The story is actually told to Telemachus from Menelaus when he visits while searching for any news or whereabouts of his father Odysseus. ... Although this is a short story that is only told verbally to Telemachus, it resonates powerfully to the overall theme of the poem, The Odyssey, about fate, betrayal and loyalty. The moral of the story is also a great contrast to that of Odysseus and his own situation with his own wife Penelope. ...

• Word Count: 1403
• Approx Pages: 6
• Grade Level: High School

It has been told more often than not that our hero in this epic poem is Achilles the great Achaean and the fierce Trojan Hector as the enemy. ... So Agamemnon sends out Phoenix, Odysseus and Aias to tell Achilles that he apologizes to him and will offer him many things including giving back Briseis if he returns to fight in this war. ... Odysseus and Aias bring up the point he owes it to the rest of the Achaean soldiers to save countless lives. ...

• Word Count: 1297
• Approx Pages: 5
• Grade Level: High School

The Iliad is a poem believed to have been written by Homer around 800 B.C. ... The poem portrays the tenth and final year of the war, which started when Paris of Troy fell in love with Helen of Sparta and stole her away from her husband, Menelaus. ... His leadership is at times unsteady, a character flaw and, like many of the other warriors in the poem, may feel a sense of entitlement. ... Had it not been for the intervention of the goddesses Hera and Athena urging Odysseus to persuade them from leaving, the war may have ended that day but not as Agamemnon expected. ... Throughout the poem...

• Word Count: 2432
• Approx Pages: 10
• Grade Level: High School