This material has been used for many years by Professor Tom Sienkewicz in his courses at Howard University and
at Monmouth College in Monmouth, Illinois. If you have any questions, you may contact him at toms@monm.edu.
ANALYSIS OF ILIAD XI
This analysis is based upon A Study of the "Iliad" in Translation by Frank Lowry Clark. (Chicago: The University of
Chicago Press, 1927).
Part I. General battle, and defeat of the Greeks, I-595
I. With the coming of morning Agamemnon calls to the Greeks to gird themselves for battle, and then arms himself, I-55
II. Muster of the Trojans, 56-66
III. Beginning of a general battle, 67-91a
IV. The exploits (aristeia) of Agamemnon, 91b-247 (including the despatch of Iris by Zeus to warn Hector to retire before Agamemnon)
V. The wounding and retirement of Agamemnon, 248-83
VI. The rally of the Trojans, led by Hector, 284-309
VII. The rally of the Greeks led by Odysseus and Diomedes, 310-67
VIII. The wounding of Diomedes, 368-400
IX. The exploits of Odysseus, 401-3
X. The wounding of Odysseus, 434-61
XI. The exploits of Menelaus and Ajax, 462-503
XII. The wounding of the physician Machaon, who is carried off the field in the chariot of Nestor, 504-20
XIII. Second rally of the Trojans, led by Cebriones and Hector, 521-43
XIV. The slow retreat of Ajax, 544-95
Part II. Mission of Patroclus to Nestor, 596-848 (end)
I. Achilles sends Patroclus to inquire after a wounded warrior, who proves to be Machaon (see Sec. XII, above), 596-617
II. Scene in the tent of Nestor, 618-803
a) Return of Nestor from the battlefield, 618-43
b) Visit of Patroclus, 644-803, including the long, interpolated passage (668b-762a) on the youthful exploits of Nestor, and the appeal of Nestor to Patroclus to persuade Achilles to help the Greeks (762-803)
III. Return of Patroclus to Achilles, including the appeal of wounded Eurypylus for aid, 804-48
(end)