Book One
It is the year of the war, and the Greek force is on the shore near Troy. offends Chryses, who is 's priest, as he refuses to return Chryseïs, his , for ransom. As punishment, Apollo sends a onto the Greeks. At a special assembly called by , Agamemnon agrees to return the girl, but he takes Briseïs as compensation. Feeling greatly dishonoured and angry, Achilleus, Patroklos and the withdraw from the war. Achilleus meets with Thetis, who then persuades to support the Trojans in revenge, making the Argives suffer without Achilleus and so causing them to realise how vital he was. An argument breaks out on Olympos between Zeus and Hera, and is solved by (the lame craftsman). This is an example of ring - Book one starts and ends with a quarrel. The mortal quarrel, however, results in lots of and anger, while the immortal one ends in laughter and feasting. This serves to highlight the insignificance of the mortal world to the immortal gods, and the idea that ultimately, immortals do not .

Book Three 'The Teichoscopia'
Both armies advance onto the plain, but a truce is agreed. It is decided that Paris is to fight for Helen (Why did it take 10 years to reach this point?). On of the city of Troy, Helen points out the Achaian leaders to . It is on the battlements that we are presented with the most important of old men and their role. The duel between and Menelaos begins, and Paris is about to be killed when he is saved by , who returns him to Helen's rooms in the city.

Book Four
's hostility causes the truce to be broken, as Zeus is manipulated. Athene persuades (a Trojan ally) to shoot Menelaos, who is lightly wounded, thus breaking the .

Book Six
Diomedes' fighting is stopped when he confronts a guest friend (the best example of Xenia in the poem). Both men stop and they exchange . There is then a shift in emphasis - Hektor returns to to get to give a gift offering to Athene in an appeal for help. This shows the importance of in relation to the gods - they are the ones who pray/ (could this be because women have the ability to give life?). Hektor speaks next to Helen, and then his wife and young Astyanax. Hektor rebukes and they both return to fight.

Book Nine
Battle has been going badly for the Achaians, so acts on the advice of , who suggested that Aias, and Phoinix are sent to appease Achilleus. He is offered many gifts (''), including his concubine Briseïs, but he rejects them all and the Achaian embassy return disappointed.

Book Eleven
The next morning, resumes. Several leading Achaians are in the fighting - , Diomedes and Odysseus. The push the Argives back to their camp. Achilleus is watching from his hut and he sends to find out about the wounded. Nestor appeals to Patroklos to attempt to get Achilleus to rejoin the fighting, and says that if he will not, Patroklos should wear Achilleus' to attack and trick the Trojans.

Book Sixteen 'The Patrokleia'
Patroklos returns to , who lets him wear his armour and lead his men against the Trojans. Achilleus warns of pushing too far into the Trojan army. Hektor drives back and sets the first alight. Patroklos fights and kills many Trojans, and then kills - the son of (key link to the role of fate and the gods). Patroklos ignores Achilleus' warning and drives the Trojans back to . Stunned by Apollo, Patroklos is stabbed by the Trojan and then killed by Hektor. Just before his death, Patroklos utters a prophecy.

Book Eighteen
Achilleus hears of Patroklos' death and feels intense grief, even considering . He becomes determined to kill Hektor as . He speaks to his mother, , who points out that after Hektor's death, Achilleus' will surely . Despite this, Thetis promises that will make him new, armour. Patroklos' body is brought to safety, and the armour is made.

Book Nineteen
Prompted by , Achilleus agrees to a formal with Agamemnon, who again offers many . Achilleus puts on his new armour (the final ). - Achilleus' immortal horse - fortells his doom.

Book Twenty-Two
Achilleus finds Hektor outside the wall, who is helped by . Zeus' tip, however, and Apollo leaves. tricks Hektor and disguises herself as his , telling him to turn and fight Achilleus. Hektor is killed, but before he dies he makes a death prophecy. Hektor's body is then dragged around at the back of Achilleus' .

Book Twenty-Three
The games of Patroklos. Patroklos' appears to Achilleus and requests full , which are granted the next day. Games are held in his honour, and the Trojans were sacrificed.

Book Twenty-Four
After days, Hektor was still unburied and being by Achilleus, which horrified the gods. The gods instruct to take for the body. guides Priam during the night. When Priam meets Achilleus, he is treated with consideration and . Hektor's body is returned. Trojans are led by their to lament Hektor, started by . The poem ends with the funeral of Hektor.