Verse Set Text Group 4 (2025–26): Homer, Iliad 24, lines 349–595 — OCR A-Level Greek

This passage from Iliad 24 (lines 349–595) is the emotional climax of the epic, depicting the meeting between Priam, king of Troy, and Achilles, the Greek hero who killed his son Hector. Priam, guided by the god Hermes, enters the Greek camp at night to ransom Hector's body. The scene is a profound exploration of grief, pity, and shared humanity, as Achilles, moved by Priam's courage and reminded of his own father Peleus, agrees to return the body. This moment resolves the central conflict of the poem—Achilles' wrath—and offers a powerful meditation on the inevitability of death and the importance of compassion.

For OCR A-Level Greek students, this passage is a set text for the Verse Set Text Group 4 (2025–26) and is studied in the original language. It requires close analysis of Homeric language, metre (dactylic hexameter), and literary devices such as similes, speeches, and ring composition. Thematically, it connects to wider epic conventions (e.g., supplication, xenia) and philosophical ideas about mortality and the human condition. Mastering this passage is essential for exam essays on characterisation, narrative structure, and the poem's moral vision.

This section also showcases Homer's skill in characterisation: Achilles' transformation from wrathful warrior to empathetic host, and Priam's dignified yet desperate supplication. The scene's structure—with Hermes' escort, the poignant meeting, and the shared meal—mirrors earlier episodes (e.g., the embassy in Book 9) but subverts expectations, showing growth. Understanding these nuances is key to high-level analysis in OCR exams.

• →Supplication (ἱκετεία): Priam's act of clasping Achilles' knees and kissing his hands is a formal ritual of supplication, which in epic usually demands a response. Homer subverts this by having Achilles not only grant the request but also weep with Priam, elevating the scene beyond mere protocol.
• →The concept of 'ἄτη' (ruin/delusion): Achilles reflects on how the gods bring suffering to mortals, referencing the jars of Zeus (lines 527–533). This philosophical digression explains human misery and connects to the epic's broader themes of fate and divine responsibility.
• →Ring composition: The passage begins and ends with Priam's journey and the return of Hector's body, framing the central encounter. This structure emphasises closure and the restoration of order after the chaos of war.
• →Epic similes: Homer uses similes (e.g., Priam compared to a murderer in exile, lines 480–484) to evoke pity and highlight the characters' emotional states. These similes require careful translation and analysis for literary effect.
• →Xenia (guest-friendship): Despite being enemies, Achilles and Priam observe the rituals of hospitality—offering a seat, sharing a meal, and exchanging gifts. This reflects the code of honour that transcends war.

• Demonstrate detailed knowledge and understanding of the set text
• Identify, analyse and evaluate literary techniques
• Analyse characterisation and literary meaning
• Demonstrate understanding of the social, cultural and historical contexts
• Use appropriate technical terms in English to describe literary features
• Select relevant information to support arguments
• Present information in a clear, concise and coherent manner
• Demonstrate understanding of metre

• 💡Read an appropriate selection of the text in English translation to understand the wider literary context
• 💡Ensure familiarity with the specific lines prescribed for the 2025–26 cycle
• 💡Be prepared to write an essay in Section C that draws upon the set text and material read in translation
• 💡When analysing speeches (e.g., Priam's plea, Achilles' response), focus on rhetorical devices such as apostrophe, rhetorical questions, and emotional appeals (pathos). Quote the Greek directly and comment on word order, particles (e.g., δή, ἄρα), and verb tenses to show linguistic precision.
• 💡For the simile comparing Priam to a murderer (lines 480–484), explain how the comparison works: the murderer's exile evokes pity, but Priam's situation is even more pitiable because he is a king reduced to begging. This layered analysis scores high marks.
• 💡Always connect the passage to the epic's overall themes: the cost of war, the nature of heroism, and the role of the gods. In essays, use this scene as evidence for Achilles' character development from Iliad 1 to 24, showing how the poet structures the narrative.

• Misconception: Priam's journey is easy because Hermes helps him. Correction: While Hermes guides him, Priam still faces immense danger (entering the enemy camp at night) and emotional pain (begging his son's killer). The divine aid highlights his courage, not ease.
• Misconception: Achilles' change of heart is sudden and unconvincing. Correction: Homer carefully prepares it through Achilles' earlier grief for Patroclus and his recognition of shared humanity with Priam. The speech about the jars of Zeus shows his philosophical acceptance of suffering, making the shift plausible.
• Misconception: The passage is only about Hector's ransom. Correction: It also resolves Achilles' wrath (μῆνις), the poem's opening theme. By showing compassion, Achilles regains his humanity, and the epic ends not with vengeance but with mourning and reconciliation.