The invocation of the muse is another element epic conventions. The invocation, meaning, oral poet, were either rhapsodes, (memorized Homer's texts) or aoidoi (improvised Homer's texts). The muse, whom is a deity of creative inspiration, later became the nine daughters of Mnemosyne. In the Iliad, there are many instances where the song of the muse is entering a scene or being called upon. The most important invocation of the muse is: (1. 1-7) "Sing goddess, the anger of Peleus" son Achilles/ and its devastation, which put pains thousandfold upon the/ Achaians,/ hurled in their multitudes to the house of Hades strong souls/ of heroes, but gave their bodies to be the delicate feasting/ of dogs, of all birds, and the will of Zeus was accomplished/ since that time when first there stood in division of conflict/ Atreus" son the lord of men and brilliant Achilles." This invocation of the muse is most important because it states the theme of the Iliad. (Achilles" rage and the unfortunate consequences).
A formulaic style that Homer thrusts within the Iliad for character comparison is the epic simile. An epic simile, or Homeric simile, is an extended comparison beginning with "like" or "as" that continues at such length that a reader's attention can be drawn from the narrative for a time. (www2.bc.edu/~duket/simile.html) Homer uses these constructions quite commonly in the Iliad because there are dozens of them. Referring to the epic poem, an example of an epic simile is: (2. 87-93) "Like the swarms of clustering bees that issue forever/ in the fresh bursts from the hollow in the stone, and hang like/ bunched grapes as they hover beneath the flowers in the springtime/ fluttering in swarms together this way and that way/ so the many nations of men from the ships and the shelters/ along the front of the deep sea beach marched in order/ by companies to the assembly, and Rumour walked blazing among them.