7.3 Book 24 in Detail: Priam's Supplication and Hector's Funeral

📚 A-Level Classical Civilisation ⏱️ 90 min 📖 Homer's Iliad

Why Book 24 Is the Heart of the Iliad

Book 24 is where the Iliad ENDS—not with Troy's fall, not with Achilles' death, not with Greek triumph, but with TWO OLD MEN weeping together in a tent at night. An elderly king travels alone through enemy lines to beg the man who killed his son for the corpse back. And that man—Achilles, the monster who dragged Hector's body for eleven days, who threatened to eat him raw—WEEPS with him and gives it back.

This ending shouldn't work. These are ENEMIES. Achilles murdered Hector in front of all Troy. Priam is the king of the city Achilles is trying to destroy. Achilles has spent eleven days ritually desecrating Hector's body every single morning. But for one night, in that tent, they're just two human beings who understand grief, mortality, and loss. And that's how Homer CHOOSES to end the greatest war poem ever written.

Great Priam came in unnoticed. He came close and clasped Achilles' knees with his hands, and kissed his terrible, man-slaughtering hands, which had killed many of his sons.
— The supplication, Rieu, lines 477-479
Book 24's Central Message
Even the worst enemies share fundamental human experiences: grief for the dead, fear of mortality, love for family. The Iliad doesn't celebrate war—it MOURNS it. Book 24 shows us that compassion is possible even in the midst of hatred, that humanity persists even after unspeakable violence, that mercy can break through rage.

What Makes Book 24 Devastating

  • Eleven days of ritual desecration: Every single morning Achilles drags Hector's corpse three times around Patroclus' tomb—obsessive, mechanical, endless
  • Apollo preserves the body: Despite the abuse, Hector's corpse stays perfect—divine protection as divine JUDGEMENT of Achilles' behaviour
  • The gods force intervention: Apollo condemns Achilles publicly; Zeus commands BOTH Achilles and Priam to act
  • Priam's impossible courage: An elderly man enters the enemy camp ALONE at night, guided only by a god in disguise
  • The kiss: Priam kisses "the terrible, man-slaughtering hands which had killed many of his sons"—physical contact with his children's killer
  • Achilles' transformation: From threatening to eat Hector raw (Book 22) to gently returning the washed, anointed body
  • Shared tears: Killer and victim's father weep together for Hector, Patroclus, and Peleus—recognising their common suffering
  • The philosophy of suffering: Achilles' speech about the two jars—all mortals suffer, gods don't, there's no justice, only endurance
  • The sacred meal: They eat together—xenia (guest-friendship) creating a bond that transcends enmity
  • Mutual admiration: "They had taken their fill of gazing at one another"—recognising each other's worth despite everything
  • Three laments: Andromache (widow), Hecuba (mother), Helen (friend)—each mourns Hector from a different perspective, showing the WHOLE man
  • The final line: "Such was the funeral they held for Hector, tamer of horses"—a Trojan hero honoured, not Greek victory celebrated

The Power of the Ending

Homer COULD have ended with Hector's death in Book 22. That's the CLIMAX—the dramatic peak where Achilles achieves his vengeance. Or he could have shown Troy's fall, the Trojan Horse, Achilles' death, Odysseus' return. His audience KNEW these stories intimately. They were part of the broader Troy myth cycle. But Homer deliberately chooses to end with RECONCILIATION rather than victory, with BURIAL rather than battle, with SHARED HUMANITY rather than martial triumph.

Ring Composition: Book 1 ↔ Book 24

  • Book 1: Chryses (priest, father) comes begging for his daughter Chryseis—Agamemnon refuses brutally, with contempt and threats
  • Book 24: Priam (king, father) comes begging for his son Hector—Achilles accepts graciously, with tears and compassion
  • Book 1: Apollo's plague punishes the Greeks—mass funeral pyres, anonymous dead, communal suffering
  • Book 24: Hector's individual funeral pyre—one hero properly honoured, personal grief acknowledged
  • Book 1: Achilles withdraws from battle in RAGE—"the wrath of Achilles" begins the poem, driving all the tragedy
  • Book 24: Achilles' rage ENDS in compassion—the wrath resolved through shared humanity, understanding mortality
  • Book 1: Agamemnon treats Chryses "like a worthless vagrant"—public humiliation, contempt for suppliants
  • Book 24: Achilles treats Priam with respect and honour—acknowledging his nobility despite being enemies

The parallel with Book 1 is DELIBERATE and PROFOUND. The Iliad is structurally a CIRCLE—we return to where we started (a father begging for his child), but EVERYTHING has changed. The supplication that failed catastrophically in Book 1 succeeds movingly in Book 24. Achilles—who was so consumed by rage that he prayed for Greek deaths—has learned something about compassion, about mortality, about what actually matters when facing death.

✨ The Moment That Defines the Epic

When Priam enters Achilles' tent and clasps his knees, two worlds collide: Greek and Trojan, youth and age, killer and victim's father, warrior and king, vengeance and mercy. The fact that THIS moment—not military victory, not heroic glory, not the sack of Troy, not Achilles' death—is how Homer chooses to end the Iliad tells us what the poem is REALLY about: the human cost of war, the universality of grief, and the fragile but real possibility of compassion even between worst enemies.

What Homer DOESN'T Show Us

Notice what's MISSING from the Iliad's ending. Homer's audience knew these stories, but he chooses NOT to include them:

Famous Events NOT in the Iliad

  • The Trojan Horse
  • Troy's fall and sack
  • Achilles' death (arrow in the heel)
  • Paris' death
  • Priam's murder at the altar
  • Astyanax thrown from the walls
  • Andromache enslaved
  • Odysseus' journey home

What Homer DOES Show

  • Father's love transcending hatred
  • Enemies recognising shared humanity
  • Proper burial rites honoured
  • Compassion breaking through rage
  • Trojan hero honoured by Greeks
  • Temporary truce allowing mourning
  • Hope for mercy even in war
  • Poem ends with funeral, not triumph

💡 Why End With Hector's Funeral?

Homer ends with reconciliation rather than victory because that's what the poem is ABOUT. It's not about WHO WINS. It's about the COST of war—what violence does to human beings, how grief transforms us, whether compassion is possible amongst enemies. Ending with Troy's fall would be triumphalist. Ending with Hector's funeral is tragic. The Iliad mourns war even as it depicts it.

← Previous: Book 23

Book 24 Structure

Book 24 follows a careful dramatic arc: desecration → divine intervention → preparation → journey → supplication → shared grief → return → funeral. Homer builds towards the central encounter between Priam and Achilles, then shows its aftermath and consequences.

SCENE 1
Achilles Defiles Hector's Body
Lines 1-76
For eleven days, Achilles drags Hector's corpse around Patroclus' tomb. Apollo preserves the body from decay, showing divine disapproval.
SCENE 2
Divine Council on Olympus
Lines 77-187
Apollo condemns Achilles' behaviour. Zeus orders Thetis to command Achilles to accept ransom, and orders Iris to tell Priam to go seek his son's body.
SCENE 3
Priam Prepares the Ransom
Lines 188-321
Despite Hecuba's fears, Priam gathers magnificent gifts. Zeus sends an omen (eagle) to confirm divine support. Priam prepares for his dangerous journey.
SCENE 4
The Night Journey
Lines 322-467
Hermes, disguised as a young Myrmidon, guides Priam and his herald Idaeus through the Greek camp. Hermes puts the guards to sleep and opens the gates.
SCENE 5
The Supplication
Lines 468-551
Priam enters Achilles' tent and clasps his knees. He kisses Achilles' hands and begs him to remember his own father Peleus. This is the emotional CLIMAX of the entire Iliad.
SCENE 6
Shared Grief and Philosophy
Lines 552-676
Achilles weeps for his father and Patroclus; Priam weeps for Hector. Achilles gives his speech about Zeus' two jars—the philosophy of human suffering. He accepts the ransom.
SCENE 7
The Body Prepared and Meal Shared
Lines 677-804
Achilles orders his servants to wash and anoint Hector's body. He personally lifts it onto the wagon. They share a meal—xenia creating a bond between enemies.
SCENE 8
Priam's Return to Troy
Lines 805-804
Priam returns at dawn with Hector's body. All Troy comes out to mourn. Andromache, Hecuba, and Helen each deliver laments that show different aspects of Hector's character.
SCENE 9
Hector's Funeral
Lines 782-804
Nine days gathering wood, cremation on the tenth day, burial on the eleventh, funeral feast on the twelfth. The Iliad ends: "Such was the funeral they held for Hector, tamer of horses."
The Dramatic Shape
Notice how Homer structures the book around the central encounter (Scene 5). Everything before builds towards Priam clasping Achilles' knees; everything after flows from that moment of human connection. The divine intervention frames the human drama—the gods set the stage, but humans make the choices that matter.

Symmetrical Structure

Book 24 is carefully balanced with parallel scenes creating thematic resonance:

Opening (Troy)

  • Trojans mourning inside the city
  • Priam preparing to leave Troy
  • Hecuba's fears and warnings
  • Divine omen (eagle) gives courage

Closing (Troy)

  • Trojans mourning with the body
  • Priam returning to Troy
  • Three women's formal laments
  • Proper funeral rites completed

Divine Council (Olympus)

  • Apollo condemns Achilles' cruelty
  • Hera defends Greek interests
  • Zeus commands both sides to act
  • Thetis sent to Achilles

Human Meeting (Achilles' Tent)

  • Priam acknowledges Achilles' grief
  • Achilles honours Priam's courage
  • Both choose compassion over enmity
  • Shared meal creates xenia bond

💡 Gods vs Humans

The gods INITIATE the action (divine commands frame the book), but humans COMPLETE it with genuine emotion and choice. Zeus orders Achilles to accept ransom and Priam to go seek it, but the TEARS, the recognition of shared humanity, the compassion—that's all human. Homer shows us that even when gods intervene, human choices and emotions are what truly matter.

Eleven Days of Desecration

Book 24 opens with Achilles still consumed by grief. The games for Patroclus are over, but Achilles' rage hasn't ended. For ELEVEN DAYS he performs a ritual desecration that shocks even the gods.

But Achilles, remembering his dear companion, was still weeping. Sleep, which tames all, could not take him. He tossed this way and that, longing for Patroclus, for his strength and manly vigour, thinking of all they had been through together, the hardships they had shared, the wars they had fought, the dangerous seas they had crossed. As he remembered all this, he shed warm tears.
— Achilles' sleepless grief, Rieu, lines 3-9

Achilles' Insomnia

Achilles cannot sleep—grief and trauma have destroyed even this basic human function. Notice what he remembers: not just battles, but "all they had been through together", the RELATIONSHIP, the companionship. He's not mourning a fallen warrior; he's mourning his best friend, the person who knew him completely.

Sometimes he would lie on his side, sometimes on his back, sometimes face down. Then he would leap up and wander distraught along the seashore. Dawn never appeared over the sea and beaches without Achilles being there to see it. Then he would yoke his fast horses to his chariot and fasten Hector behind it to drag him along. And when he had hauled him three times round the barrow of Menoetius' son, he would rest again in his hut, leaving Hector stretched face down in the dust.
— The ritual desecration, Rieu, lines 10-18

The Daily Ritual

  • Tosses and turns all night—no peace in sleep
  • Leaps up at dawn—compulsive, driven behaviour
  • Drags Hector three times around Patroclus' tomb—ritualised desecration
  • Leaves body face down in dust—maximum dishonour
  • Returns to his hut—but finds no relief, no closure
  • Repeats this EVERY SINGLE DAY for eleven days—mechanical, obsessive grief
Why This Is Shocking
In heroic culture, you give your enemy proper burial rites. You may kill them, but you HONOUR the body. Achilles' treatment of Hector violates the most fundamental rules of war. He's not just dishonouring Hector—he's dishonouring HIMSELF by acting without restraint, without the civilised codes that separate humans from beasts.

Apollo Preserves the Body

Despite eleven days of abuse, Hector's body remains perfect. This is divine intervention—and divine JUDGEMENT of Achilles' behaviour.

But Apollo in pity for Hector, dead though he was, protected his flesh from all disfigurement. He covered him completely with his golden aegis, so that Achilles might not tear the skin as he dragged him.
— Divine preservation, Rieu, lines 18-21

💡 The Meaning of the Preservation

Apollo's protection of Hector's corpse is a REBUKE to Achilles. The fact that the body stays perfect despite the abuse shows that the gods disapprove. It's a visible sign that Achilles has gone too far, that his grief has turned into something ugly and inhuman. Divine intervention here is moral commentary—the gods are saying "ENOUGH."

Achilles' Psychological State

Book 24 opens with Achilles in the grip of something beyond normal grief. Modern readers might recognise PTSD, depression, trauma. Homer doesn't have these clinical terms, but he accurately depicts someone destroyed by loss.

Symptoms of Trauma

  • Insomnia—"sleep could not take him"
  • Intrusive memories—constantly replaying past
  • Physical restlessness—tossing, leaping up
  • Compulsive behaviour—ritual dragging
  • Inability to find peace or closure
  • Disconnection from normal codes of behaviour

What's Missing

  • Normal grief process—no movement towards acceptance
  • Social connection—isolating himself
  • Sense of honour—violating heroic codes
  • Future orientation—stuck in past
  • Compassion—only rage and grief exist
  • Sleep/rest—basic human needs unmet

⚠️ Achilles Needs Intervention

Achilles cannot heal himself. He's trapped in a cycle of grief and rage that he cannot break alone. The divine intervention that follows—Zeus sending Thetis to command him—is NECESSARY because Achilles has lost the ability to choose healing for himself. Sometimes people need external force to break destructive patterns.

Connection to Earlier Books

Achilles' Journey Through Grief

  • Book 18: Initial shock of Patroclus' death—inhuman wailing, covering himself in dust, wanting to die
  • Book 19: Rage stage—refusing to eat, obsessed with vengeance, rejecting Agamemnon's apology without engagement
  • Books 20-22: Acting out through violence—the aristeia, killing Trojans wholesale, brutal killing of Hector
  • Book 23: Ritual and commemoration—funeral games provide structure but don't bring peace
  • Book 24: Stuck in compulsive behaviour—desecrating Hector's body daily, unable to move forward until divine/human intervention

Achilles' grief follows a recognisable pattern, but he's STUCK before reaching acceptance or peace. Book 24's intervention by gods and Priam is what finally allows him to begin healing.

Apollo's Condemnation

On the twelfth day, Apollo can no longer remain silent. In the divine assembly, he publicly condemns Achilles' treatment of Hector's body. This is an extraordinary moment—a god directly criticising the greatest Greek hero.

'You gods are hard and destructive! Did Hector never burn you the thighs of oxen and unblemished goats? Yet now you cannot bring yourselves to save his dead body for his wife to see, and his mother, his child, his father Priam and his people, who would soon burn him in the fire and give him his rites. But you are willing to help the cruel Achilles, who has no decency in his heart, no mercy in his thoughts. His feelings are savage, like a lion's.'
— Apollo to the gods, Rieu, lines 33-41

Apollo's Accusations Against Achilles

  • "no decency in his heart" = lost his humanity
  • "no mercy in his thoughts" = incapable of compassion
  • "feelings are savage, like a lion's" = animal, not human
  • "destroys pity" = violating basic moral sense
  • "dishonours the senseless earth" = even the dead body is being wronged
  • "like a lion attacking sheep" = preying on the helpless
'Achilles has destroyed pity and there is no shame in him—shame, which does men great harm but also great good. A man may lose someone even dearer to him than Achilles has lost, a brother from the same womb or even a son. Yet when he has wept and mourned for him, he lets him go. The Fates have given men an enduring heart. But this man, when he has robbed noble Hector of his life, ties him behind his chariot and drags him round his dear companion's tomb. This does him no credit and no good.'
— Apollo continues, Rieu, lines 44-52
Apollo's Key Argument
Even when you lose someone precious, you must EVENTUALLY let them go. "The Fates have given men an enduring heart" means humans have the capacity to survive grief, to continue living. Achilles' behaviour is unnatural—he's refusing to move through grief towards acceptance. The desecration "does him no credit and no good"—it doesn't honour Patroclus, it just degrades Achilles himself.

Hera Defends Achilles

Hera, ever the champion of Greek interests, pushes back against Apollo. But notice—she doesn't defend Achilles' BEHAVIOUR. She defends his HONOUR and STATUS.

'What you say might be true, lord of the silver bow, if you are going to put Achilles and Hector in the same class. But Hector is a mortal and was suckled at a woman's breast, whereas Achilles is the son of a goddess whom I myself reared with loving care and gave in marriage to a man, to Peleus, who is very dear to the immortals' hearts.'
— Hera to Apollo, Rieu, lines 56-61

Hera's Argument

Hera makes a HIERARCHY argument: Achilles is semi-divine (son of Thetis), personally connected to the gods, married into their favour. Hector is "just" a mortal. Therefore, they shouldn't be treated equally. This is pure aristocratic/divine thinking—rank and lineage matter more than behaviour.

💡 Homer's Critique

Notice that Homer lets Hera make this argument, but he doesn't endorse it. Zeus' response will show that even though Achilles is semi-divine, he's still WRONG. Rank doesn't excuse cruelty. This is Homer quietly critiquing divine favouritism and aristocratic privilege—doing the right thing matters more than who your parents are.

Zeus' Decision: Both Must Act

Zeus, as always, finds the diplomatic solution. He won't directly FORCE Achilles to give up Hector's body (that would dishonour Achilles), but he'll command both sides to act in a way that makes reconciliation inevitable.

'Iris, off with you. Go to sacred Troy and tell King Priam to go to the Greek ships and ransom his dear son, taking gifts to Achilles that will soften his heart. He must go alone, with no other Trojan, except a herald, some older man to guide the mules and the smooth-running wagon and to bring back to the city the corpse of the man Achilles killed. Death and fear must not trouble him at all. I shall give him the best of escorts, the slayer of Argus, who will lead him till he brings him to Achilles.'
— Zeus to Iris, Rieu, lines 143-150
'Thetis, there is an assembly of the gods. Go to Achilles and give him my message. Tell him the gods are angry with him and I myself, more than all the other immortals, am incensed that in his fury he is keeping Hector by the beaked ships and will not give him up. Perhaps he will fear me and let the body go.'
— Zeus to Thetis, Rieu, lines 112-116

Zeus' Strategy

  • Commands Priam to GO seek his son—puts burden on Trojans to act first
  • Promises divine escort (Hermes)—removes danger, makes journey possible
  • Commands Achilles to ACCEPT ransom—direct divine order
  • Invokes divine anger—"fear me"

Why This Works

  • Saves Achilles' honour—he's obeying divine command, not "giving in"
  • Gives Priam courage—divine protection promised
  • Creates conditions for meeting—removes obstacles
  • Still leaves human choice—they must CHOOSE compassion
Gods Set the Stage, Humans Choose
Zeus creates the CONDITIONS for reconciliation, but he doesn't FORCE the emotions. Priam must choose to go despite his fear. Achilles must choose to weep with Priam and show compassion. The gods intervene to make the meeting possible, but the HUMANITY that follows—the tears, the recognition, the mercy—that's all human choice.

Thetis and Achilles

Thetis comes to Achilles with Zeus' message. Notice how she approaches him—not with threats, but with concern and gentle persuasion.

'My child, how long are you going to eat your heart out in tears and anguish, with no thought for food or bed? It is good to sleep with a woman in love-making. For you will not be with me much longer—Death and pitiless Fate are already standing by your side.'
— Thetis to Achilles, Rieu, lines 128-132

Thetis' Maternal Concern

Thetis speaks as a MOTHER first: "my child", concern for his health ("no thought for food or bed"), encouraging him to embrace life ("good to sleep with a woman"). Then she reminds him of his mortality—"you will not be with me much longer". She's saying: you're going to DIE SOON. Stop wasting your remaining life on hatred. Live while you can.

'Now listen carefully. I come to you as a messenger from Zeus. He says the gods are angry with you and he himself, more than all the other immortals, is incensed that in your fury you are keeping Hector by the beaked ships and will not give him up. Come now, release the body and accept a ransom for the dead.'
— Thetis continues, Rieu, lines 133-137

Achilles' response is immediate and simple:

'So be it. Let the man come bringing ransom and take the body away, if the Olympian himself commands it in earnest.'
— Achilles to Thetis, Rieu, lines 139-140

💡 Achilles' Obedience

Notice there's no argument, no resistance. When his MOTHER brings him a divine command, Achilles accepts immediately. This isn't the proud, defiant Achilles of Book 9 who rejected the embassy. Something has shifted. Maybe he's exhausted. Maybe he recognises he's gone too far. Maybe he's ready for this to end. The compulsive behaviour can stop now—he has divine permission to let go.

Iris Comes to Priam

In Troy, the royal family is consumed by grief. Priam has been lying in dung on the palace floor, covered in filth, obsessed with his dead son. When Iris arrives with Zeus' message, she finds the household in complete mourning.

'Iris, standing close by him, gave her message: "Take heart, Priam son of Dardanus, and do not fear. I have not come here with any evil purpose, but with good intentions for you. I am a messenger from Zeus, who, though far away, shows you much kindness and pity. The Olympian commands you to ransom noble Hector, taking gifts to Achilles to soften his heart. You must go alone, with no other Trojan, though a herald may accompany you, some older man to guide the mules and the smooth-running wagon and bring back to the city the body of the man Achilles killed."'
— Iris to Priam, Rieu, lines 171-180
'"Let death and fear not trouble you at all. You will have the best of escorts, the slayer of Argus, who will guide you till he brings you to Achilles. And when he has brought you inside Achilles' hut, Achilles will not kill you himself, and will stop anyone else. He is not a fool or thoughtless or wicked. He will treat a suppliant with great respect."'
— Iris continues, Rieu, lines 181-186
The Promise of Safety
Iris explicitly tells Priam not to fear—Zeus guarantees his safety through Hermes' escort, and promises that Achilles will respect a suppliant. But this is still an ACT OF FAITH. Priam must trust divine promises and enter enemy territory alone at night to beg mercy from his son's killer. This requires extraordinary courage.

Priam's Determination

Priam's response shows no hesitation. He immediately begins preparing for the journey, ordering servants to ready the wagon and gather the ransom gifts.

He called to his sons and rebuked them, saying: 'Get moving, you worthless creatures, you disgraces! I wish that all of you, instead of Hector, had been killed by the fast ships. How unlucky I am! I fathered the best sons in broad Troy, and now I tell you not one of them is left.'
— Priam to his surviving sons, Rieu, lines 253-256

Priam's Harsh Words

Priam's grief makes him cruel to his surviving sons. "I wish that all of you, instead of Hector, had been killed"—he's saying he'd rather they were dead than Hector. This is devastating for Paris especially (who CAUSED the war), but also for all his living children. Priam's pain makes him unable to appreciate what he still has.

'Hurry, my miserable sons, my disgraces! Get me a wagon, a smooth-running cart, and fasten a wicker carrier onto it, so I can bring back here the body of my dear son.'
— Priam continues, Rieu, lines 265-267

Hecuba's Fear and Priam's Resolve

Hecuba, Priam's wife and Hector's mother, tries to stop him. Her objections are practical and emotional—she's terrified for her husband's life.

His wife came up to him full of misery and said: 'Where have your wits flown to? This was not your way before. How can you think of going to the Greek ships alone, into the sight of the man who has killed so many of your brave sons? Your heart must be made of iron. If he catches you, if he sets eyes on you, that savage, treacherous man will show you no respect or pity. So let us sit in the palace now and mourn Hector from afar.'
— Hecuba to Priam, Rieu, lines 200-206

Hecuba's Objections

  • "How can you think of going alone?" = You're vulnerable, elderly
  • "the man who has killed so many of your brave sons" = Achilles is a mass murderer
  • "Your heart must be made of iron" = This is insane courage or stubbornness
  • "that savage, treacherous man will show you no respect" = He'll kill you
  • "let us sit in the palace and mourn from afar" = Accept that we can't get the body back

But Priam refuses to be deterred. His response shows a father's love that overcomes all fear:

'Do not try to stop me or be a bird of ill omen in the palace. You will not persuade me. If someone else on earth had told me to go, one of the prophets or priests who deal in sacrifices, we might have called it false and turned away from it. But I myself heard the goddess and saw her face to face. So I will go, and her word will not be wasted. If it is my fate to die by the ships of the bronze-clad Greeks, so be it. Let Achilles kill me at once, when I have taken my son in my arms and satisfied my desire for mourning.'
— Priam to Hecuba, Rieu, lines 219-227
Priam's Courage
"If it is my fate to die, so be it. Let Achilles kill me at once, when I have taken my son in my arms"—Priam is willing to DIE if it means holding Hector one last time. This is pure parental love transcending self-preservation. He'd rather die embracing his son's body than live without giving Hector proper burial. This courage makes the supplication so powerful.

The Ransom Assembled

Priam gathers extraordinary treasures from his storerooms. Homer lists them in detail to show the SCALE of what Priam is offering—this is royal wealth accumulated over generations.

He threw back the lids of his fragrant chests and took out twelve beautiful robes, twelve simple cloaks, as many blankets and white mantles and tunics to match. He weighed out and brought ten full talents of gold. He fetched two shining tripods, four cauldrons, and a very beautiful cup which the Thracians had given him when he went on an embassy to them—a treasure of great value.
— The ransom gifts, Rieu, lines 228-235

The Ransom List

12 robes, 12 cloaks, 12 blankets, 12 white mantles, 12 tunics, 10 talents of gold (enormous wealth), 2 tripods, 4 cauldrons, 1 precious cup from Thracian embassy. This is EVERYTHING—Priam is offering the treasury of Troy to get his son's body back. It shows Hector's value to his father and to Troy.

💡 Priam's Desperation

Notice that Priam even takes out "a very beautiful cup which the Thracians had given him"—items with personal and diplomatic significance. He's not holding anything back. This isn't calculated negotiation; it's a father offering EVERYTHING he has. The list's length and detail make us feel the weight of Priam's sacrifice.

Zeus Sends an Omen

Before departing, Priam asks Zeus for a sign that this journey is truly divinely sanctioned. Zeus responds immediately with the most favourable omen possible.

'Zeus, Father, who rule from Ida, most glorious, most great, send me your swift messenger, the bird that is your favourite, the mightiest of all winged creatures. Send him on my right so that I may see him with my own eyes and take confidence from him as I go to the ships of the fast-horsed Greeks.'
— Priam's prayer to Zeus, Rieu, lines 308-312
Zeus the Thunderer heard his prayer and at once sent out an eagle, the surest of omens among winged birds, the dark hunter that men also call the black eagle. As wide as the well-fitted door of a high-roofed treasury built for a rich man is the spread of this bird's wings on either side. It appeared to them on the right, sweeping over the city. When they saw the eagle they all rejoiced and the hearts in all their breasts were comforted.
— Zeus sends the eagle, Rieu, lines 313-320

The Eagle Omen

  • Eagle = Zeus' sacred bird, his personal messenger
  • "surest of omens" = most reliable divine sign
  • "on the right" = traditionally auspicious direction
  • Huge wingspan = magnificence and power
  • "all rejoiced... hearts were comforted" = collective relief and courage

With this divine confirmation, Priam and his herald Idaeus set off into the night, driving the wagon loaded with ransom through the Trojan gates towards the Greek camp.

Hermes Appears

As Priam and Idaeus cross the plain in darkness, Hermes comes to them disguised as a young Greek soldier. This disguise is deliberate—Hermes wants to guide them without revealing his divinity until the right moment.

They drove the mules and horses briskly through the night until they reached the ford of the fair-flowing Scamander. There Hermes left Olympus and came down to them. He had taken on the appearance of a young prince with the first down on his lip, in the most charming time of his youth.
— Hermes arrives, Rieu, lines 347-350

Why Disguise as a Youth?

Hermes appears as a beautiful young nobleman—the kind of person who would plausibly be out on patrol but also approachable and trustworthy. "The first down on his lip" suggests late adolescence, the threshold between youth and manhood. This makes him seem HELPFUL rather than threatening, and explains why he'd be alone at night (young warriors do night watches).

When they had driven past the great barrow of Ilus, they halted the mules and horses at the river to give them a drink. By now darkness had fallen over the earth. Then the herald noticed Hermes close at hand and said to Priam: 'Think carefully now, son of Dardanus. This calls for caution. I see a man. I have a feeling he will soon tear us limb from limb. Come, let us flee in the chariot, or else clasp his knees and beg him to have mercy on us.'
— Idaeus panics, Rieu, lines 351-358
Idaeus' Terror
The herald's immediate reaction is FEAR—"he will soon tear us limb from limb". They're deep in enemy territory, at night, vulnerable. Any Greek soldier could kill them for the treasure they're carrying. Idaeus suggests either fleeing or SUPPLICATING—becoming suppliants to this random soldier. The danger is absolutely real.

The Conversation with "the Young Soldier"

Hermes, still disguised, approaches them with apparent friendliness. He asks what they're doing out at night. Priam, showing remarkable diplomatic skill, doesn't reveal his identity immediately.

The old man's wits were scattered and he was terribly afraid. The hair stood up on his supple limbs and he stood rooted in bewilderment. But Hermes came up to him and took him by the hand and spoke to him: 'Where are you driving your horses and mules through the immortal night, old man, when other mortals are asleep? Have you no fear of the Greeks who breathe fury, your wicked enemies who are close at hand? If one of them saw you carrying so many treasures through the swift black night, what would you think then?'
— Hermes to Priam, Rieu, lines 358-366

💡 Hermes' Testing Questions

Hermes asks questions that highlight the DANGER and ABSURDITY of what Priam is doing: travelling at night, carrying treasure, in enemy territory, as an elderly man. These are the same objections Hecuba made. By voicing them, Hermes is testing Priam's resolve and making him articulate his divine mission.

'You are not young yourself, and this man with you is old, to defend yourselves if someone should start a fight with you. But I will do you no harm myself and will keep anyone else from hurting you. You remind me of my own dear father.'
— Hermes continues, Rieu, lines 367-370

"You remind me of my own dear father"—Hermes (pretending to be a young Greek) creates an emotional connection. He's saying: I see you as my father, so I'll protect you. This is xenia (guest-friendship) emerging even between enemies.

Priam's Clever Response

Priam's reply shows political intelligence. He doesn't tell the whole truth (that he's going to Achilles specifically), but he confirms divine protection without revealing his identity.

'Yes, dear child, it is very much as you say. But some god has stretched out his hand above me, to send a traveller like you to meet me—a man with your good looks and good sense. Your parents are blessed to have such a son.'
— Priam to Hermes, Rieu, lines 371-374

Priam's Diplomatic Strategy

Priam acknowledges divine protection ("some god has stretched out his hand"), compliments the young man ("your good looks and good sense"), blesses his parents—he's being CHARMING and building rapport. He's an experienced diplomat, and even in crisis, he knows how to make people want to help him.

Asking About Hector

The disguised Hermes claims to be one of Achilles' Myrmidons. This lets Priam ask the question that's been torturing him: what has happened to Hector's body?

'Come now, tell me truly, dear child. Does my noble son still lie by the ships, or has Achilles by now cut him limb from limb and thrown him to the dogs?'
— Priam asks about Hector, Rieu, lines 408-409

Priam's worst fear: that there's NOTHING LEFT to bury, that Hector has been fed to dogs. Hermes' response brings relief:

'Old man, the dogs have not eaten him, nor the birds. He lies there by Achilles' ship among the huts just as he was when he fell. Though it is now the twelfth day that he has been lying there, his flesh is not decaying, nor are the worms which feed on men killed in battle eating him. It is true that Achilles drags him round his dear companion's tomb without mercy when bright dawn appears. But he does him no disfigurement. You would be amazed if you came and saw how fresh he lies, washed clean of blood, with no sign of corruption. All his wounds have closed—and there were many where men drove bronze into him. That is how the blessed gods care for your son, dead though he is, since he was very dear to their hearts.'
— Hermes describes Hector's preserved body, Rieu, lines 411-423

🙏 The Miracle

Twelve days of dragging, yet "fresh", "washed clean of blood", "no sign of corruption", "all his wounds have closed"—this is explicitly miraculous. Hermes confirms what the narrative has shown: the gods are protecting Hector's body as a REBUKE to Achilles and because Hector "was very dear to their hearts". Priam learns his son is still whole, still honourable.

The old man rejoiced and replied: 'My child, it is good to give the immortals their proper offerings. My son—if I ever had such a one—never forgot the gods who live on Olympus. So now they have remembered him, even in death. But come, accept from me this beautiful cup, and protect me and guide me with the gods' help until I reach the hut of Achilles.'
— Priam's relief and gratitude, Rieu, lines 424-429
Priam's Faith Confirmed
Priam's relief is profound: "if I ever had such a one"—grief makes him doubt reality, as if Hector were a dream. Learning the body is preserved confirms divine favour and makes the mission feel blessed. Priam immediately offers a gift (the cup) and asks for continued guidance. He's treating this young soldier with the respect due to a divine agent.

Hermes Guides Them Through the Camp

Hermes uses his divine powers to get them safely through the Greek defences. This is where his identity becomes undeniable—no mortal could do what he does.

With that Hermes jumped onto the chariot, quickly took the whip and reins in his hands, and breathed great strength into the horses and mules. When they reached the ditch and wall around the ships, the guards were busy preparing their evening meal. But Hermes spread sleep over them all and immediately opened the gates and pushed back the bars, and brought in Priam and the wagon loaded with glorious gifts.
— Divine intervention, Rieu, lines 440-446

Hermes' Divine Actions

  • "breathed great strength into the horses" = supernatural power
  • "spread sleep over them all" = mass enchantment of the guards
  • "immediately opened the gates" = impossibly heavy gates opened instantly
  • "pushed back the bars" = security systems bypassed
  • All done silently, invisibly, perfectly

When they reach Achilles' hut, Hermes reveals his true identity:

'Old man, I am an immortal god, Hermes, and my father sent me to be your guide. But now I shall go back and not come before Achilles' eyes. It would be offensive for an immortal god to show such open friendship to a mortal. You go in and clasp his knees and entreat him by his father and lovely-haired mother and his child, so that you may move his heart.'
— Hermes reveals himself, Rieu, lines 460-465

💡 Why Hermes Doesn't Enter

Hermes can guide Priam to the threshold but can't enter with him—"it would be offensive". The supplication must be purely HUMAN. Divine protection brought Priam here safely, but the actual encounter—the tears, the compassion, the mercy—must come from human hearts alone. Hermes' departure makes the following scene even more powerful: just two mortals, alone, enemies who must choose to see each other's humanity.

Priam Enters Achilles' Tent

This is the moment the entire Iliad has been building towards. Everything that came before—all the rage, all the death, all the grief—leads to this: an elderly king entering his enemy's tent to beg for his son's body.

Great Priam came in unnoticed. He came close and clasped Achilles' knees with his hands, and kissed his terrible, man-slaughtering hands, which had killed many of his sons.
— The supplication, Rieu, lines 477-479

✨ The Kiss

"kissed his terrible, man-slaughtering hands, which had killed many of his sons"—this is one of the most devastating lines in all literature. Priam performs the ultimate act of humility and desperation: kissing the hands that murdered his children. The physical contact with his sons' killer is both horrifying and deeply moving. It's supplication in its purest, most abject form.

As when a terrible fit of madness strikes a man and he kills someone in his own country and goes as a fugitive to another land, to a rich man's house, and all who see him are amazed—so Achilles was amazed when he saw godlike Priam, and the others too were amazed and looked at one another.
— Achilles' shock, Rieu, lines 480-484

The Simile's Meaning

Homer compares Priam to a FUGITIVE MURDERER seeking asylum—someone who's crossed all boundaries, broken all rules, arrived where he shouldn't be. Just as people are amazed to see a killer seeking refuge in their house, Achilles and his men are amazed to see the Trojan king in their hut. Both situations involve someone vulnerable throwing themselves on another's mercy after the worst has happened.

Priam's Speech: "Remember Your Father"

Priam's supplication is one of the greatest speeches in the Iliad. He appeals to Achilles' love for his own father, creates emotional connection through shared human experience, and shows extraordinary courage in his vulnerability.

'Achilles, think of your own father, who is the same age as I am, on the cruel threshold of old age. Perhaps his neighbours are wearing him down and there is no one to defend him from attack and ruin. Yet at least he, when he hears that you are still alive, is happy in his heart and hopes every day that he will see his dear son coming home from Troy. But I am utterly wretched.'
— Priam begins, Rieu, lines 486-492

Priam's Strategy

  • "think of your own father" = immediate emotional connection
  • "same age as I am" = we're both old men
  • "on the cruel threshold of old age" = vulnerable, declining
  • "hopes every day to see his dear son" = what Peleus has, I've lost
  • "But I am utterly wretched" = my suffering is worse—all my sons are dead
'I fathered the best sons in broad Troy, and I tell you not one of them is left. Fifty I had when the sons of the Greeks arrived—nineteen born from one mother, and the rest the women in my palace bore me. Many of them have had their knees broken by violent Ares. But one, the one who guarded the city and its people, him you killed the other day as he fought for his country—Hector.'
— Priam continues, Rieu, lines 493-499
The Magnitude of Loss
Priam had FIFTY SONS. Most are now dead. But Hector—"the one who guarded the city and its people"—was special. Priam doesn't just mourn a son; he mourns Troy's defender, the kingdom's hope. By naming Hector and his role, Priam makes him REAL to Achilles, not just "the enemy I killed" but a person with family and responsibility.
'It is for him I have come to the ships of the Greeks, to win him back from you, bringing a priceless ransom. Respect the gods, Achilles, and take pity on me, remembering your own father. I am even more pitiable than he, and I have borne what no other mortal on earth has borne—I have raised to my lips the hand of the man who killed my son.'
— Priam concludes, Rieu, lines 501-506

💔 "I Have Borne What No Other Mortal Has Borne"

This is the emotional climax of Priam's speech. "I have raised to my lips the hand of the man who killed my son"—he's explicitly acknowledging the horror of what he's doing, the degradation of kissing his son's killer's hands. But he does it anyway. This is the ultimate expression of parental love: swallowing pride, dignity, even rage, to bring home his child's body. No other mortal has done something this hard.

They Weep Together

Priam's words have their effect. Achilles is moved to tears—not just for Patroclus, but for his own father, for Priam, for the universal experience of grief and mortality.

He spoke, and stirred in Achilles a desire to weep for his own father. He took Priam by the hand and gently pushed the old man away. The two of them remembered. Priam, huddled at Achilles' feet, wept bitterly for man-slaughtering Hector, and Achilles wept for his own father, and then again for Patroclus. The sound of their lamentation filled the house.
— Shared weeping, Rieu, lines 507-512

✨ The Most Important Moment in the Iliad

This is IT. Killer and victim's father, weeping TOGETHER. "Priam wept for Hector, and Achilles wept for his own father, and then again for Patroclus"—they're sharing grief, recognising their common humanity. The sound of their lamentation fills the house—their suffering mingles, becomes one. This is the resolution of the wrath that began Book 1: not through victory, but through shared tears.

💡 "Gently Pushed the Old Man Away"

Notice Achilles doesn't let Priam remain abject at his feet. He "gently pushed the old man away"—returning him to a position of dignity. This is the first sign of Achilles' compassion: he can't bear to see this king degraded, even though Priam is his enemy. The gentleness of that push shows Achilles recognising Priam's humanity and nobility.

Achilles' Philosophy: The Two Jars of Zeus

After they've wept together, Achilles speaks. His words are the Iliad's clearest statement of its philosophy of suffering and mortality. This is one of the most famous passages in all ancient literature.

When noble Achilles had had his fill of lamentation and the desire for it had left his heart and limbs, he rose from his seat and raised the old man by the hand, pitying his grey head and grey beard. And he spoke to him with winged words: 'Ah, you have indeed endured much sorrow in your heart. How did you dare to come alone to the Greek ships, into the sight of the man who has killed so many of your brave sons? Your heart must be made of iron.'
— Achilles to Priam, Rieu, lines 516-521

Achilles acknowledges Priam's courage—"your heart must be made of iron" echoes Hecuba's words, but now it's said with ADMIRATION rather than fear. Then comes the philosophical core:

'But come, sit on this chair, and let us leave our sorrows to lie quiet in our hearts, painful though they are. There is no profit in chill lamentation. This is the way the gods have spun the thread for miserable mortals, that they should live in pain; yet the gods themselves are sorrowless.'
— Beginning of the philosophy, Rieu, lines 522-526
"The Gods Themselves Are Sorrowless"
This is the fundamental divide in the Iliad: gods are IMMORTAL and therefore free from the grief that defines human existence. Humans must suffer and die; gods do neither. This makes mortal suffering more profound—we know it ends in death, while gods play with our lives like pieces on a board. Yet this mortality is also what makes human choices, courage, and compassion MEANINGFUL.
'There are two jars standing on the floor of Zeus's palace, full of the gifts he gives, one of evils, the other of blessings. When Zeus the Thunderer mixes the two and gives them to a man, that man meets now with evil, now with good. But the man to whom Zeus gives only evils from the jar of sorrows, he makes an object of abuse, and grinding hunger drives him over the bright earth, and he wanders respected neither by gods nor mortals.'
— The two jars, Rieu, lines 527-533

The Three Types of Human Life

  • Mixed blessings and evils: Most people—sometimes happy, sometimes suffering
  • Only evils: The cursed—grinding poverty, universal contempt, wandering homeless
  • Only blessings: This doesn't exist—NO mortal gets pure good without suffering
'So it was that the gods gave splendid gifts to Peleus from his birth—he surpassed all men in prosperity and wealth, and was king over the Myrmidons, and though he was a mortal the gods gave him a goddess for his wife. But even on him the god brought evil, since he had no line of royal sons born in his palace, but fathered a single son, doomed to an early death. Nor can I look after him in his old age, since I sit here in Troy, far from my homeland, bringing suffering to you and your children.'
— Peleus' mixed fate, Rieu, lines 534-542
'And you, old man, we hear that you were once prosperous. They say that in all the lands enclosed by Lesbos where Macar was king, and Phrygia to the east, and the boundless Hellespont, you surpassed all men in wealth and in sons. But ever since the gods of heaven brought this disaster on you, there has been nothing but war and the slaughter of men around your city. Bear up, and do not mourn unceasingly in your heart. You will gain nothing by grieving for your son. You will not bring him back to life. Sooner you will suffer some other evil.'
— Priam's mixed fate, Rieu, lines 543-551

What Achilles Is Saying

Both Peleus and Priam had everything—wealth, power, sons, glory. Zeus gave them great blessings. But ALSO great evils: Peleus will lose his only son young; Priam has lost almost all his sons and his city is doomed. There's no justice in this distribution, no moral calculus. Some mortals get more suffering than others, but EVERYONE suffers. The only response is ENDURANCE: "Bear up, and do not mourn unceasingly". Not because mourning is wrong, but because it won't change anything. "You will not bring him back to life."

⚠️ Is This Comforting?

Achilles' philosophy is BLEAK: there's no justice, gods don't care about fairness, suffering is random, mourning doesn't help, and more evil is always coming. Yet somehow it IS comforting—because it's TRUE, because Achilles is saying "we're both victims of the same system", because acknowledging that life is hard makes the burden shared. They can't change their fates, but they can choose how they bear them.

Achilles Agrees to Return the Body

Having wept together and shared philosophy, the practical business follows naturally. Achilles accepts the ransom and promises to return Hector's body.

The old man, godlike Priam, marvelled at Achilles, at his size and beauty. He was like the gods to look at. And Achilles marvelled at Priam, looking at his noble appearance and listening to his words. When they had taken their fill of gazing at one another, great Priam was the first to speak.
— Mutual admiration, Rieu, lines 628-632

✨ "They Had Taken Their Fill of Gazing at One Another"

This line is EXTRAORDINARY. They're LOOKING at each other—really seeing each other—recognising worth and nobility despite being enemies. Priam sees Achilles' godlike beauty; Achilles sees Priam's noble appearance. This mutual recognition of the other's human dignity is what makes reconciliation possible. They've moved from enemy to individual person.

'Let me lie down and sleep at once, my lord, so that we may take our rest and enjoy the pleasure of sweet sleep. My eyes have not closed beneath my lids from the day my son lost his life at your hands. I have done nothing but groan and brood on my countless sorrows, rolling in the dung of my courtyard. But now I have tasted food and let flaming wine go down my throat. Till now I had tasted nothing.'
— Priam asks for rest, Rieu, lines 637-642

Priam hasn't eaten or slept since Hector died—he's been lying in dung, fasting in grief. But now, after weeping with Achilles and sharing a meal (xenia), he can rest. The shared meal has created a BOND between them—guest-friendship that transcends their enmity.

💡 The Sacred Meal

Sharing food in ancient Greece created obligation and connection. By eating together, Achilles and Priam have entered into xenia (guest-friendship)—a sacred bond that requires hospitality and protection. Achilles cannot harm someone who has eaten at his table; Priam cannot betray someone who has shown him hospitality. The meal transforms them from enemies into guests and hosts, with all the duties that entails.

The Body Prepared

Achilles orders his servants to wash and anoint Hector's body—but OUT OF SIGHT of Priam, to avoid the father's grief overwhelming the delicate peace they've achieved.

Achilles gave orders to his attendants to wash the body and anoint it with oil, but in another place, so that Priam should not see his son. Achilles feared that if Priam saw his son, he might not keep his anger in check in the grief of his heart, and that Achilles' own spirit might be stirred and he might kill him and so go against Zeus's commands.
— Preparing the body, Rieu, lines 582-586
Achilles' Insight
Achilles understands that seeing Hector's mutilated body might break Priam's control—he might rage at Achilles, which would provoke Achilles' own rage. Both men are still capable of violence; the peace between them is fragile. By washing and anointing Hector out of sight, Achilles shows psychological understanding and restraint. He's protecting both of them from their own worst impulses.
When they had washed him and anointed him with oil, and put a beautiful cloak and tunic round him, Achilles himself lifted him and placed him on a bed, and his companions with him lifted him onto the polished wagon. Then Achilles groaned and called on his dear companion by name: 'Do not be angry with me, Patroclus, if you hear even in Hades that I have given noble Hector back to his dear father, since the ransom he brought me was not unworthy. And I will give you your proper share of even this.'
— Achilles to Patroclus, Rieu, lines 587-595

Speaking to the Dead

Achilles still needs to justify this to PATROCLUS. "Do not be angry with me"—he's worried his dead friend will think he's betraying him by showing mercy to Hector. This shows Achilles hasn't forgotten Patroclus, hasn't stopped grieving. But he's learned that vengeance doesn't heal grief, that desecrating Hector's body doesn't bring Patroclus back. He can honour both—mourn Patroclus AND show mercy to Priam.

The Truce

Before Priam leaves, Achilles asks how long he needs to hold Hector's funeral. Priam requests twelve days—nine to gather wood, funeral on the tenth, feast on the eleventh, burial mound on the twelfth. Achilles grants this immediately.

'I will hold back the fighting for as long as you ask.'
— Achilles grants the truce, Rieu, line 670

🕊️ The Temporary Peace

This truce is TEMPORARY—everyone knows the war will resume after Hector's funeral. Troy will fall, Achilles will die, more men will be slaughtered. But for twelve days, there will be PEACE. Hector can be buried with proper honours. Families can mourn. The temporary cessation of violence is all that's possible, but it's not nothing. It's a recognition that some things—proper burial, respect for the dead, honouring grief—transcend even war.

Priam Returns to Troy

At dawn, Priam and Idaeus drive back to Troy with Hector's body. Hermes has returned them safely through the Greek camp, and now they approach the city.

Cassandra, who was as beautiful as golden Aphrodite, had gone up to the heights of Pergamus, and from there she saw her dear father standing in the chariot with the herald, the crier of the city. And then she saw the other man lying on the bed in the mule-cart. She cried out in lamentation and called through all the city: 'Come and see Hector, you Trojan men and women, if ever you rejoiced when he came back alive from battle, since he was a great joy to the city and all its people.'
— Cassandra sees them first, Rieu, lines 699-706

Cassandra's Role

Cassandra—Apollo's prophet, cursed to see the future but never be believed—is the first to see Priam returning with Hector's body. Her cry summons all Troy to witness. "If ever you rejoiced when he came back alive"—she's reminding them of all the times Hector returned victorious, creating a sharp contrast with this final return.

She spoke, and there was not a man or woman left in the city, for unbearable grief had seized them all. They met Priam near the gates as he brought in the body. First his dear wife and queenly mother rushed towards the rolling wagon, tearing their hair, and touched his head, while the crowd stood round them weeping.
— All Troy mourns, Rieu, lines 707-712

"There was not a man or woman left in the city"—EVERYONE comes out to mourn. Hector wasn't just a warrior; he was Troy's defender, their hope, their future. His death means Troy's death, and everyone knows it.

Three Laments: Andromache

Homer gives us three formal laments for Hector—from three women who knew him in different ways. Each lament shows a different aspect of who Hector was, and what his death means. Andromache, his wife, laments first.

'Hector, I am in misery. We were both born to a single destiny, you in Troy in Priam's palace, and I in Thebe under woody Placus in the house of Eëtion, who brought me up when I was little—ill-fated father of ill-fated daughter. I wish he had never fathered me. Now you are going to the house of Hades beneath the secret places of the earth, and you leave me in hateful widowhood in your palace.'
— Andromache begins, Rieu, lines 725-730
'And your son is still only a baby, the son you and I had together, you who are doomed and I who am wretched. You will be no help to him, Hector, now you are dead, nor he to you. Even if he escapes the Greeks' terrible war, there will always be hardship and suffering for him in the future. Other people will steal his lands.'
— Andromache continues, Rieu, lines 731-735
Andromache's Focus: The Future
Andromache mourns as a WIFE and MOTHER. She's thinking about PRACTICAL consequences: widowhood, their son's vulnerability, stolen lands, their family's destruction. "You will be no help to him... nor he to you"—she's lamenting the broken bond between father and son, the fact that Astyanax will grow up fatherless (if he grows up at all—we know he won't).
'The day a child loses his father makes him an orphan. He always hangs his head, his cheeks are covered in tears, and in his need the child goes to his father's friends, tugging one by the cloak and another by the tunic. If one of them pities him, he holds out a cup for a little while and wets his lips, but does not wet his palate. And a child with both parents alive drives him from the feast with blows and taunts: "Get out! Your father does not dine with us."'
— Andromache describes orphanhood, Rieu, lines 736-742

The Horror of Orphanhood

Andromache describes in devastating detail what happens to fatherless children in their society: they BEG at feasts, get a sip of wine out of pity, then are driven away by children who HAVE fathers. "Your father does not dine with us"—the cruel taunt of the privileged child to the orphan. Andromache is imagining THIS future for Astyanax, IF he survives the war.

'And you, Hector, lie by the beaked ships, far from your parents, naked. Soon the maggots will eat you when the dogs have had their fill, though in your palace there are clothes lying by, fine woven garments made by the hands of women. But I will burn all these in blazing fire—no use to you, since you will not lie in them—to be a glory for you before the Trojan men and women.'
— Andromache concludes, Rieu, lines 753-759

Andromache ends with an image of Hector's naked body being eaten by maggots and dogs—but we know this DIDN'T happen, because Apollo preserved the body. There's tragic irony here: Andromache doesn't know about the divine protection, so she's imagining horrors that didn't occur. She'll burn his fine clothes as a symbolic gesture, since he can't wear them in death.

Hecuba's Lament

Hecuba, Hector's mother, laments second. Her focus is on Hector as her SON, her favourite child, beloved by the gods.

'Hector, dearest to my heart of all my children, while you lived you were dear to the gods, and they have cared for you even in your destiny of death. Other sons of mine Achilles sold into slavery across the barren sea, to Samos and Imbros and smoking Lemnos, when he took their lives with his sharp bronze. But you, when he had robbed you of life with his long-edged spear, he dragged you again and again round the tomb of his companion Patroclus, whom you killed—yet that did not bring Patroclus back to life.'
— Hecuba's lament, Rieu, lines 748-756

💡 Hecuba's Comparison

Hecuba has lost MANY sons—some sold into slavery, some killed. But Hector's treatment was different, worse: dragged around Patroclus' tomb for days. Yet she notes this "did not bring Patroclus back to life"—echoing Achilles' own philosophy that revenge doesn't heal grief. She's not condemning Achilles exactly, just noting the pointlessness of the desecration.

'Now you lie here in my palace fresh as dew, as one newly slain, or like one whom Apollo of the silver bow has attacked and killed with his gentle arrows.'
— Hecuba continues, Rieu, lines 757-759
Hecuba's Focus: Divine Favour
Hecuba emphasises that Hector was beloved by gods ("dear to the gods, and they have cared for you even in your destiny of death") and that his body remains "fresh as dew"—the divine preservation is visible to her, and she interprets it as proof of Hector's special status. For a mother, this is comforting: her son was SPECIAL, honoured even by gods.

Helen's Lament

The final lament comes from Helen—the woman whose abduction caused the war. This is extraordinary: Homer lets the "villain" of the Troy story mourn the Trojan hero she inadvertently destroyed.

'Hector, dearest to my heart of all my husband's brothers! My husband is godlike Paris, who brought me to Troy. I wish I had died before that! This is now the twentieth year since I came away and left my own country. But I never heard from you an ugly or belittling word. And if anyone else in the palace spoke insultingly to me, any of your brothers or sisters or your brothers' fair-robed wives, or your mother—your father was always kind to me like a gentle father—you would stop them with your gentleness and kind words.'
— Helen's lament, Rieu, lines 762-770

Helen's Perspective

Helen is the OUTSIDER in Troy—the Greek woman who "betrayed" Greece (in their eyes), blamed for the war, resented by the Trojans. She must have faced constant hostility. But Hector NEVER insulted her, and actively defended her when others did. "I never heard from you an ugly or belittling word"—in a city full of people who had every reason to hate her, Hector showed her consistent kindness and respect.

'So I weep for you and for my wretched self together with an aching heart. There is no one else left in broad Troy to be kind or a friend to me. They all shudder at me.'
— Helen concludes, Rieu, lines 771-773

💔 Helen's Isolation

"They all shudder at me"—Helen is ALONE now. Hector was her only friend in Troy, the only one who treated her with kindness. His death means she's completely isolated amongst people who blame her for everything. This lament shows Hector's HUMANITY—he saw past Helen's reputation to her loneliness and showed compassion to someone everyone else condemned.

Why Three Laments?
The three laments show Hector's full humanity from different perspectives: Andromache mourns the husband and provider; Hecuba mourns the beloved son; Helen mourns the compassionate friend. Together they create a COMPLETE picture: Hector as family man, as divinely favoured hero, as kind human being who showed mercy to the friendless. He's not just "the enemy Achilles killed"—he's a full person, mourned by many, irreplaceable.

The Funeral

After the laments, the Trojans prepare Hector's funeral. Homer describes the process in detail, honouring the rituals that allow the dead to pass properly to the afterlife.

For nine days they brought in an immense quantity of wood. But when the tenth dawn brought light to mortals, they carried out brave Hector with tears streaming, and placed his body on top of the pyre and set fire to it.
— Building the pyre, Rieu, lines 784-787
When early-born rosy-fingered Dawn appeared on the eleventh day, the people gathered round the pyre of glorious Hector. When they had all assembled and come together, first they quenched the pyre with flaming wine, all of it that the fire's strength had reached. Then his brothers and companions gathered his white bones, mourning, and big tears rolled down their cheeks. They took the bones and placed them in a golden urn, covering them with soft purple cloths. They quickly placed the urn in a hollow grave and piled on it a heap of large close-set stones. Hastily they heaped up the burial mound, with lookouts posted all around in case the bronze-clad Greeks should attack before the time.
— The burial, Rieu, lines 788-799

The Funeral Process

Day 1: Priam returns with body. Days 2-10: Gathering wood. Day 10: Cremation. Day 11: Collecting bones, placing in golden urn, burial, building mound. Day 12: Funeral feast. This follows proper Greek/Trojan burial customs—the soul cannot rest until the body is properly cremated and buried. The "golden urn" and "purple cloths" show royal honours.

💡 "Lookouts Posted All Around"

Even during Hector's funeral, they need GUARDS watching for Greek attack. The truce is temporary, fragile. They're burying their defender whilst surrounded by the army that will eventually destroy them. The funeral happens in the shadow of inevitable doom—Troy cannot survive without Hector, and everyone knows it.

The Funeral Feast and Final Line

After the burial, the Trojans hold a funeral feast in Priam's palace. This is the last ritual—the community coming together to honour the dead and comfort the living.

When they had heaped up the burial mound they went back, and gathering together they held a glorious feast in the palace of Priam, the king cherished by Zeus.
— The funeral feast, Rieu, lines 800-801
Such was the funeral they held for Hector, tamer of horses.
— The Iliad's final line, Rieu, line 804

✨ The Perfect Ending

"Such was the funeral they held for Hector, tamer of horses." THIS is how Homer chooses to end the greatest war epic ever written. Not with Greek victory. Not with Achilles triumphant. Not with Troy falling. With a FUNERAL for a TROJAN hero, properly honoured, properly mourned. The epithet "tamer of horses" reminds us of Hector's nobility, his skill, his heroic qualities. The Iliad ends with GRIEF and RESPECT, not triumph.

Why This Ending Matters

Homer's choice to end with Hector's funeral rather than Troy's fall or Achilles' death is DELIBERATE and PROFOUND. It tells us what the Iliad is really about.

What This Ending SAYS

  • The enemy deserves honour too
  • Proper burial matters more than victory
  • Human compassion can transcend hatred
  • War destroys everyone, winners and losers
  • The poem mourns war, doesn't celebrate it
  • Temporary peace is worth achieving

What This Ending AVOIDS

  • Greek triumphalism
  • Simple good vs evil narrative
  • Glorification of violence
  • Closure through victory
  • Revenge as satisfying resolution
  • Nationalism or partisanship

⚠️ The War Isn't Over

We must remember: the war CONTINUES after Book 24. The truce expires. Troy will fall. Priam will be murdered. Astyanax will be thrown from the walls. Andromache will be enslaved. Achilles will die. The funeral feast happens in the shadow of inevitable catastrophe. Homer's ending doesn't pretend otherwise—it just says that even in the midst of ongoing war, moments of humanity, mercy, and proper respect for the dead matter. They don't stop the war, but they're not meaningless.

Key Quotations to Remember

"Great Priam came in unnoticed. He came close and clasped Achilles' knees with his hands, and kissed his terrible, man-slaughtering hands, which had killed many of his sons."
— The supplication (Book 24)
"I have borne what no other mortal on earth has borne—I have raised to my lips the hand of the man who killed my son."
— Priam to Achilles (Book 24)
"This is the way the gods have spun the thread for miserable mortals, that they should live in pain; yet the gods themselves are sorrowless."
— Achilles' philosophy (Book 24)
"There is no profit in chill lamentation... Bear up, and do not mourn unceasingly in your heart. You will gain nothing by grieving for your son."
— Achilles to Priam (Book 24)
"When they had taken their fill of gazing at one another..."
— Mutual recognition (Book 24)
"Such was the funeral they held for Hector, tamer of horses."
— The Iliad's final line (Book 24)

Themes in Book 24

Major Themes

  • Compassion transcending enmity: Worst enemies sharing grief and showing mercy
  • Mortality and suffering: All humans suffer, gods don't—this is what unites us
  • Proper burial rites: Honouring the dead is sacred duty transcending war
  • Xenia (guest-friendship): Sacred meal creates bond between enemies
  • Parental love: Priam's courage driven by love for his son
  • Divine intervention vs human choice: Gods create conditions, humans choose compassion

Character Development

  • Achilles: From rage to compassion, from desecration to mercy
  • Priam: Extraordinary courage in vulnerability, diplomatic skill
  • Apollo: Moral voice condemning Achilles' cruelty
  • Zeus: Commanding reconciliation through Thetis and Iris
  • Hermes: Divine guide making human meeting possible
  • Andromache, Hecuba, Helen: Three perspectives on Hector's humanity

Essay Ideas from Book 24

Possible Essay Topics

  • "How does Homer present reconciliation in Book 24?" Analyse the supplication scene, shared tears, philosophy of suffering, xenia meal, mutual recognition
  • "To what extent does Achilles change in Book 24?" Compare Books 9, 18, 22 to Book 24—from rejecting embassy to accepting Priam, from threatening to eat Hector to gently returning washed body
  • "How does Homer use divine intervention in Book 24?" Apollo's condemnation, Zeus' commands, Hermes' guidance—but humans make the emotional choices
  • "Why does Homer end the Iliad with a Trojan funeral?" Ring composition with Book 1, rejection of triumphalism, mourning war rather than celebrating it
  • "How are different types of love presented in Book 24?" Parental (Priam/Hector, Achilles/Peleus), filial (Achilles/Thetis), friendship (Achilles/Patroclus), compassion (Achilles/Priam)
  • "What is the significance of the three laments for Hector?" Andromache (wife), Hecuba (mother), Helen (friend)—showing complete picture of Hector's humanity

Connections to Earlier Books

  • Book 1: Chryses' rejected supplication vs Priam's accepted supplication—Achilles has learned what Agamemnon couldn't
  • Book 6: Hector and Andromache's farewell—now fulfilled in her lament for him
  • Book 9: Achilles rejects embassy's gifts vs accepts Priam's ransom—different circumstances, different Achilles
  • Book 16: Patroclus' death drives all of Achilles' actions through Book 24
  • Book 18: Achilles' initial grief for Patroclus vs Book 24's shared grief with Priam—he's learned to grieve WITH others
  • Book 22: Achilles threatening to eat Hector raw vs Book 24 gently returning washed, anointed body—complete transformation
  • Book 23: Funeral games for Patroclus vs funeral for Hector—both heroes properly honoured

Critical Approaches to Book 24

Traditional Interpretation

  • Book 24 shows Achilles' redemption
  • Rage transformed into compassion
  • Proper burial restores social/cosmic order
  • Xenia (guest-friendship) overcomes enmity
  • Homer affirms human dignity despite war

Alternative Readings

  • Achilles obeys divine command—not free choice
  • Temporary peace doesn't undo the violence
  • Troy still falls—nothing is truly resolved
  • Compassion is fragile, easily broken
  • Homer shows limits of reconciliation in war

💡 Sophisticated Analysis

The best essays acknowledge BOTH readings. Yes, Achilles shows compassion and the scene is genuinely moving. BUT it's also true that Zeus commands him, the war continues, and Troy will fall. Homer presents the supplication as both triumphant (humans CAN show mercy) and tragic (but it doesn't stop war). This complexity—holding both truths simultaneously—is what makes the Iliad great literature.

Final Thoughts: Why Book 24 Is the Perfect Ending

Book 24 ends the Iliad not with the fall of Troy, not with Achilles' death, not with any of the famous events we know are coming. Instead, it ends with two old men—enemies, killer and victim's father—weeping together in a tent at night. It ends with a meal shared between people who should hate each other. It ends with a Trojan hero properly buried with Greek consent.

This ending WORKS because it's about something deeper than who wins the war. It's about what WAR DOES to human beings. It's about whether compassion is possible even in the worst circumstances. It's about the universal experiences—grief, mortality, love for family—that transcend sides in a conflict.

Homer could have written triumphalist war poetry celebrating Greek victory. Instead, he wrote a poem that MOURNS war whilst depicting it, that shows us the humanity of both sides, that ends not with triumph but with burial and tears. The Iliad doesn't ask "who will win?" but "what is the cost?" And the answer—shown in every death, every lament, every father losing a son—is that war costs EVERYTHING.

✨ The Lasting Image

When you finish reading the Iliad, the image that stays with you isn't Achilles victorious in battle. It's Achilles and Priam weeping together. It's Priam kissing the hands that killed his sons. It's "they had taken their fill of gazing at one another"—two enemies recognising each other's humanity. It's the final line: "Such was the funeral they held for Hector, tamer of horses." Homer's genius is in THIS choice—to end with compassion rather than conquest, with shared grief rather than glory, with a Trojan funeral rather than a Greek celebration. THAT'S what makes the Iliad timeless.

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