Book XVII: The Seventh Battle explained

What happens

Themes in this chapter

• Heroism and Mortality

  The fierce struggle over Patroclus' corpse underscores the Greek obsession with honor in death and the hero's legacy.

• The Horrors of War

  The relentless pursuit, killing, and desecration of bodies highlight the brutal reality of combat.

• Wrath and Its Consequences

  The ongoing battle is a direct result of Achilles' withdrawal, leading to Patroclus' death and the chaos that follows.

Characters to notice

• Menelaus

  Guards Patroclus' body, kills Euphorbus, retreats before Hector, then returns with Ajax to defend the corpse.

• Hector

  Leads the Trojan assault, strips Patroclus of his armor, and is rebuked by Glaucus for neglecting Sarpedon's body.

• Ajax

  Rallies the Greeks and stands firm with his shield to protect Patroclus' body.

• Patroclus

  Fallen hero whose body is the central object of the battle.

• Euphorbus

  Trojan spearman who claims to have struck Patroclus first; killed by Menelaus.

• Glaucus

  Lycian chief who rebukes Hector for abandoning Sarpedon's body and threatens to withdraw Lycian support.

Key passages

• “most valiant of the Greeks, And great their sorrow is. Now hasten thou To the Greek galleys; let Achilles know The tidings; he may haply bring the corpse, Stripped as it is, unmangled to the fleet, For crested Hector has the arms he wore.”

  Menelaus urges Antilochus to run to Achilles and report that Patroclus has fallen and Hector has taken his armor.

  This message sets in motion Achilles' return to battle.

• “As when a lion of the mountain wilds, Fearless and strong, bears from the browsing herd The fairest of the kine, and breaks her neck With his strong teeth, and, tearing her, devours The bloody entrails, while a clamorous throng Of dogs and herdsmen, with incessant cries, Gather around him, yet approach him not, Withheld by fear, so of the warriors round so The gallant Menelaus none could find The courage to encounter him”

  Menelaus stands over Euphorbus' body like a lion over its kill, and no Trojan dares to face him.

  The simile emphasizes Menelaus' temporary dominance before Hector's arrival.

• “Think whether thou alone, with others born In Troy, canst save the city and the state. For henceforth will no Lycian fight for Troy Against the Greeks; this conflict without end Has never earned them thanks.”

  Glaucus warns Hector that if he neglects Sarpedon's body, the Lycians will abandon the Trojan cause.

  This rebuke pressures Hector to act more honorably and rally his allies.