The Iliad, or The Song of Ilion, is one of the two major ancient Greek epic poems attributed to Homer. It is based on the story of the Trojan War. It was written during the 9th or 8th century BC and is the second major work of classical epopee, the first being the Odyssey. The Iliad tells an account of the events before and during the yearlong siege of Troy by a coalition of Greek forces
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It focuses on the role of Achilles in this war as he is recruited to fight on the side of Troy. Many scholars believe that it served as a model for later epics, including Virgil's Aeneid and Milton's Paradise Lost.
The story begins with a brief introduction to Achilles, which serves to compare him with his fellow warriors and establish his greatness in their eyes. Then, it picks up with a battle between Hector and Achilles' friend Patroclus, who has been killed earlier in the war.
In this section, Homer introduces Odysseus’ adventures during his ten years of fighting on land and sea against Troy. After this, he cuts back to King Priam's pleas for help from other gods after his city has been besieged by the Greeks. Back at Troja