Zeus awakes from his slumber and sees the catastrophe created in his absence the sun rising on the mountains the mess he made of his room the smiles on everyone's faces( the catastrophe created in his absence, the sun rising on the mountains, the mess he made of his room, the smiles on everyone's faces ).

Feeling pity for Hector, Zeus curses Hera for her disobedience, promising to punish her reward her find her thank her( punish her, reward her, find her, thank her ).

Hera, trying to escape blame, swears that she did not make Poseidon help the Achaeans give any money to the Achaeans have anything to do with Zeus sleeping ever travel to Mount Ida( make Poseidon help the Achaeans, give any money to the Achaeans, have anything to do with Zeus sleeping, ever travel to Mount Ida ).

Zeus accepts her oaths and tells her they must rein in Poseidon leave the war to Poseidon go back to Mount Ida get married( rein in Poseidon, leave the war to Poseidon, go back to Mount Ida, get married ).

Zeus tells Hera that his plan is simply to bring Achilles back into battle kill all the mortals deceive the Achaeans convince Poseidon to go home( bring Achilles back into battle, kill all the mortals, deceive the Achaeans, convince Poseidon to go home ), and that Troy will eventually fall to the Achaeans.

Zeus asks Hera to summon Iris Themis Aphrodite Athena( Iris, Themis, Aphrodite, Athena ) and Apollo Ares Poseidon Ascalaphus( Apollo, Ares, Poseidon, Ascalaphus ).

Iris will send a message to Poseidon Great Ajax Hector Agamemnon( Poseidon, Great Ajax, Hector, Agamemnon ), telling him to stand down. Apollo will rouse Hector Poseidon Agamemnon Zeus( Hector, Poseidon, Agamemnon, Zeus ) and give him new strength shields swords horses( strength, shields, swords, horses ) to lead the Trojan charge.

Ares, angered at the death of his son Ascalaphus the interference of Poseidon the way the battle has been going the scheming of Hera( the death of his son Ascalaphus, the interference of Poseidon, the way the battle has been going, the scheming of Hera ), attempts to return to the battle, but Athena Hera Iris Aphrodite( Athena, Hera, Iris, Aphrodite ) checks him with a stern warning.

Zeus Hera Ares Apollo( Zeus, Hera, Ares, Apollo ) warns that he is too powerful for Poseidon, even though Poseidon “never shrinks from claiming to be my equal.”

With Apollo’s assistance, Hector increases his fame by driving the Achaeans back to their ships killing lots of people wielding the sword of the gods not running away for once( driving the Achaeans back to their ships, killing lots of people, wielding the sword of the gods, not running away for once ).

If the Trojans succeed in capturing or destroying the ships stealing all of the horses building a giant wall causing the oceans to rise( capturing or destroying the ships, stealing all of the horses, building a giant wall, causing the oceans to rise ), then all of the Achaeans will be slaughtered, having no way to escape home.

Great Ajax and Hector once again encounter each other in battle. Teucer kills several Trojans, but Zeus breaks his bowstring knocks him out cold injures his knee blinds him temporarily( breaks his bowstring, knocks him out cold, injures his knee, blinds him temporarily ) just before he can take aim at Hector.

The Trojans are close to storming the Achaean ships, but it is clearly indicated that the Trojan advance is simply part of Zeus’ larger plan to ultimately increase Achilles glory switch sides make Hera look stupid show he is stronger than Ares( increase Achilles glory, switch sides, make Hera look stupid, show he is stronger than Ares ).

The ships are both vessels and homes a symbol of national pride a huge burden not all that important( both vessels and homes, a symbol of national pride, a huge burden, not all that important ) for the Achaeans, and their destruction would be the final blow in the war.