HOMER: The Iliad [Book XXIII]

In Book XXIII of Homer’s Iliad, Achilles returns to the Greek camp with Hector’s body and places it unceremoniously in the dust next to the bier of Patroclus. Then the Greeks make preparations for Patroclus’ funeral. They construct a funeral pyre on which they lay Patroclus and then Achilles sacrifices several animals and the twelve Trojans whom he took hostage during the slaughter at the river Scamander. “Patroclus, even in the house of Hades; I am now doing all that I have promised you. Twelve brave sons of noble Trojans shall the flames consume along with yourself, but dogs, not fire, shall devour the flesh of Hector son of Priam.”

HOMER: The Iliad [Book XXII]

In Book XXII of Homer’s Iliad, the Trojans successfully retreat within the city walls thanks to Agenor’s battle with Achilles. Only the Trojan prince Hector remains outside of the city gates. King Priam and Queen Hecuba, who are watching from the ramparts, beg their son Hector to retreat into the city. “The old man tore his grey hair as he spoke. His mother hard by wept and moaned aloud. But they moved not the heart of Hector, and he stood his ground awaiting huge Achilles as he drew nearer towards him.”

HOMER: The Iliad [Book XXI]

In Book XXI of Homer’s Iliad, the entire Trojan army flees from the wrath of Achilles. Some Trojans run towards the city, some run towards the river Scamander. Achilles chases those who fled to Scamander and slaughters all but tweleve Trojans, whom he intends to offer as sacrifices to the shade of Patroclus.

HOMER: The Iliad [Book XVII]

In Book XVII of Homer’s Iliad, the Greeks and Trojans fight over the corpse of Patroclus. The Trojans desire to carry the corpse back to Troy in order to ransom it for the corpse of Sarpedon, whom the Greeks recently killed. The Greeks, on the other hand, naturally desire to give Patroclus a proper burial.

HOMER: The Iliad [Book XIV]

In Book XIV of Homer’s Iliad, Jove oversees the war from the top of Mt. Ida. Recall that Jove forbade all other gods from interfering in the war. To get around Jove’s prohibition, Juno contrives a plan by which she will seduce Jove in order to distract him from the war just long enough for Neptune to aid the Greeks. “She deemed that it would be best for her to go to Ida and array herself in rich attire, in the hope that Jove might become enamoured of her, and wish to embrace her. While he was thus engaged a sweet and careless sleep might be made to steal over his eyes and senses.”