Episode 11 | Iliad, Book 8

Book 8 of Homer’s Iliad is a major turning point in the poem. Zeus forbids the rest of the gods to intervene in the war to grant the Trojans the upperhand in battle. Why? When we keep in mind the two promises Zeus has made—first, to raze Troy and second, to grant Thetis her prayer to glorify Achilles—Zeus’s actions in Book 8 make more sense. Inspired by almighty Zeus, the Trojans beat down the Greeks, which sets the stage for the them to call upon Achilles, who will eventually come out of his ship’s hull to burn Troy to the ground. This, ironically and unavoidably, will lead to Achilles' own swift death. Zeus’s will is complicated with many moving parts, and Devin and Colton explore it in this episode.