Greek Heroes
Achilles and Patroclus
Achilles is the central character of the Iliad and the greatest warrior among the Greeks. He's the son of the mortal Peleus and the sea-nymph Thetis, making him a demigod with near-superhuman ability in battle. He leads the Myrmidons, a fierce group of warriors from Phthia in Greece.
His defining arc in the poem revolves around wrath. When Agamemnon seizes his war prize Briseis, Achilles withdraws from fighting entirely, and the Greek army suffers badly without him. He only returns to battle after the death of Patroclus, his beloved companion and closest friend.
- Patroclus serves as Achilles' second-in-command among the Myrmidons
- When Achilles refuses to fight, Patroclus borrows his armor and leads the Myrmidons into battle himself
- Hector kills Patroclus, mistaking him for Achilles because of the borrowed armor
- Patroclus' death is the turning point that pulls Achilles back into the war, now driven by grief and vengeance rather than honor
Agamemnon and Odysseus
Agamemnon is the commander-in-chief of the Greek forces and king of Mycenae. He's the brother of Menelaus, whose wife Helen was taken by Paris, sparking the entire war. Agamemnon's seizure of Briseis from Achilles sets the Iliad's central conflict in motion. He holds political authority over the Greek coalition, but his arrogance repeatedly undermines his leadership.
Odysseus is the king of Ithaca, known for his intelligence and rhetorical skill rather than brute strength. He functions as the Greeks' chief strategist and diplomat, often called on to resolve disputes or persuade reluctant allies. In the Iliad, he leads the embassy to convince Achilles to return to battle (Book 9). His resourcefulness becomes the focus of Homer's other epic, the Odyssey, which follows his long journey home after the war.
Ajax and Diomedes
Ajax (Ajax the Greater, or Telamonian Ajax) is the second most powerful Greek warrior after Achilles. He's called the "bulwark of the Achaeans" because of his defensive strength. He carries an enormous shield and repeatedly holds the line when the Trojans press their attack on the Greek ships. His death comes after the events of the Iliad: in later tradition, he takes his own life after losing a contest for Achilles' armor to Odysseus.
Diomedes is a young but formidable warrior from Argos. His aristeia (extended battle sequence showcasing a hero's excellence) in Book 5 is one of the Iliad's most dramatic passages.
- Athena grants him the ability to see gods on the battlefield and the courage to fight them
- He wounds both Aphrodite and Ares, something no other mortal accomplishes in the poem
- He consistently leads successful raids and skirmishes, making him one of the most effective Greek fighters after Achilles
Trojan Leaders
Hector
Hector is the eldest son of King Priam and the greatest warrior on the Trojan side. He leads Troy's defense against the Greek invasion and serves as the poem's most sympathetic figure on either side of the conflict. Where Achilles is driven by personal glory and rage, Hector fights out of duty to his city, his wife Andromache, and his infant son Astyanax. Their farewell scene in Book 6 is one of the most emotionally powerful moments in the Iliad.
- Hector kills Patroclus in battle, which seals his own fate by drawing Achilles back into the war
- He faces Achilles in single combat outside the walls of Troy and is killed
- Achilles drags Hector's body behind his chariot for days, refusing burial rites
- Hector's death effectively signals the coming fall of Troy, even though the city doesn't fall within the Iliad itself
Priam
Priam is the elderly king of Troy and father of Hector, Paris, and many other sons. He presides over the city during the war but is too old to fight, serving instead as a figure of royal authority and paternal grief. He watches many of his sons die throughout the conflict.
The most memorable scene involving Priam comes in Book 24, when he crosses enemy lines alone to enter Achilles' tent and beg for the return of Hector's body. He asks Achilles to think of his own father, Peleus. This encounter between the grieving king and the grieving warrior is the poem's emotional climax, and Achilles relents. Priam represents the cost of war borne by those who didn't choose it.
Olympian Gods
Zeus and Apollo
Zeus is king of the gods and ruler of Mount Olympus. In the Iliad, he tries to maintain a degree of balance in the war, ensuring events follow their fated course. He doesn't simply favor one side; instead, he weighs the fates of individual heroes and sometimes intervenes to enforce divine order. A key example: he allows his own son Sarpedon to die rather than override fate, showing that even the king of the gods operates within cosmic limits.
Apollo is the god of music, prophecy, plague, and archery, and he's the Trojans' most powerful divine ally.
- He sends a devastating plague on the Greek camp in Book 1 after Agamemnon refuses to return the daughter of his priest Chryses
- This plague is what forces the confrontation between Agamemnon and Achilles, triggering the entire plot
- Throughout the war, Apollo provides protection and guidance to Trojan heroes, particularly Hector
Athena
Athena, goddess of wisdom and strategic warfare, is the Greeks' strongest divine supporter. She favors heroes who combine intelligence with courage, which is why Odysseus and Diomedes receive her most direct aid.
- She grants Diomedes the power to fight gods in Book 5
- She guides and counsels Odysseus repeatedly
- In Hector's final duel with Achilles, she deceives Hector by appearing disguised as his brother Deiphobus, tricking him into standing his ground
In later tradition beyond the Iliad, Athena plays a crucial role in Troy's fall by inspiring the strategy of the Trojan Horse. Within the poem itself, her interventions consistently tip key moments in the Greeks' favor.