A large portion of the narrative is based on events surrounding Achilles, and more particularly his rage, though his name is rarely mentioned in books II through VII. Yet, we cannot ignore the clear implication of the first line. Without further analysis we are caught between two different views of the primary subject of the book: i) that Achilles is the center of the story and that the rest of the text is simply filler and background, or ii) that the Iliad is an account of the final months of a great and legendary war, in which Achilles is a major figure, but hardly at the core of the plot or purpose.

If the text of the Iliad were simply the story of Achilles and his actions in Troy, then an extremely large portion of the book would have to be labeled filler. The aristeias of Patroclus and Diomedes could be labeled as background,

These two tales of divine inspiration are not the only sections of the Iliad from which Achilles is absent. There are hundreds of side descriptions of conversations, arguments, battles, and the inevitable deaths of multitudes of Achaeans and Trojans. The work is riddled with references to the Gods, as well as tales of their squabbles, works, projects, and blessings. In no part of the epic was the author parsimonious in providing detail or background. He described everything from Hector’s prayer to Zeus for glory for his son (b.6, l.565-574) to a three-page rendition of the risks and exploits of Bellerophon (b.6, l.170-278), to the origin of the wines the Argives drank (b.7, l.540-544).

Perhaps there is reason to this apparent madness. Though Achilles is relatively absent from the majority of the Iliad, the majority of the Iliad is in no way absent from Achilles. Though books II-XVII do not contain much of Achilles (with the notable exception of book IV), they are of extreme importance to the character of Achilles as revealed in later books. This can easily be seen in those books directly leading up to book XVIII, but holds true for earlier sections as well.

Though attractive, this labeling of the Iliad too has problems. The opening lines cannot be dismissed so easily. They are too specific. “Rage-Goddess, sing the rage of Peleus’ son Achilles, murderous, doomed, that cost the Achaeans countless losses” (b.1, l.1-2). The rage of Achilles, the proposed subject, fills the story arch from the clash of wills at its beginning to the fulfillment of his “doomed” fate. While the rage of Achilles chronologically fits snuggly between the covers of this work, the Trojan War itself does not fit the Iliad’s timetable. The war had raged on for nine years (b.2, l.346) before the events of the Iliad began and continued on after the war’s end. The only thing the chronological bounds of the Iliad correspond to is Achilles, beginning with his clash with Agamemn

Some topics in this essay:
Trojan War, XV XVI, Achaeans Trojans, Diomedes Patroclus, II VII, Iliad Greek, Trojans Hector, Achilles Patroclus’, III Hector, XVIII Thetis, majority iliad, trojan war, “rage-goddess sing rage, iliad majority iliad, hated enemy, connection achilles, book xvi, shining moment, book xviii, filler background, rage peleus’ son, sing rage peleus’, focus iliad, achilles revealed,