Iliad facts for kids
The Iliad is a very old and famous epic poem from Ancient Greece. It's the oldest Greek story that we still have today! For a long time, people didn't read it from a book. Instead, they spoke it out loud, telling the story from memory. It was finally written down around the 8th century BC.
This long poem has 24 parts, like chapters in a book. It's believed to be based on a real event: the attack on the city of Troy by the Mycenaeans. The Iliad also includes many early Greek myths and legends. Most people believe a poet named Homer wrote the Iliad. However, some experts wonder if one person really wrote the whole poem.
The story of the Iliad takes place during the Trojan War. It focuses on a short but very important time near the end of this war. The main characters are the great Greek warrior Achilles and King Agamemnon. The poem tells about Achilles' anger and how it affected the war. It also covers the death of Hector and the siege of Troy.
The Iliad is one of two major Greek epic poems. The other is the Odyssey, which tells what happened after the Trojan War.
Contents
Main Characters in the Iliad
The Iliad has many important characters, both Greek and Trojan. Here are some of the most famous ones:
- Achilles: The greatest Greek warrior.
- Odysseus: A clever Greek hero.
- Agamemnon: The leader of the Greek army.
- Menelaus: A Greek king whose wife was taken.
- Priam: The wise king of Troy.
- Hector: The bravest Trojan warrior and son of King Priam.
- Paris: A Trojan prince who started the war.
- Helen: The beautiful queen whose capture led to the war.
What Happens in the Story
The Iliad begins with a big problem for the Greek army. The god Apollo sends a terrible plague because the Greeks captured the daughter of one of his priests. Agamemnon is forced to give her back. But then, he takes Briseis from Achilles, which makes Achilles very angry.
Achilles' Anger
Because of this insult, Achilles refuses to fight in the war. This causes big trouble for the Greeks. Without their best warrior, they start losing battles to the Trojans.
Patroclus' Death
Achilles' close friend, Patroclus, decides to fight in Achilles' armor to scare the Trojans. But Hector, the greatest Trojan warrior, kills Patroclus. This makes Achilles incredibly sad and furious.
Achilles Returns to Battle
Filled with grief and a desire for revenge, Achilles returns to the fighting. He challenges Hector to a duel and kills him.
Hector's Funeral
Later, Priam, Hector's father and the King of Troy, secretly goes to Achilles. He asks for his son's body back so he can give him a proper funeral. Achilles agrees, showing respect for his enemy. The poem ends with the funeral of Hector, a sad but important event for the Trojans.
Related Stories
- Trojan War: Learn more about the famous war that the Iliad is about.
- Odyssey: This is the sequel to the Iliad, telling the story of Odysseus's long journey home after the war.
Images for kids
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Iliad, Book VIII, lines 245–53, Greek manuscript, late 5th, early 6th centuries AD.
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The Wrath of Achilles (1819), by Michel Martin Drolling.
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Achilles Slays Hector, by Peter Paul Rubens (1630–35).
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Wenceslas Hollar's engraved title page of a 1660 edition of the Iliad, translated by John Ogilby.
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Sampling of translations and editions of Iliad in English
See also
In Spanish: Ilíada para niños
