30 'The Iliad' Quotes Explained For Parents And Students
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In his poem, Homer depicts the weeks of conflict between Achilles and Agamemnon.
The major characters in this poem are often driven by rage or pride. And, so it happens, that which happens to everyone who forgets themselves, it inevitably leads them towards their downfall.
Agamemnon with his greed, Achilles with his pride, Odysseus with his cunning, 'The Iliad' offers it all.
Whether you want to enjoy it in your leisure or read about it for your studies, we have compiled some iconic quotes from 'The Iliad' for you, with, yes, explanations.
If you are searching for Achilles 'Iliad' quotes, Homer 'Iliad' quotes, Hector 'Iliad' quotes, 'Iliad' quotes about war, honor in the 'Iliad' quotes, quotes from when Achilles decides to fight in the 'Iliad', Odysseus in the 'Iliad' quotes, 'Iliad' quotes about death, then you will find it all here!
If you want to read more about ancient literature, please check out our similar articles Greek quotes or ancient quotes.
Quotes By Agamemnon
Starting with the ruler, yes, due to whose greed and pride, his whole army suffered some serious consequences. For everything that happened, he continued to blame fate and the gods. If you are searching for Iliad quotes about fate, strong force of fate, fate in the Iliad quotes or Iliad quotes Agamemnon, you will find it right here.
1. "Yet what could I do? It is the god who accomplishes all things."
Like always, for every action this man takes, he goes back to blaming the gods.
- Agamemnon, Book 19.
2. "Has then, your house fared so well at the hands of the Trojans."
He persuades Menelaus to not spare a single one of the Trojans.
- Agamemnon, Book Six.
3. " 'Old man', said he, 'let me not find you tarrying about our ships, nor yet coming hereafter'."
He warns Chryses not to come to him again and says that he will not release Chryseis.
- Agamemnon, Book One.
4. "Go to Achilles' lodge. Take Briseis at once, his beauty Briseis by the hand, and bring her here."
He commands his men to snatch Briseis from Achilles.
- Agamemnon, Book One.
5. "But if they give me nothing I will take a prize myself - your own, or Ajax' or Odysseus' prize."
- Agamemnon, Book One.
6. "Now again, you divine gods why the deadly archer multiplies our pains: because I, I refused that glittering prize for the young girl Chryseis."
He finally realizes that he is to blame for their growing troubles.
- Agamemnon, Book One.
Quotes By Achilles
Whether you call him selfish for withdrawing from battle or hail him as a hero, he is one of the major characters in the saga. If you are looking for, Iliad quotes from where Achilles killed Hector, Iliad quotes about Achilles' selfishness, Iliad quotes of Achilles strength, Patroclus death Iliad Quotes, you can find it here.
7. "He cheated me and he did me hurt. Let him not beguile me with words again."
He claims that he has been hurt by Agamemnon's actions and that he will not be fazed by his words again.
- Achilles, Book Nine.
8. "I wish only that my spirit and fury would drive me to hack your meat away and eat it raw for the things that you have done to me."
In a blind rage, he claims, that he wishes that his hatred would turn him inhuman.
- Achilles, Book 22.
9. "Poor fool, no longer speak to me of ransom nor argue it."
He says that it is no good to persuade him by offering ransom to spare someone anymore, as he has changed.
- Achilles, Book 21.
10. "Even Patroclus died, a far, far better man than you."
He says that Patroclus, who was a far better man than Hector, had to die too.
- Achilles, Book 21.
11. "Mother tells me, the immortal goddess Thetis with her glistening feet, that two fates bear me on to the day of death."
He says, that his mother has told him that two fates wait for him on the day of his death.
- Achilles, Book One.
Important Quotes From 'The Iliad'
'The Iliad' is filled with important quotes by numerous characters. The beauty of the saga lies in its monologues and conversations.
Whether you are looking for Iliad quotes about honor, Iliad quotes about wealth, Homer's 'Iliad' quotes, Zeus and fate in the 'Iliad' quotes, 'Iliad' quotes Hector to Paris, Athena in the 'Iliad' quotes, 'Iliad' quotes about might, here are a few of them.
12. "Achilles takes it meekly and shows no fight; if he did, son of Atreus, you would never again insult him."
Odysseus is enraged by Agamemnon's behavior towards Achilles.
- Odysseus, Book Two.
13. "Like the generation of leaves, so the lives of mortal men."
Glaucus tells Diomedes that his lineage does not matter, because the lives of humans are like generations of leaves.
- Glaucus, Book Six.
14. "Beauty! Terrible Beauty! A deathless goddess- so she strikes our eyes!"
When the old chiefs of Troy saw Helen, they compared her beauty to that of a goddess.
- The Old Chiefs Of Troy, Book Three.
15. "There is nothing alive more agonized than man, of all that breathe and crawl across the earth."
Zeus says this to the horses of Achilles' chariot, who weep over Patroclus' death.
- Zeus, Book 17.
16. "And fate? No one alive has ever escaped it, neither brave man nor coward, I tell you - it's born with us the day we are born."
Hector says that everyone has to face their destiny at one point.
- Hector, Book Six.
17. "And overpowered by memory, both men gave way to grief."
The narrator states that both Achilles and Priam were overwhelmed with grief.
- Homer, Book 24.
18. "If only you could sit by your ships untroubled, not weeping, since your lifetime is to be short, of no length."
Thetis believes that Achilles' life is to be so short and painful that she should not have raised him.
- Thetis, Book One.
19. "Moreover I have withdrawn the veil from your eyes, that you know gods and men apart."
Minerva tells Diomedes that she has withdrawn a veil from his eyes, which will help him to recognize gods from humans.
- Minerva, Book Five.
20. "Goddess, sing the rage of Peleus' son Achilles, murderous, doomed, that cost the Achaeans countless losses."
The narrator invokes a goddess to sing of the rage of Achilles.
- Homer, Book One.
21. "Priam wept freely for man-killing Hector, throbbing, crouching, before Achilles' feet as Achilles wept himself, and their sobbing rose and fell throughout the house."
The narrator states that the sound of the sobbing of Achilles and Priam echoed through the house.
- Homer, Book 24.
22. "Hurling down to the House of Death so many sturdy souls, great fighters' souls, but made their bodies carrion."
The Narrator states that Achilles' rage caused many to die.
- Homer, Book One.
23. "See how she has been inciting proud Diomed to vent his rage on the immortal gods."
Mars complains to Zeus about Minerva urging Diomedes to fight the gods.
- Mars, Book Five.
24. "Do not come whining here, Sir Facing-both-ways."
Zeus is done with Mars' complaining and overall two-faced behavior.
- Zeus, Book Five.
25. "I have heard the voice of the ever-living gods, and the hour of your doom is not yet come."
Helenus relays the gods' message to Hector, reassuring him, that his death is not imminent.
- Helenus, Book Seven.
26. "And the will of Zeus was moving toward its end."
The Narrator tells that, like the war, Zeus' will too was coming to an end.
- Homer, Book One.
27. "Zeus of the counsels has shown us this great portent: a thing late, late to be accomplished, whose glory shall perish never."
Odysseus tells the soldiers about Calchas' prophecy, that they are supposed the battle after many failures.
- Odysseus, Book Two.
28. "But he who has seen it is the foremost man among us; we must therefore set about getting the people under arms."
Nestor is referring to the dream Agamemnon had, that they should confront Troy head on.
- Nestor, Book Two.
29. "Stay here and help me to defend Nestor from this man's furious on-set."
Diomedes urges Odysseus to stay back on the battlefield and help him save Nestor.
- Diomedes, Book Eight.
30. "This is the vaunt he will make, and may earth then swallow me."
Diomedes is anguished that Hector will spread a rumor about how he fled from the latter during battle.
- Diomedes, Book Eight.
Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly quotes for everyone to enjoy! If you liked our suggestions for 'The Iliad' quotes, then why not take a look at Archimedes quotes, or Thucydides quotes.
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Bachelor of Arts specializing in Journalism and Mass Communication, Postgraduate Diploma in Sports Management
Moumita DuttaBachelor of Arts specializing in Journalism and Mass Communication, Postgraduate Diploma in Sports Management
A content writer and editor with a passion for sports, Moumita has honed her skills in producing compelling match reports and stories about sporting heroes. She holds a degree in Journalism and Mass Communication from the Indian Institute of Social Welfare and Business Management, Calcutta University, alongside a postgraduate diploma in Sports Management.
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