Emily Clarence 9B #4

August 14, 2019

The Iliad: Book Six

Hector Returns to Troy

Good morning teachers and friends, today I would like to present book 6 of “The Iliad”

titled “Hector Returns to Troy”.

The book started with a few minor fights between the Trojans and Achaean, like who

killed who and how they died. Next, a trojan warrior called Adrestus was about to be killed by

Menelaus. However, Adrestus mentioned how sad his father would be if he died and that he has

priceless ransom in his father’s house if Menelaus spared him. For a while, Menelaus took pity

on him, though soon Agamemnon came crying out to kill all Trojans and spare no one. So

Menelaus followed and pushed back Adrestus, and Agamemnon stabbed him in the flank.

The story continues as the Trojans were losing the war, and Helenus, best of the seers,

told Hector to go to the city and ask his mother and the noblewomen to pray to Athena, offering

sacrifice and praying in order to win the war. So Hector went, and as soon as he arrives in the

city, women of Troy surrounded Hector, asking about their loved ones. But Hector only asked

them to pray to the gods. He then met his mother, and she offered him rest and wine, but he

refused and insisted he should go back to war as soon as possible. Then he told his mother what

she should do, which is to pray to Athena, and he went to Paris’ place. There, he persuades Paris

who claims to be in deep grief, to come back to war. With the help of persuasion from Helen,
Paris agrees to return to war, and that he will be preparing his battle suit first. Before Hector left,

Helen asked Hector to sit with her and flirted with him, but Hector refused.

Hector immediately went to his place to meet his wife, Andromache and his son,

Scamandrius (also called Astyanax). He can’t find them at first, but as he asked his servants, he

directly rushed to meet his wife in the Scaean Gates. Andromache wept, begging Hector to leave

the battle and remain at home, for she fears that he will leave Andromache a widow. Hector

refused for he will die out of shame if he does leave the battle. Then they had some sweet family

time before Hector went back to battle. As Hector left, Andromache wept, as if his husband was

dead already.

On the way back to the city, Hector met Paris, and they both went back to battle together.

The conflicts in book 6 are person versus person, and as shown in the slides, there are 3

main conflicts. First, the conflict between Agamemnon, Adrestus and Menelaus, second, the

conflict between Paris and Hector, and last is between Andromache and Hector.

As for the characterization, Menelaus has a softer heart shown on how he pities

Asdrestus, but he has an eye for treasure as well. Agamemnon is shown to be a merciless and

violent man in this book, seen as he said: “No baby boy in his mother’s belly, not even he

escape”. Hector is shown to be a loyal man, also a great Trojan fighter. Paris is shown to have a

soft heart and is easy to persuade. Queen Hecuba, Hector’s mother, is described as a kind-hearted

and gorgeous woman. Andromache is mentioned to be a loyal wife, however, she really fears her

husband’s death, leaving her a widow. Adrestus, from this book, seem to show how he really

depends on his father. Last but not least, Helen, the prettiest woman, but we could see how she is
sort of unfaithful, since she flirted with Hector, saying, “Oh the two of us! Zeus planted a killing

doom within us both, so even for generations still unborn we will live a song.”.

The Biblical connection I’ve found is the similarity between Menelaus & Adrestus with

Saul’s story. God told Saul to banish all Amalek, but Saul spared King Agag of Amalek and the

best of the cattle. Menelaus too, was about to spare Asrestus, even though Agamemnon came

rushing to block Menelaus.

These are the 2 quotes and visuals to help you understand the situation during the

conflict. First,

"So soft , dear brother, why? Why such concern for enemies? I suppose you got such tender

loving care at home from the Trojans, Ah would to god not one of them could escape his sudden

plunging death beneth our hands! No baby boy still in his mother's belly, not even he escape -all

Ilium blotted out, no tears for their lives, no markers for their graves!"

And second,

" All this weighs my mind too, dear woman. But I would die of shame to face the of Troy and the

Trojan women trailing their long robes if I would shrink from the battle now, a coward."

Thank you for listening to my presentation, any questions?

1. “BibleGateway.” 1 Samuel 15 NASB - - Bible Gateway,

www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1 Samuel 15&version=NASB.

2. Homer. The Iliad. Trans. Robert Fagles. NY: Penguin Books, 1990, 195-213.

3. Hero, Course. “The Iliad by Homer | Book 6 Summary & Analysis.” YouTube,

YouTube, 13 Oct. 2017, www.youtube.com/watch?v=yys5eBCbmpg.