The Iliad: 40 words to know before you read it
The 40 words Homer uses again and again in The Iliad that are outside the 4,000 most common in English. Learn them first and the opening chapters read much more easily. Each comes with its pronunciation and a sentence from the book.
spear/ˈspɪɹ/462× in the book
Try, that others may see; if you do, my spear shall be reddened with your blood.”
armour/ˈɑɹmɝ/220× in the book
As when some great forest fire is raging upon a mountain top and its light is seen afar, even so as they marched the gleam of their armour flashed up into the firmament of heaven.
chariot/ˈtʃɛɹiət/209× in the book
… give good feeds to your horses, and look your chariots carefully over, that we may do battle the livelong day …
shield/ˈʃiɫd/183× in the book
Whet well your spears; see well to the ordering of your shields; give good feeds to your horses …
till/ˈtɪɫ/174× in the book
A plain man cannot stand against the anger of a king, who if he swallow his displeasure now, will yet nurse revenge till he has wreaked it.
brave/ˈbɹeɪv/151× in the book
Many a brave soul did it send hurrying down to Hades, and many a hero did it yield a prey to dogs and vultures …
bronze/ˈbɹɑnz/127× in the book
He will return to Olympus twelve days hence; I will then go to his mansion paved with bronze and will beseech him; nor do I doubt that I shall be able to persuade him.”
noble/ˈnoʊbəɫ/125× in the book
And Achilles answered, “Most noble son of Atreus, covetous beyond all mankind, how shall the Achaeans find you another prize?
mighty/ˈmaɪti/109× in the book
… son of Peleus, mighty warrior that you are, that we may offer sacrifice and appease the anger of the god.”
arrow/ˈæɹoʊ/102× in the book
… grant my prayer, and let your arrows avenge these my tears upon the Danaans.”
helmet/ˈhɛɫmət/86× in the book
Priam’s son, great Hector of the gleaming helmet, commanded the Trojans, and with him were arrayed by far the greater number and most valiant of those who were longing for the fray.
fleet/ˈfɫit/85× in the book
He it was who had guided the Achaeans with their fleet to Ilius, through the prophesyings with which Phoebus Apollo had inspired him.
goddess/ˈɡɑdəs/82× in the book
Sing, O goddess, the anger of Achilles son of Peleus, that brought countless ills upon the Achaeans.
immortal/ˌɪˈmɔɹtəɫ/75× in the book
Never again can I behold such men as Pirithous and Dryas shepherd of his people, or as Caeneus, Exadius, godlike Polyphemus, and Theseus son of Aegeus, peer of the immortals.
sword/ˈsɔɹd/73× in the book
The son of Peleus was furious, and his heart within his shaggy breast was divided whether to draw his sword, push the others aside …
honour/ˈɑnɝ/72× in the book
I have others here who will do me honour, and above all Jove, the lord of counsel.
comrade/ˈkɑmˌɹæd/70× in the book
Patroclus did as his dear comrade had bidden him.
sorrow/ˈsɑɹoʊ/64× in the book
“Of a truth,” he said, “a great sorrow has befallen the Achaean land.
lord/ˈɫɔɹd/63× in the book
Go home, then, with your ships and comrades to lord it over the Myrmidons.
whereon63× in the book
He charged them straightly further and dismissed them, whereon they went their way sorrowfully by the seaside, till they came to the tents and ships of the Myrmidons.
lion/ˈɫaɪən/58× in the book
Menelaus saw him thus stride out before the ranks, and was glad as a hungry lion that lights on the carcase of some goat or horned stag, and devours it there and then …
glory/ˈɡɫɔɹi/56× in the book
Ofttimes in my father’s house have I heard you glory in that you alone of the immortals saved the son of Saturn from ruin, when the others …
goodly/ˈɡʊdɫi/53× in the book
Tell me, then, who is yonder huge hero so great and goodly?
mortal/ˈmɔɹtəɫ/52× in the book
… but let them be witnesses by the blessed gods, by mortal men, and by the fierceness of Agamemnon’s anger …
fury/ˈfjʊɹi/51× in the book
As when some mighty wave that thunders on the beach when the west wind has lashed it into fury—it has reared its head afar and now comes crashing down on the shore; it bows its arching crest high over the jagged rocks and spews its salt foam in all directions—even so did the serried phalanxes of the Danaans march steadfastly to battle.
foremost/ˈfɔɹˌmoʊst/50× in the book
… not though you name Agamemnon himself, who is by far the foremost of the Achaeans.”
weep/ˈwip/49× in the book
Then Achilles went all alone by the side of the hoar sea, weeping and looking out upon the boundless waste of waters.
fierce/ˈfɪɹs/49× in the book
These were the mightiest men ever born upon this earth: mightiest were they, and when they fought the fiercest tribes of mountain savages they utterly overthrew them.
dart/ˈdɑɹt/48× in the book
Then the god sent a deadly dart upon the Argives, and the people died thick on one another, for the arrows went everywhither among the wide host of the Achaeans.
valiant/ˈvæɫjənt/47× in the book
Then Agamemnon said, “Achilles, valiant though you be, you shall not thus outwit me.
sack/ˈsæk/46× in the book
… “and all other Achaeans, may the gods who dwell in Olympus grant you to sack the city of Priam, and to reach your homes in safety …
vouchsafe40× in the book
… may we not now leave the Trojans and Achaeans to fight it out, and see to which of the two Jove will vouchsafe the victory?
hither/ˈhɪðɝ/39× in the book
… son of Peleus; take Briseis by the hand and bring her hither; if he will not give her I shall come with others and take her—which will press him harder.”
ransom/ˈɹænsəm/39× in the book
Now Chryses had come to the ships of the Achaeans to free his daughter, and had brought with him a great ransom: moreover he bore in his hand the sceptre of Apollo wreathed with a suppliant’s wreath …
aegis/ˈidʒəs/38× in the book
“Why are you here,” said he, “daughter of aegis-bearing Jove?
pierce/ˈpɪɹs/38× in the book
Grant that my sword may pierce the shirt of Hector about his heart, and that full many of his comrades may bite the dust as they fall dying round him.”
perish/ˈpɛɹɪʃ/37× in the book
Let the Achaeans be hemmed in at the sterns of their ships, and perish on the sea-shore, that they may reap what joy they may of their king …
rein/ˈɹeɪn/37× in the book
He mounted the chariot, gathered the reins in his hand, and Antenor took his seat beside him; they then drove through the Scaean gates on to the plain.
spoil/ˈspɔɪɫ/37× in the book
We went to Thebe the strong city of Eetion, sacked it, and brought hither the spoil.
sheep/ˈʃip/37× in the book
And those that held Phylace and the flowery meadows of Pyrasus, sanctuary of Ceres; Iton, the mother of sheep; Antrum upon the sea, and Pteleum that lies upon the grass lands.
Pronunciation: ipa-dict (MIT), from Wiktionary.
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