Verse Set Text Group 4 (2025–26): Homer, Iliad 24, lines 349–595

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.