'The Iliad' Myth Quiz

Twenty myth quiz questions to test (and grow) your knowledge of Homer's 'Iliad.'

1. Who is the central Greek hero of The Iliad?

The demi-god, Achilles, leader of the Myrmidons.

2. What is the name of the Trojan prince responsible for abducting Helen?

Paris: son of King Priam and Queen Hecuba; younger brother of Hector.

3. Before Helen became Helen of Troy, she was Helen of — where?

Helen of Sparta. She was the wife of Menelaus, King of Sparta; the daughter of Zeus and Leda—and said, mythically speaking, to be the most beautiful woman in the world.

4. Which Greek king leads the expedition against Troy?

Agamemnon, King of Mycenae, brother of Menelaus.

5. Which Greek city-state sent the most ships?

Mycenae sent the most ships, contributing one hundred under the command of Agamemnon, reflecting Mycenae’s dominance among the Greek forces and Agamemnon’s role as overall leader.

6. What is the main cause of Achilles’ anger at the beginning of the poem?

Agamemnon takes a war prize from Achilles, a woman called Briseis. As a consequence, Achilles refuses to fight. The message is that his personal honour matters more than victory.

7. Who is Achilles’ closest companion?

Patroclus. Their bond was so deep that many scholars interpret them to be lovers, though Homer doesn't explicitly state it.

8. Which goddess is the divine protector of Achilles and how does she make him (nearly) invincible?

Thetis, his mother, a sea nymph. She makes Achilles nearly invincible by dipping him in the River Styx, leaving only his heel vulnerable.

9. Which god frequently supports the Trojans?

Apollo. Agamemnon provokes Apollo by dishonouring one of his priests, so the god sets a plague upon the Greek army and aids the Trojans by strengthening Hector. (Zeus also allows the Trojans to gain the upper hand at times.)

10. Who kills Patroclus?

Hector, with a little help from Apollo — a tragic case of mistaken identity. Patroclus, tired of sitting on his hands while Achilles sulked, had gone into battle wearing Achilles' armour.

11. What does Achilles do after learning of Patroclus’ death?

He stops sulking over Agamemnon's insult and returns to the battle in a fit of grief and rage. The becomes the pivotal turning point that steers the war towards the Greeks' favour.

12. Who forges Achilles’ new armour?

Hephaestus, the blacksmith god himself.

13. What distinctive feature appears on Achilles’ shield?

A microcosm of the entire world and human existence. It shows scenes of war and peace, farming, festivals, and daily life.

14. What does Achilles do to Hector’s body after killing him?

He desecrates the corpse by dragging it behind his chariot; not once, but daily.

15. Who is Hector’s wife?

Andromache. She embodies the human cost of war, pleading with Hector to stay alive for their family rather than pursue glory.

16. Who comes to Achilles’ tent to beg for Hector’s body?

Priam, King of Troy. Guided by Hermes, he enters the Greek camp in disguise. Achilles is so moved by his grief — it mirrors his own for Patroclus — that he returns Hector's body.

17. Homer describes the 'aristeia' of various heroes (Agamemnon, Achilles, Diomedes)  — what does 'aristeia' mean?

An 'aristeia' is a hero’s peak moment of excellence on the battlefield, when they achieve their greatest feats of courage and skill.

18. How long does the Trojan War last?

The whole war takes ten years, however, 'The Iliad' covers only a few weeks near the end.

19. How does 'The Iliad' end?

The poem ends with Hector’s funeral, before Troy falls. (The Trojan Horse appears later, most clearly in 'The Odyssey,' and in other later sources.)

20. On a modern map of the world, in which country would the Greek fleet have landed?

On the north-western coast of modern-day Turkey, near the Dardanelles strait.

Icarus, the boy who flew too high to the sun