Iliad

Homer. Homeri Opera, Volumes 1-2. Monro, D. B. (David Binning), editor; Allen, Thomas W. (Thomas William), editor. Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1908-1920.

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The Iliad is an epic poem that centers on the devastating wrath of Achilleus, the greatest warrior of the Achaean (Greek) army, during the final year of the Trojan War. Angered by a bitter conflict with the commander-in-chief Agamemnon over a captive maiden, Achilleus withdraws from combat, causing the leaderless Greeks to suffer heavy losses under the fierce onslaught of the Trojan prince Hektor. In desperate need, Achilleus's beloved companion Patroklos enters the fray wearing Achilleus's armor, but he is ultimately slain by Hektor. Devastated and fueled by a relentless desire for vengeance, Achilleus reconciles with Agamemnon and returns to the battlefield, where he brutally kills Hektor and desecrates his corpse. The epic concludes not with the fall of Troy, but with the poignant encounter between Achilleus and the aged Trojan King Priamos, who begs for his son's body, leading to a shared moment of grief and the solemn funeral of Hektor.