The Iliad – Summary Book XXII (22)

With the Trojans now secure in their city, Hector stands outside the city gates and prepares to meet Achilles.

His father (Priam) and mother (Hecabe) beg him to come inside. Hector refuses.

While waiting for Achilles, Hector considers his options, and decides that the only real possibility is to fight Achilles.

Achilles arrives and Hector panics. He flees from Achilles and is chased around Troy three times.

Zeus weighs both Achilles’ and Hectors’ fate on his golden scales. Hector is doomed and Apollo deserts him.

The golden scales.

Athena tricks Hector into fighting Achilles by disguising herself as Hector’s brother, Deiphobus, saying that he will have assistance against Achilles. Hector turns to fight Achilles. Athena disappears from Hector’s side.

Before they begin, Hector tries to make Achilles promise that the loser’s bodyshould be given back to their families for proper burial.

Achilles is still angry with Hector for killing Patroclus and is full of fury. He denies Hector’s request for proper burial.

Achilles and Hector begin the duel.

Achilles throws his spear first. He misses and Athena returns his spear to him. Hector then throws his spear but it cannot penetrate the armour that Hephaestus made for Achilles.

Achilles kills Hector by stabbing him in the throat. With Hectors dying breath he pleads with Achilles to give his body to his family for proper burial and, again, Achilles refuses.

Hector then predicts Achilles’ death.

Achilles kills Hector.

Achilles strips the dead Hector and the Greeks stab his body. Achilles tells the Greeks to return to camp, and drags hector’s body back by the ankles behind his chariot in disgrace.

Achilles drags Hector’s body.

Priam and Hecabe see how their dead son is treated and are horrified. All the citizens of Troy join in their lamentations.

The sound of the weeping reaches Andromache. When she learns of her husband’s death she faints. She recovers and joins the lamentation and fears for her now fatherless son, Astyanax’s, fate.

Andromache faints when she hears of Hectors death.