The Iliad - Performed

The battlefield falls away and we enter the walls of Troy. Book 6 gives us the most human moment in all of Homer - Hector, Troy's greatest warrior, pauses in the midst of war to say goodbye to his wife and infant son. A scene so tender and so devastating it has echoed through three thousand years of literature.

Join me as I read The Iliad by Homer.

One warrior rises above all others and the battlefield trembles. Diomedes storms through the Trojan ranks with a fury so devastating even the gods cannot stay out of his way and when he wounds Aphrodite herself the line between mortal and divine is crossed forever.

Just when peace seemed possible someone shoots an arrow and ruins everything. Book 4 of The Iliad sees the fragile truce between Greeks and Trojans collapse and Agamemnon rallies his armies for the full scale war that was always inevitable.

After nine years of war, two men finally stand face to face. Paris - the man who started it all - steps forward to meet Menelaus in single combat. One duel to end the war. One goddess who refuses to let it happen. And Helen, watching from the walls of Troy, as the two worlds that tore her apart collide below."

Before two armies can clash, they must first be counted. Book 2 brings us the famous Catalogue of Ships. A breathtaking roll call of every warrior and fleet that sailed for Troy, as Zeus(Jove) sets in motion a dream that will cost the Greeks dearly.

The great war begins not on the battlefield but in rage. Book 1 opens with a plague, a stolen girl, and a quarrel between the mightiest Greek warrior and his king that will change the course of the Trojan War forever. Achilles withdraws. The Greeks will pay the price.

Ever wondered what really sparks the rage of Achilles in the Iliad?

Achilles' wrath isn't just about pride - it's about honor, pride, and the pain of injustice. When Agamemnon dishonors him, it sets off a chain reaction of grief, rage, and ultimately, devastating consequences for both Greeks and Trojans.

His anger teaches us that unresolved hurt can simmer into something much bigger, reminding us to address our wounds before they ignite.