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Book Xvi: 'the Iliad' - Homer

Decent Essays

Key Questions for Book XVI 1. Achilles does not agree to end his grudge with Agamemnon at the request of Patroclus as the great warrior views what Agamemnon has done – snatching his prize right from his grasp, the beautiful and clever princess Briseis – as an insult to his pride and honour. The fact that, according to the epic, Agamemnon did so in front of the rest of the Achaean army, only adds to Achilles’ humiliation. 2. Achilles agrees that instead of him casting away his grief and thinking of his fellow Achaeans who are being slaughtered mercilessly by the Trojans, he would lend his armour to Patroclus, who will in turn go in his place and evoke the fear that seeing Achilles has done throughout the course of the war. 3. …show more content…

Apollo accompanies him with Zeus’ storm shield, deflecting enemy attacks. As Apollo looks into their eyes, their courage disappears and they flee like scampering wild beasts. Throughout all this, Hector continues towards the Achaean ships and, upon closer arrival, attempts to attack Great Ajax. Instead, he misses and hits another Greek. Ajax addresses the Achaeans and attempts to rally their spirits, trying to reinstate their courage and diminish the fear that Apollo instilled in them. Hector and the rest of the Trojans continue to close the gap between the two armies, and it is because of this that Ajax flings himself off the ship and charges at the near invaders. He leaps from ship to ship, fighting off the enemy and slaughtering many. “Hector calls for a torch” to burn the ships and in doing so, attempts to thwart any possibility of the Achaeans having shelter and a way of getting home.

* The role of fate is an extremely important one. It determines whether we live or die. Fate is also an extremely powerful aspect of life as we can see (as demonstrated in Book XVI) that not even the gods can intervene with fate, showing us exactly how powerful it is. We can see this when Apollo prevents Patroclus from breaking through the gates of Troy.

‘…Three times Patroclus charged the jut of the high wall, three times Apollo battered the man and hurled

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