Iliad, Book 16

E498409

Iliad, Book 16 is a pivotal section of Homer’s epic in which Patroclus enters battle in Achilles’ armor, turning the tide of the Trojan War but ultimately meeting his tragic death.

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Statements (47)

Predicate Object
instanceOf book of epic poem
author Homer NERFINISHED
causeOf Achilles’ decision to return to battle
renewed Greek success against the Trojans
centralEvent Death of Sarpedon NERFINISHED
Patroclus drives the Trojans back from the Greek ships
Patroclus enters battle wearing Achilles’ armor
Patroclus is killed in battle
chronologicalOrderInNarrative occurs after the embassy to Achilles and the failure of reconciliation
conflictType Greek–Trojan warfare
containsEpisode Achilles lends his armor to Patroclus
Apollo strikes Patroclus from behind
Hector delivers the final blow to Patroclus
Patroclus prophesies Hector’s death
Patroclus’ supplication of Achilles to rejoin the fight
Zeus debates saving Sarpedon
containsMotif borrowed armor
divine intervention in battle
heroic substitution
featuresCharacter Achaeans NERFINISHED
Achilles NERFINISHED
Apollo NERFINISHED
Automedon NERFINISHED
Hector NERFINISHED
Menoetius NERFINISHED
Patroclus NERFINISHED
Sarpedon NERFINISHED
Trojans NERFINISHED
Zeus NERFINISHED
genre epic poetry
language Ancient Greek
meter dactylic hexameter
narrativeFunction prepares for Achilles’ aristeia
turning point in the Iliad
originalMedium oral performance
partOf Iliad NERFINISHED
positionInWork 16
relatedWork Iliad, Book 17 NERFINISHED
Iliad, Book 18 NERFINISHED
setting Plains of Troy NERFINISHED
Trojan War NERFINISHED
theme fate and divine will
friendship between Achilles and Patroclus
heroic glory and mortality
limits of borrowed identity
tradition Ancient Greek epic tradition
workMentionedIn classical scholarship on Homer

Referenced by (2)

Full triples — surface form annotated when it differs from this entity's canonical label.

Tlepolemus appearsIn Iliad, Book 16
Euphorbus literarySource Iliad, Book 16