old friend of Achilles. Achilles accepts the Phoenix, but drives Odysseus and Ajax away.

BOOK 10
Agamemnon, alarmed by Achilles' refusal, spends the night among the leaders discussing the situation. They decide to send a scout to Troy in order to reveal the intentions of the Trojans. Diomedes and Odysseus go to Troy and on the way they meet Dolon, who was sent to the Achaeans for the same purpose. From Dolon, the Achaean leaders learn about the state of the Trojan troops and about the arrival of Thracian reinforcements in Troy led by Reza.

BOOK 11
Zeus, Athena and Hera approve of the proposal for war. Zeus sends Iris to warn Hector not to interfere in the battle until Agamemnon is wounded and leaves the field. Then Hector comes out. Diomedes and Odysseus fight him. Paris wounds Diomedes, and Odysseus is rescued by Ajax and Menelaus. Machaon, shot by Paris with a bow, is taken out of the field on Nester's chariot. Achilles sends Patroclus to inquire about the progress of the battle. Nestor tells Patroclus all the news, hoping that he can convince Achilles to join the battle. On the way back, Patroclus meets the wounded Euripilus and helps him.

BOOK 12
The Trojans beat off the Achaeans behind the fortifications, but they cannot jump over the ditch and pursue the Achaeans. Then they decide to abandon the chariots and fight on foot, but suddenly an eagle appears in the sky, carrying a snake. The Trojan leader Polydal takes this as a bad omen and orders him to stop. But Hector continues the fight. Sarpedon breaks through the wall, and Hector breaks through the gates of the Achaean camp. The Trojans break into the camp.

BOOK 13
Poseidon unexpectedly helps the Achaeans: he takes the form of the soothsayer Calchas and convinces the Achaeans to continue to fight against Hector. Two Ajax block Hector. The Cretan Idomeneo distinguishes himself in battle by killing three Trojan chiefs, but is held back by Aeneas and Deiphobus. Menelaus also excels in battle. Hector fights against the Ajaxes and tries to inspire the Trojans.

BOOK 14
Nestor, alarmed by the furious onslaught of the Trojans, searches for Agamemnon and finds him next to Diomedes and Odysseus. Agamemnon wants to back off at night, but Diomedes and Odysseus are against it. Hera, seeing that Zeus is beginning to sympathize with the Trojans, decides to divert his attention. She borrows a magic belt from Aphrodite, calls on the god of sleep, Hypnos, and goes to Zeus on Mount Ida, where she puts him to sleep. While Zeus sleeps, Poseidon helps the Achaeans. Ajax throws a rock at Hector and he is carried away from the battlefield. The Trojans retreat.

BOOK 15
Waking up, Zeus sees that the Trojans are beaten off and becomes angry at Hera's cunning, but she quickly calms him down. Hera goes to the council of the gods and turns everyone against Zeus. Zeus orders Poseidon to withdraw from the battle; he reluctantly obeys. Apollo refills Hector with power. The Trojans break through to the Achaean ships and want to set them on fire, but Ajax beats them off.

BOOK 16
Patroclus asks Achilles to give him his weapons and troops. Achilles agrees, but on the condition that Patroclus will only help to weaken the attack on the ships. The Trojans are horrified to see the Achilles and retreat. Sarpedon is slain. Patroclus forgets Achilles' instructions and pursues the Trojans to the gates of Troy. There Apollo disarms him, Euphorbus wounds him, Hector kills him.

BOOK 17
The battle for the body of Patroclus at the walls of Troy. Gctor and Aeneas attempt to capture Achilles' chariot driven by Automedon, but fail. The chariot is drawn by horses that speak human language. They mourn for Patroclus. Zeus covers the body of Patroclus with darkness when Ajax pleaded for help.

BOOK 18
The news of the death of Patroclus reaches Achilles. He is heartbroken, his mother Thetis and the sea nymphs console him. Zeus orders Achilles to appear on the walls. Seeing him, the Trojans are horrified and retreat. Thetis goes to Hephaestus and asks him to forge new weapons and armor for her son. The famous description of the shield.

BOOK 19
Thetis brings new armor to Achilles. She keeps Patroclus' body from decay and orders Achilles to announce the end of his quarrel with Agamemnon. The two leaders reconcile in front of the entire army. Achilles is eager to fight, but Odysseus holds him back, saying that the soldiers need to rest. Briseis mourns Patroclus, who was always kind to her. Athena strengthens Achilles with nectar and ambrosia. Achilles reproaches the talking horses for the death of Patroclus. The horse Xanthus warns Achilles of his imminent death.

BOOK 20
Zeus allows the gods to participate in the war. The battle begins. Aeneas meets Achilles. Poseidon clouds Achilles' eyes to save the Trojans. Achilles then nearly kills Hector, but Apollo saves the latter.

BOOK 21
Achilles pursues the Trojans to the Scamander River. He takes 12 youths prisoner "for Patroclus". Achilles kills Lycaon, son of Priam, and Asteropaeus, son of Pelagon. The river boils up and almost kills Achilles, but Poseidon and Athena save him. The Simoeis River joins Scamander's wrath. Hephaestus threatens to dry up the rivers to the bottom if they do not calm down. The rivers are quiet. The battle between the gods begins. Achilles drives the Trojans back to Troy. Only Agenor remains on the battlefield. Apollo assumes his image, and Agenor is carried away.

BOOK 22
Trojans in the city. One Hector wants to meet with Achilles; his parents, Priam and Hecuba, plead in vain for him to stay. Achilles pursues Hector, running around Troy three times. The gods discuss the fate of Hector. Finally, Athena helps Achilles kill Hector. Achilles drags the body of Hector behind his chariot. Lamentations of Priam, Hecuba and Andromache.

BOOK 23
Achilles and the Myrmidons honor Patroclus. Achilles spends the night on the seashore and in a dream Patroclus appears to him with a request to observe all funeral rituals. The next morning, the Achaeans gather a huge funeral pyre on the seashore and burn the body of Patroclus on it. The winds fan the fire and it burns all night. The bones of Patroclus are collected in a golden urn and buried.

BOOK 24
The gods decide to return Hector's body to the Trojans. Thetis is sent to Achilles to propitiate him; Iris convinces Priam to go personally to Achilles and ask him for the body of his son. Priam with rich gifts goes to the murderer of his son. Hermes, in the form of a shepherd, leads him to Achilles. The Trojan king rushes to the feet of Achilles and kisses his hands, asking him to return the body of Hector. Achilles raises Priam and with honors returns to him the richly decorated body of Hector. The Trojans mourn their hero. The Achaeans conclude a 12-day truce so that the Trojans have time to bury Hector. The Iliad ends here.

. The Greeks near Troy have already spent nine years among battles and raids. The fateful tenth year is coming, the year of deciding the fate of the besieged city (see the Trojan War), when suddenly the quarrel between Agamemnon and Achilles for the possession of the beautiful captive Briseis gives a new turn to the course of affairs. Offended in a sense of honor and love, angry Achilles remains with his ships at the seashore and no longer goes out to battle with the Trojans. With tears, he complains to his mother, the goddess Thetis, about the insult he has suffered, and she prays to the heavenly king Zeus to send victory to the Trojans until the Achaeans honor her son. Zeus nods his head in agreement, nodding so that his fragrant curls crumble and the heights of Olympus tremble and shake.

Trojan War. Iliad. Video tutorial

The Trojans, led by the brilliant Hector, soon gain the upper hand over the Greek enemies; they not only confront those in the open field near the walls of their city, they even push them back into the ship's camp, fortified with a ditch and a rampart. Threatening with death, Hector stands at the very moat and longs to overcome the last stronghold of the enemy.

In vain now the leader of the Greeks Agamemnon extends a hand of reconciliation to the angry Achilles; he is ready to give him Briseis, with seven other girls and various jewels to boot. Achilles remains unshakable: “If he offers me at least all the treasures piled up in the rich Orchomenus or in Egyptian Thebes, even then I will not change my mind until he completely erases my shame,” he answers the messengers of Agamemnon.

The pressure of the enemies is getting more and more formidable. No matter how bravely the Achaeans defend the fortification, Hector finally crushes the gate with a huge stone block. Like felled ash trees, the Achaeans fall under the blows of the Trojans. The ship of the hero Protesilaus is already on fire and threatens to set fire to the rest of the Hellenic fleet. Confusion and noise fill the entire Hellenic camp.

Then his best friend hurries to Achilles Patroclus. “You,” says Patroclus, “was not born by Peleus and Thetis, you were born by a gloomy abyss and surface rocks: your heart is as insensitive as a stone.” With tears, he asks Achilles for permission to take his armor and go out with it to fight at the head of his tribe, the Myrmidons, so that the Trojans, mistaking him for Pelid himself, would no longer dare to press on the ships. Achilles agrees, but so that Patroclus only drives the enemy beyond the moat, and then immediately returns.

In the heat of battle, Patroclus pursues the fleeing Trojans to the very city walls and wreaks havoc. But disarmed and fogged by the patron of Troy, the god Apollo, pierced by the spear of Hector, he falls into the dust. With difficulty they save his corpse and bring it to the Greek camp; the weapons and armor of Patroclus become the spoils of the victor.

Endless is Achilles' sorrow for his fallen comrade, the meek, sweet-hearted hero. Achilles wishes to rest next to a friend in a burial mound. With fear, Thetis hears in the depths of the sea the mournful cry of his dear son and hurries with his sisters to the Trojan coast. “Didn’t Zeus do everything for you that you didn’t ask him to do?” she says to her crying son. And he replies that life is not sweet to him until Hector falls into the dust before him, pierced by his heavy spear.

Achilles burns with the thought of revenge. While Thetis hurries to Hephaestus to get new weapons from him for his son, the battle again approaches the ships. But Achilles shouts three times through the ditch with his loud voice, and the frightened Trojans immediately took to flight. Against the advice of Polydamus, the Trojans, at the call of Hector, spend the night at sentry fires in an open field.

At dawn, Achilles, in new weapons and with a shield of many craftsmanship, rushes to their camp, brandishing a heavy spear of strong ash. The destroyer rages terribly among the Trojan regiments: he fills the river Scamander with corpses, so that the waves are saturated with blood and turn purple. At the sight of such a disaster, the Trojan king Priam orders the guards to open the gates to the fleeing, but not to let go of the gates from their hands, so that Achilles does not break into the city. One Hector remains outside the gate, not heeding the requests of his praying parents, who look at him from above the tower. However, when Achilles appears with a terrible ash spear on his mighty shoulder, Hector's heart trembles, and he runs around the wall of Troy three times in fear.

Zeus feels sorry for the knight pursued by Achilles: Hector always honored him with sacrifices and prayers. Zeus weighs the lot of both on the golden scales of fate, but Hector's cup sinks down. Achilles overtakes him, pierces him through with a spear, ties him with his feet to the chariot, so that the beautiful head of Hector drags in the dust, and drives the horses to the ships among the plaintive cries from the walls of Troy.

Achilles wants Hector's body to rot unburied, and Patroclus arranges a magnificent funeral, burning twelve captive Trojans along with his body at the stake for the repose of the fallen hero.

Achilles drags the body of the murdered Hector on the ground

Once again, Achilles takes out his anger on the lifeless Hector; he drags his corpse three times around the grave of a comrade. But the gods pour pity into his heart. At night, Hector's father, Priam, comes to Achilles' tent with rich gifts, and embracing his knees, reminds him that he also has an old father far away.

Anguish and sorrow take possession of the soul of the Greek hero. Tears and deep sadness about the fate of all earthly things lighten the burden of grief for Patroclus, which hitherto crushed his chest. Achilles gives the aged Priam to bury the body of his son, which the gods have preserved from decay.

For ten days the Trojans mourn their hero in mournful songs, and then they burn his body, collect the ashes in an urn and lower it into the grave ditch.

Chris. He begged all the Greeks, and above all their leaders, to return to him for a rich ransom his daughter Chryseis, who had been taken prisoner. After listening to Chris, everyone agreed to accept a rich ransom for Chryseis and give her to her father. But the chief leader of the Greeks, the mighty king Agamemnon, got angry and said to Chris:

- Old man, go away and never dare to show yourself here, near our ships, otherwise the fact that you are a priest of the god Apollo will not save you. I will not return the Chryseides to you. No, she will languish in captivity all her life. Beware of angering me if you want to return home unharmed.

Iliad. Canto 1. Audiobook

In fear, Chris left the camp of the Greeks and went saddened to the seashore. There, raising his hands to the sky, he so prayed to the great son of Latona, the god Apollo:

- Oh, silver-eyed god! Listen to me, your faithful servant! Take revenge on the Greeks with your arrows for my grief and resentment.

Apollo heard the complaint of his priest Chris. He quickly rushed from the bright Olympus with a bow and a quiver behind his shoulders. Golden arrows thundered menacingly in the quiver. Apollo rushed to the camp of the Greeks, blazing with anger; Darker than the night was his face. Rushing to the camp of the Achaeans, he took an arrow from his quiver and sent it into the camp. The string of Apollo's bow rang menacingly. For the first arrow, Apollo sent a second, a third, - arrows rained down in a hail into the camp of the Greeks, bringing death with them. A terrible plague struck the Greeks. Many Greeks perished. Funeral pyres were burning everywhere. It seemed that the hour of death had come for the Greeks.

The pestilence had already raged for nine days. On the tenth day, on the advice given by the goddess Hera, convened great hero Achilles to a popular assembly of all Greeks to decide how to be him, how to propitiate the gods. When all the soldiers gathered, Achilles was the first to address Agamemnon with a speech:

“We will have to sail back to our homeland, son of Atreus,” said Achilles, “you see that soldiers are dying both in battles and from pestilence. But perhaps we will first ask the fortune-tellers: they will tell us how we angered the silver-armed Apollo, for which he sent a disastrous plague on our army.

As soon as Achilles said this, the soothsayer Calchas rose up, having already revealed to the Greeks the will of the gods many times. He said that he was ready to reveal what the far-striking god was angry about, but he would reveal this only if Achilles protected him from the wrath of King Agamemnon. Achilles promised his protection to Calchas and swore this to Apollo. Then Calchas only said:

- The great son of Latona is angry because King Agamemnon dishonored his priest Chris, drove him out of the camp, not accepting a rich ransom from him for his daughter. We can propitiate God only by returning the black-eyed Chryseis to her father and sacrificing a hundred calves to God.

Hearing what Calchas said, Agamemnon burned with terrible anger at him and Achilles; however, seeing that he still had to return Chryseis to his father, he finally agreed, but demanded only himself a reward for her return. Achilles reproached Agamemnon for selfishness. This angered Agamemnon even more. He began to threaten that with his power he would take for himself a reward for Chryseis from what Achilles, or Ajax, or Odysseus had inherited.

- Shameless, treacherous greed! Achilles screamed. “You threaten us that you will take our awards from us, although none of us has ever had an equal share in awards with you. But we did not come to fight for our cause; we came here to help Menelaus and you. You want to take away from me a part of the booty that I got for the great deeds that I accomplished. So it is better for me to return back to my native Phthia, I do not want to increase your booty and treasures.

- Well, run to Phthia! Agamemnon shouted back to Achilles. “I hate you more than all kings!” You are the only one who stirs up controversy. I am not afraid of your anger. That's what I'll tell you! I will return Chryseis to my father, since this is the desire of the god Apollo, but for this I will take away the captive Briseis from you. You will know how much more power I have! Let everyone be afraid to consider himself equal in power to me!

Terrible anger seized Achilles when he heard this threat from Agamemnon. The son of Thetis grabbed his sword; he had already drawn it halfway from its scabbard and was ready to throw himself at Agamemnon. Suddenly Achilles felt a light touch on his hair. He turned around and recoiled in horror. Before him, invisible to others, stood the great daughter of the Thunderer Zeus Pallas Athena. Hera sent Athena. The wife of Zeus did not want the death of either one or the other of the heroes, both of them - Achilles and Agamemnon - were equally dear to her. Achilles asked the goddess Athena with trepidation:

- Oh, daughter of the Thunderer Zeus, why did you descend from the high Olympus? Have you really come here to see how Agamemnon rages? Oh, soon he will ruin himself with his pride!

- No, mighty Achilles, - the bright-eyed Pallas answered, - I didn’t come for that. I have come to tame your wrath, if only you obey the will of the Olympian gods. Do not draw your sword, be content with only words, they scourge Agamemnon. Believe me! soon here, in the same place, they will pay you for your offense with gifts that will be many times richer. Humble yourself and submit to the will of the immortal gods.

Achilles submitted to the will of the gods: he sheathed his sword, and Athena again ascended to the bright Olympus in the host of the gods.

Achilles also said many angry words to Agamemnon, calling him a devourer of the people, a drunkard, a coward, a dog. Achilles threw his scepter on the ground and swore to them that the time would come when his help against the Trojans would be needed, but Agamemnon would pray for her in vain, since he offended him so hard. In vain did the wise king of Pylos, Elder Nestor, try to reconcile the warring. Agamemnon did not listen to Nestor, and Achilles did not reconcile. Wrathful, the great son of Peleus left with his friend Patroclus and the brave Myrmidons to their tents. Anger at Agamemnon, who had offended him, raged furiously in his chest.

Meanwhile, King Agamemnon ordered to lower a high-speed ship to the sea, carry sacrifices to the god Apollo on it, and take the beautiful daughter of the priest Chris. This ship was to sail under the command of the cunning Odysseus to Thebes, the city of Estion, and the Greeks in the camp, at the command of Agamemnon, were to make rich sacrifices to Apollo in order to propitiate him.

The ship sent by Agamemnon quickly rushed along the waves of the boundless sea. Finally, the ship entered the harbor of Thebes. The Greeks lowered their sails and moored to the pier. Odysseus descended from the ship at the head of a detachment of warriors to the shore, took the beautiful Chryseis to his father and addressed him with such a greeting:

“Oh, servant of Apollo! I came here at the behest of Agamemnon to return your daughter to you. We also brought a hundred bulls to propitiate with these sacrifices the great god Apollo, who sent a grave disaster to the Greeks.

Elder Khris rejoiced at the return of his daughter and tenderly embraced her. Immediately began the sacrifice to Apollo. Chris prayed to the archer-god:

- Oh, silver-eyed god! Listen to me! And before you listened to my prayers. Hear me now too! Avert the great calamity from the Greeks, stop the disastrous pestilence!

The god Apollo heard the prayer of Chris and stopped the pestilence in the camp of the Greeks. When the sacrifices to Apollo were made by Chris, a sumptuous feast was held. The Greeks feasted merrily in Thebes. The young men carried the wine, filling the feasting bowls with it to the top. The majestic sounds of the hymn in honor of Apollo, which were sung by Greek youths, were loudly heard. Until sunset, the feast continued, and in the morning, refreshed by sleep, Odysseus and his squad set off on their way back to the vast camp. Apollo sent them a fair wind. Like a seagull, the ship rushed through the waves of the sea. The ship quickly reached the camp. The swimmers dragged him ashore and dispersed to their tents.

While Odysseus sailed to Thebes, Agamemnon fulfilled what he threatened Achilles with. He summoned the heralds Talthybius and Eurybates and sent them for Briseis. The messengers of Agamemnon went reluctantly to the tent of Achilles. They found him sitting in deep thought at the tent. The ambassadors approached the mighty hero, but in embarrassment they could not utter a word. Then the son of Peleus said to them:

Hello, heralds. I know that you are not guilty of anything, only Agamemnon is guilty. You have come for Briseis. My friend, Patroclus, give them Briseis. But let them themselves be witnesses that the hour will come when I will be needed to save the Greeks from destruction. Then Agamemnon, who has lost his mind, will not be able to save the Greeks!

Shedding bitter tears, Achilles left his friends, went to the deserted shore, stretched out his hands to the sea and loudly called his mother, the goddess Thetis:

- My mother, if you have already given birth to me doomed to brief life Why, then, does Zeus the Thunderer deprive me of glory! No, he did not give me glory! King Agamemnon dishonored me by taking away my reward for my deeds. My mother, hear me!

The goddess Thetis heard the call of Achilles. She left the deep sea and the marvelous palace of the god Nereus. Quickly, like a light cloud, she emerged from the foaming sea waves. Thetis came ashore and, sitting down near her dearly beloved son, hugged him.

Why are you weeping so bitterly, my son? she asked. - Tell me your grief.

Achilles told his mother how severely Agamemnon had offended him. He began to ask his mother to ascend to the bright Olympus and there pray to Zeus to punish Agamemnon. Let Zeus help the Trojans, let them drive the Greeks to the very ships. Let Agamemnon understand how foolishly he acted when he offended the bravest of the Greeks. Achilles assured his mother that Zeus would not refuse her request. After all, she only has to remind Zeus how she once helped him when the gods of Olympus planned to overthrow Zeus by fettering him. Then Thetis called the hundred-armed giant Briareus to help Zeus; seeing him, all the gods were embarrassed and did not dare to raise their hands against Zeus. Let Thetis remind the great Zeus the Thunderer about this, and he will not refuse her her request. So Achilles prayed to his mother Thetis.

Oh, my beloved son, - exclaimed, crying bitterly, Thetis, - why did I give birth to you for so many disasters! Yes, your life will be short, your end is near. And now you are both short-lived and the most unhappy of all! Oh no, don't grieve like that! I will rise to the bright Olympus, there I will pray to the Thunderer Zeus to help me. But you remain in your tent and take no more part in the battles. Zeus has now left Olympus, he, with all the immortals, went to a feast to the Ethiopians, to the southern edge of the earth. But when Zeus returns in twelve days, then I will fall at his feet and, I hope, I will beg him!

Thetis left her sad son, and he went to the tents of his brave Myrmidons. From that day on, Achilles did not participate either in meetings of leaders or in battles. Sad he sat in his tent, although he longed for military glory.

Eleven days have passed. On the twelfth day early morning, along with a gray fog, the goddess Thetis ascended from the abyss of the sea to the bright Olympus. There she fell at the feet of Zeus, hugged his knees and with a prayer stretched out her hands to him, touching his beard.

- Oh, our father! Thetis pleaded. “I beg you, help me avenge my son!” Fulfill my request if I have ever done you a favor. Send victory to the Trojans until the Greeks beg my son to help them, until they give him great honors.

For a long time the cloudmaker Zeus Thetis did not answer. But Thetis implored him relentlessly. Finally, with a deep sigh, the Thunderer said:

- Know, Thetis! With your request, you provoke the wrath of Hera, she will be angry with me. Already, she constantly reproaches me for helping the Trojans in battles. But you have now left the high Olympus so that Hera does not see you. I promise to fulfill your request. Here is a sign for you that I will keep my promise.

Having said this, Zeus frowned menacingly, the hair on his head rose, and the whole of Olympus shuddered. Thetis calmed down. She quickly rushed from the high Olympus and plunged into the abyss of the sea.

Zeus went to the feast, where the gods gathered. They all stood up to meet Zeus, not one dared to greet him while sitting. When the king of gods and people sat on his golden throne, Hera turned to him. She saw that Thetis came to Zeus.

“Tell me, insidious,” Hera said to Zeus, “with which of the immortals did you have a secret council?”

“You always hide your thoughts and thoughts from me, Hera,” Zeus answered her, “you don’t expect that you will ever know everything I think about. What you can know, you will know before all the gods, but do not try to find out all my secrets and do not ask about them.

“Oh, cloud chaser,” Hera answered, “you know that I never tried to find out your secrets. You always decide everything without me. But I am afraid that today Thetis persuaded you to avenge her son Achilles and destroy many Greeks. I know that you promised to fulfill her request.

Zeus looked menacingly at Hera, he was angry with his wife for always following everything he does. Zeus angrily ordered her to sit silently and obey him, if she does not want him to punish her. Hera was afraid of the wrath of Zeus. Silently she sat on her golden throne. The gods were also frightened by this quarrel between Zeus and Hera. Then the lame god Hephaestus arose; he reproached the gods for starting quarrels over mortals.

“After all, if we quarrel over mortals, then the feasts of the gods will always be deprived of fun,” the god Hephaestus said and prayed to his mother Hera to submit to the power of Zeus, since he is formidable in anger and can overthrow all the Olympian gods from the thrones.

Hephaestus reminded Hera how Zeus himself had thrown himself to earth because he hastened to help his mother when Zeus, throwing lightning, was angry with her. He took the goblet Hephaestus and, filling it with nectar, brought it to Hera. Hera smiled. Hephaestus, limping, began to draw nectar from the bowl with a goblet and distribute it to the gods. All the gods laughed, seeing how the lame Hephaestus hobbled around the banquet hall. Again, fun reigned at the feast of the gods, and they feasted serenely until sunset to the sounds of the golden cithara of Apollo and the singing of the muses. When the feast ended, the gods dispersed to their chambers, and the whole of Olympus fell into a peaceful sleep.

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Homer (Homeros) c. 750 BC e.

Iliad (Ilias) - Epic poem

The myths of most peoples are myths primarily about gods. myths Ancient Greece- an exception: in the greater and better part of them, it is not about gods, but about heroes. Heroes are sons, grandsons and great-grandchildren of gods from mortal women; they performed feats, cleansed the land of monsters, punished the villains and entertained their strength in internecine wars. When it became hard for the Earth from them, the gods made it so that they themselves killed each other in the greatest war - the Trojan: "... and at the walls of Ilion / the Tribe of heroes died - the will of Zeus was done."

"Ilion", "Troy" - two names of the same mighty city in Asia Minor, near the coast of the Dardanelles. From the first of these names, the great Greek poem about the Trojan War is called the Iliad. Before her, only short oral songs about the exploits of heroes, such as epics or ballads, existed among the people. A great poem of them was composed by the legendary blind singer Homer, and he composed it very skillfully: he chose only one episode from a long war and unfolded it so that it reflected the entire heroic age. This episode is the "wrath of Achilles", the greatest of the last generation of Greek heroes.

The Trojan War lasted ten years. Dozens of Greek kings and leaders gathered on a campaign against Troy on hundreds of ships with thousands of soldiers: a list of their names takes up several pages in the poem. The main leader was the strongest of the kings - the ruler of the city of Argos Agamemnon; with him were his brother Menelaus (for whose sake the war began), the mighty Ajax, the ardent Diomedes, the cunning Odysseus, the wise old Nestor and others; but the most courageous, strong and dexterous was the young Achilles, the son of the sea goddess Thetis, who was accompanied by his friend Patroclus. The Trojans were ruled by the gray-haired king Priam, at the head of their army was the valiant son of Priam Hector, with him his brother Paris (because of whom the war began) and many allies from all over Asia. The gods themselves took part in the war: the silver-armed Apollo helped the Trojans, and the heavenly queen Hera and the wise warrior Athena helped the Greeks. The supreme god, the thunderer Zeus, followed the battles from the high Olympus and carried out his will.

The war started like this. The wedding of the hero Peleus and the sea goddess Thetis was celebrated - the last marriage between gods and mortals. (This is the same marriage from which Achilles was born.) At the feast, the goddess of discord threw a golden apple, destined for the "most beautiful." Three people argued over an apple: Hera, Athena and the goddess of love Aphrodite. Zeus ordered the Trojan prince Paris to judge their dispute. Each of the goddesses promised him their gifts: Hera promised to make him king over the whole world, Athena - a hero and sage, Aphrodite - the husband of the most beautiful of women. Paris gave the apple to Aphrodite. After that, Hera and Athena became the eternal enemies of Troy. Aphrodite helped Paris seduce and take away to Troy the most beautiful of women - Helen, daughter of Zeus, wife of King Menelaus. Once upon a time, the best heroes from all over Greece wooed her and, in order not to quarrel, they agreed this way: let her choose who she wants, and if someone tries to recapture her from the chosen one, all the rest will go to war with him. (Everyone hoped that he would be the chosen one.) Then Helen chose Menelaus; now Paris has recaptured her from Menelaus, and all her former suitors have gone to war against him. Only one, the youngest, did not marry Elena, did not participate in the general agreement and went to war only in order to show off his valor, show strength and acquire glory. It was Achilles. So that still none of the gods interfered in the battle. The Trojans continue their onslaught, led by Hector and Sarpedon, the son of Zeus, the last of the sons of Zeus on earth. Achilles coldly watches from his tent how the Greeks flee, how the Trojans approach their very camp: they are about to set fire to Greek ships. From above, Hera also sees the flight of the Greeks and, in desperation, decides to deceive in order to divert the harsh attention of Zeus. She appears before him in the magic belt of Aphrodite, arousing love, Zeus flares up with passion and unites with her at the top of Ida; a golden cloud envelops them, and the earth around them blooms with saffron and hyacinths. After love comes sleep, and while Zeus sleeps, the Greeks gather their courage and stop the Trojans. But sleep is short; Zeus wakes up, Hera trembles before his anger, and he tells her: "Be able to endure: everything will be your way and the Greeks will defeat the Trojans, but not before Achilles pacifies his anger and goes into battle: so I promised the goddess Thetis."

But Achilles is not yet ready to "lay down his anger", and instead of him, his friend Patroclus comes out to help the Greeks: it hurts him to look at his comrades in trouble. Achilles gives him his soldiers, his armor, which the Trojans are used to being afraid of, his chariot harnessed by prophetic horses that can speak and prophesy. “Repel the Trojans from the camp, save the ships,” says Achilles, “but don’t get carried away with the pursuit, don’t endanger yourself! Indeed, seeing the armor of Achilles, the Trojans trembled and turned back; and then Patroclus could not resist and rushed to pursue them. Sarpedon, the son of Zeus, comes out to meet him, and Zeus, looking from a height, hesitates: "Should we not save our son?" - and the unkind Hera recalls:

"No, let fate be done!" Sarpedon collapses like a mountain pine, the battle boils around his body, and Patroclus rushes further, to the gates of Troy. “Away!” Apollo shouts to him, “Troy is not destined to take either you or even Achilles.” He does not hear; and then Apollo, wrapped in a cloud, strikes him on the shoulders, Patroclus loses his strength, drops his shield, helmet and spear, Hector strikes him with the last blow, and Patroclus, dying, says: "But you yourself will fall from Achilles!"

The news reaches Achilles: Patroclus has died, Hector flaunts in his Achilles armor, his friends hardly carried the dead body of the hero out of the battle, the triumphant Trojans are chasing them. Achilles wants to rush into battle, but he is unarmed; he comes out of the tent and screams, and this scream is so terrible that the Trojans, shuddering, retreat. Night falls, and all night Achilles mourns his friend and threatens the Trojans with terrible revenge; meanwhile, at the request of his mother, Thetis, the lame blacksmith god Hephaestus in his copper forge forges a new marvelous weapon for Achilles. This is a shell, a helmet, greaves and a shield, and the whole world is depicted on the shield: the sun and stars, the earth and the sea, a peaceful city and a warring city, in a peaceful city there is a court and a wedding, an ambush and a battle in front of a warring city, and around - rural areas, plowing , harvest, pasture, vineyard, village festival and dancing round dance, and in the middle of it - a singer with a lyre.

Morning comes, Achilles puts on divine armor and calls the Greek army to a gathering. His anger did not fade away, but now he is not directed at Agamemnon, but at those who killed his friend - at the Trojans and Hector. He offers reconciliation to Agamemnon, and he accepts it with dignity: "Zeus and Fate blinded me, but I myself am innocent." Briseis is returned to Achilles, rich gifts are brought to his tent, but Achilles almost does not look at them: he is eager to fight, he wants to take revenge.

The fourth battle is coming. Zeus removes the bans: let the gods themselves fight for whom they want! The warrior Athena converges in battle with the frantic Ares, the sovereign Hera with the archer Artemis, the sea Poseidon must converge with Apollo, but he stops him with sad words: “Should we fight with you because of the mortal human race? / Short-lived leaves in the oak forest are like sons human: / Today they bloom in strength, and tomorrow they lie lifeless. / I don’t want to quarrel with you: let them be at enmity! .. "

Achilles is terrible. He grappled with Aeneas, but the gods pulled Aeneas out of his hands: Aeneas is not destined to fall from Achilles, he must survive both Achilles and Troy. Enraged by the failure, Achilles destroys the Trojans without counting, their corpses clutter up the river, the river god Scamander attacks him, sweeping the ramparts, but the fiery god Hephaestus pacifies the river.

The surviving Trojans run in droves to escape to the city; Hector alone, in yesterday's Achilles armor, covers the retreat. Achilles attacks him, and Hector takes flight, voluntary and involuntary: he is afraid for himself, but wants to distract Achilles from others. Three times they run around the city, and the gods look at them from the heights. Again Zeus hesitates: "Should we save the hero?" - but Athena reminds him: "Let fate be done." Again, Zeus raises the scales, on which two lots lie - this time Hectors and Achilles. The bowl of Achilles flew up, the bowl of Hector leaned towards the underworld. And Zeus gives a sign: Apollo - to leave Hector, Athena - to come to the aid of Achilles. Athena holds Hector, and he comes face to face with Achilles. "I promise, Achilles," says Hector, "if I kill you, I will take off your armor, but I will not touch your body; promise me the same you." "There is no place for promises: for Patroclus I myself will tear you to pieces and drink your blood!" Achilles screams. Hector's spear strikes the Hephaestus shield, but in vain; Achilles' spear strikes Hector's throat, and the hero falls with the words: "Fear the revenge of the gods: and you will fall after me." "I know, but first - you!" Achilles answers. He ties the body of the slain enemy to his chariot and drives the horses around Troy, mocking the dead, and on the city wall old Priam weeps for Hector, the widow Andromache and all the Trojans and Trojans weep.

Patroclus is avenged. Achilles arranges a magnificent burial for his friend, kills twelve Trojan captives over his body, celebrates a commemoration. It would seem that his anger should subside, but it does not subside. Three times a day, Achilles drives his chariot with the body of Hector tied around Patroclus' mound; the corpse would have long since smashed against the stones, but Apollo was invisibly guarding it. Finally, Zeus intervenes - through the sea Thetis, he announces to Achilles: "Do not rage with your heart! After all, you don’t have long to live either. Be humane: accept the ransom and give Hector for burial." And Achilles says, "I obey."

At night, the decrepit king Priam comes to the tent of Achilles; with him is a wagon full of ransom gifts. The gods themselves let him pass through the Greek camp unnoticed. He falls to the knees of Achilles;

"Remember, Achilles, about your father, about Peleus! He is just as old; maybe enemies are pressing him; but it is easier for him, because he knows that you are alive and hopes that you will return. I am alone: ​​from of all my sons, only Hector was my hope - and now he is no more. For the sake of your father, have pity on me, Achilles: here I kiss your hand, from which my children fell. “So saying, he aroused sorrow for his father and tears in him - / Both wept loudly, in their souls remembering their own: / The old man, prostrate at the feet of Achilles, - about Hector the brave, / Achilles himself - now about a dear father, then about friend of Patroclus.

Equal grief brings enemies together: only now the long anger in Achilles' heart subsides. He accepts the gifts, gives Priam the body of Hector and promises not to disturb the Trojans until they betray their hero to the ground. Early at dawn, Priam returns with the body of his son to Troy, and mourning begins: the old mother cries over Hector, the widow Andromache cries, Helen cries, because of whom the war once began. A funeral pyre is lit, the remains are collected in an urn, the urn is lowered into the grave, a mound is poured over the grave, a memorial feast is celebrated for the hero. "So the sons buried the warrior Hector of Troy" - this line ends the Iliad.

Before the end of the Trojan War, there were still many events. The Trojans, having lost Hector, no longer dared to go beyond the city walls. But other, more and more distant peoples came to their aid and fought with Hector: from Asia Minor, from the fabulous land of the Amazons, from distant Ethiopia. The most terrible was the leader of the Ethiopians, the black giant Memnon, also the son of the goddess; he fought with Achilles, and Achilles overthrew him. It was then that Achilles rushed to attack Troy - then he died from the arrow of Paris, which Apollo directed. The Greeks, having lost Achilles, no longer hoped to take Troy by force - they took it by cunning, forcing the Trojans to bring into the city a wooden horse in which the Greek knights were sitting. The Roman poet Virgil will later tell about this in his Aeneid. Troy was wiped off the face of the earth, and the surviving Greek heroes set off on their way back.