The Iliad

1. Who sends the plague to the Achaean camp near the beginning of The Iliad?

2. When does Achilles die?

3. Which of the following characters do not engage in one-on-one combat with each other in the poem?

4. When is The Iliad thought to have been composed?

5. Who helps rescue Machaon after Paris wounds him?

6. Who kills Dolon?

7. With what weapon does Ajax knock Hector unconscious?

8. At what point in the story do the Achaeans hold their athletic competition?

9. Which of the following characters is Helen’s brother-in-law?

10. How long has the Trojan War been going by the time The Iliad begins?

11. How many Trojan warriors does Achilles sacrifice on Patroclus’s pyre?

12. Who suggests that Helen be returned to Menelaus?

13. Who reminds Achilles that the Achaean soldiers cannot fight on empty stomachs?

14. Which god helps to bring about the death of Patroclus?

15. Why is Astyanax frightened when he sees his father, Hector?

16. Which of the following do not appear on Achilles’ new shield?

17. With which immortal does Achilles engage in one-on-one combat?

18. Why does Zeus initially agree to help the Trojans in the war?

19. What provokes Achilles’ rage against Agamemnon?

20. Who raised Patroclus?

21. Who sets fire to a Greek ship?

22. What magical charm does Hera use in seducing Zeus and making him fall asleep?

23. What do Helen and Paris do during one particularly stormy battle?

24. Where is Achilles’ old armor most vulnerable to attack?

25. What grave tactical error does Hector make out of overconfidence?