"Iliad" is a poem dedicated to the last year of the Trojan War

Among the most ancient monuments of literature, a poem devoted to the last year of the Trojan War occupies an honorable place. The Iliad, like the Odyssey, is attributed to Homer, the singer, of whom very little information has been preserved. But whoever is the author of the heroic Greek work, it is important that it has reached us and we can enjoy the melodic language, amazing images and comparisons.

The sender from the past

Perhaps we would never have known about the blind Greek singer, if not for the titanic work of the latter. Seven cities dispute the honor of being called Homeland's homeland, scientists are racking their brains whether he was really blind, whether he took part in the war or not, whether he composed the poems that had glorified him, or only organized and systematized them. Precisely one thing is known: the narrator knew the events described by him very well, sympathized with all his heroes and possessed surprising speech. So much so that the poem dedicated to the last year of the Trojan War was long considered an invention until Henry Schliemann unearthed the remains of a powerful city. Today the poem hits every reader. Yes, what to say about the epic, the plot alone inspires writers and artists, writers and poets, historians and adventurers.

Trojan War: causes and start

As you know, Homer's poem about the Trojan War describes only the last year of the decadal siege of Ilium. And what was the reason for such a prolonged confrontation? The son of the Trojan king, Paris, led Menelaus away from his wife - the beautiful Helen. When the rulers from all over the world wooed to the girl, her father forced all the suitors to swear that they would not take revenge for Elena's choice, but, on the contrary, help her narrowed. When Paris insulted the Spartan prince, he gathered a large army, everyone who had promised to help, and went to Troy. For ten years the siege of the great city lasted, but the winner was not determined. The poem about the Trojan War tells us that the gods-Olympians intervened in the fate of people, who also divided into two warring camps. Finally, the lot was thrown, and Thunderer gave victory to the Greeks.

The tenth year of the war

So, it was the tenth year of the war. The work of Homer begins with the description of the quarrel between Achilles and Agamemnon, after which Achilles decides not to take part in the battles. The poem dedicated to the last year of the Trojan War reminds that without this hero, according to the predictions, the united Greek army could not capture the city. Seeing how the Greeks were depressed and Trojanic spirit perked up, a friend of Achilles Patrocles puts on his armor. His idea to cheer tired warriors failed, but he himself is dying. Achilles, very saddened and angry, decides to take revenge and goes on the attack.

The ravenous hero kills many Trojans, forcing them to retreat. Then, having come down in a duel with Hector, the eldest son of Priam and the brother of Paris, he kills him. At night, King Ilion comes to Achilles and begs to give the body of the Trojan prince. Crying over the old man, the son of the goddess Thetis, promises that the Greeks will not go on the attack until Hector is buried. After a touching funeral, which Homer describes in great detail, the battles continue. But the poem ends here. And what happened next?

Die is cast

Achilles himself was also not destined to capture Ilium. The arrow of Paris, directed by Apollo, falls into the only vulnerable place of the hero - the heel. He is dying. As the poem dedicated to the last year of the Trojan War tells us, the gods finally decided on the outcome of the battles. They awarded the victory to the Greeks, prompting them how to take the city by cunning. But the world learns about this much later, from the work of Virgil "Aeneid." The Roman poet will tell about the fall of Troy from the hands of soldiers hidden in a wooden horse, about how Aeneas, having collected the surviving townspeople, goes to perform the task of the gods on the territory of modern Rome. The Greeks, having destroyed the once great city, set out on their journey. By the way, about the return to the homeland of the hero of this war - Odysseus, narrates another poem by Homer.

Instead of an afterword

Homer told a lot about the Trojan War, although he did not describe the whole course of this confrontation. Reading a brilliant work you can learn a lot about the life of Greece in the past, about traditions, about cruelty and nobility, military valor and pure love. "Iliad" is an inexhaustible source that can fill the minds, thirsting for knowledge.