Skip to content
Storgy

The Annotated Edition

ARGUMENT OF THE SIXTH BOOK. by Homer

Summary, meaning, line-by-line analysis & FAQ.

Read aloud in ~1 min

This is a summary of Book Six of Homer's *Iliad*, which is one of the most emotionally charged parts of the epic.

Poet
Homer
Themes
family, love, sorrow
The PoemFull text

ARGUMENT OF THE SIXTH BOOK.

Homer

The battle is continued. The Trojans being closely pursued, Hector by the advice of Helenus enters Troy, and recommends it to Hecuba to go in solemn procession to the temple of Minerva; she with the matrons goes accordingly. Hector takes the opportunity to find out Paris, and exhorts him to return to the field of battle. An interview succeeds between Hector and Andromache, and Paris, having armed himself in the mean time, comes up with Hector at the close of it, when they sally from the gate together.

Public domain

Sourced from Project Gutenberg

§01Quick summary

What this poem is about

This is a summary of Book Six of Homer's *Iliad*, which is one of the most emotionally charged parts of the epic. It depicts Hector stepping away from the battlefield to gather support for Troy, culminating in his poignant goodbye to his wife Andromache and their infant son before he and Paris return to battle. Consider it a "previously on" segment leading into one of the most relatable moments in ancient literature.

§02Themes

Recurring themes

§03Line by line

Stanza by stanza, with notes

  1. The battle is continued. The Trojans being closely pursued, Hector by the advice of Helenus enters Troy...

    Editor's note

    The book starts during a fierce battle, with the Trojans struggling. Helenus, Hector's brother and a seer, advises Hector to step away from the fight for a bit and head into the city. This makes sense from a military standpoint: it's essential to have someone managing the home front while the fighters keep the enemy at bay outside.

  2. ...and recommends it to Hecuba to go in solemn procession to the temple of Minerva...

    Editor's note

    Hector asks his mother Hecuba to gather the women of Troy and lead them to the temple of Athena (known as Minerva in Roman tradition, which many translators prefer) with offerings and prayers. This is Troy's way of making a desperate plea for help when the army is struggling. The procession is a collective act of faith and urgency.

  3. she with the matrons goes accordingly. Hector takes the opportunity to find out Paris...

    Editor's note

    Hecuba completes the mission. In the meantime, Hector searches for his brother Paris, who has been missing from the battlefield — relaxing at home with Helen while their fellow soldiers suffer. Finding Paris is driven by both a sense of shame and a strategic need: Hector wants his brother to fight, not to hide away.

  4. ...and exhorts him to return to the field of battle. An interview succeeds between Hector and Andromache...

    Editor's note

    Hector confronts Paris and pushes him to return to battle. Then we reach the emotional core of Book Six: Hector's encounter with his wife Andromache and their infant son Astyanax. Andromache pleads with Hector not to go back to the fight, aware that it could lead to his death. Hector understands the likely outcome but feels that duty and honor compel him to act otherwise. This moment captures one of the most poignant and heartbreaking exchanges in the poem.

  5. ...and Paris, having armed himself in the mean time, comes up with Hector at the close of it, when they sally from the gate together.

    Editor's note

    Paris, feeling the weight of shame, has donned his armor once more. He finds Hector just as his farewell with Andromache concludes, and together the two brothers stride out through the city gates to return to battle. The book concludes with this poignant image of brothers side by side — one hesitant hero, the other resolute — marching toward what seems like inevitable death.

§04Tone & mood

How this poem feels

Solemn and straightforward at first glance, but filled with sorrow beneath. The argument is expressed in simple prose, yet even in summary, the heaviness of what lies ahead — Hector's death, Troy's fall — weighs on every sentence. There's no sentimentality here, just the quiet dignity of people fulfilling their obligations.

§05Symbols & metaphors

Symbols & metaphors

The temple of Minerva (Athena)
Athena is the goddess of wisdom and warfare, and she consistently supports the Greeks in the *Iliad*. The sight of Trojan women praying at her temple is deeply ironic—they're pleading for assistance from a goddess who has already taken the side of their foes. Their visit to the temple reflects both their devotion and the hopelessness of their situation.
Hector's armor
Throughout the *Iliad*, armor symbolizes the identity of a warrior. When Paris is discovered unarmed at home, it highlights his shame and neglect. When he puts on his armor again at the end of the book, it indicates a brief return to duty — even though readers recognize that Paris's commitment will never match Hector's.
The city gate
The gate of Troy stands as the boundary between home — representing family, safety, and life — and the battlefield where death lurks. Each time a warrior steps through it, Homer highlights the stakes involved. The scene of Hector and Paris walking out together through the gate serves as the book's powerful final image.
Andromache
Andromache embodies all that the war is tearing apart: marriage, family, and hope for the future. Her appeal to Hector goes beyond her own sorrow—it echoes the pain of all those who suffer loss in conflict. Interestingly, her name in Greek translates to something like 'battle of a man,' which is a harsh irony for a woman shaped by what war robs her of.

§06Historical context

Historical context

Homer's *Iliad* is among the earliest pieces of Western literature, written in ancient Greece around the 8th century BCE, although its tales take place centuries earlier during the legendary Trojan War. Book Six is positioned near the center of the epic and is often highlighted as the poem's most poignant moment — a brief respite from the violence where we see warriors as sons, husbands, and fathers. The argument, a prose summary that introduces each book, was a standard feature in classical and Renaissance editions, assisting readers in navigating lengthy texts. The translator's choice of "Minerva" for Athena reflects the Latin tradition that influenced European scholarship for many years. The scene between Hector and Andromache became a reference point for later writers contemplating war, duty, and the sacrifices made by those who remain behind.

§07FAQ

Questions readers ask

No, this isn't a debate. Back in the days of classical and Renaissance publishing, an 'argument' referred to a brief prose summary at the beginning of a chapter or book. It was there to inform readers about what to expect. You can think of it as a plot synopsis or an expanded chapter title. It served as a reading aid rather than being part of the poem itself.

Read next

Poems in the same key

Similar poems

Dulce et Decorum Est — Wilfred OwenThe Soldier — Rupert BrookeEpitaph on an Army of Mercenaries — A. E. Housman

More by Homer

Browse all Homer poems →

Themes in this poem

Poems about familyPoems about lovePoems about sorrowPoems about war