aegis a shield borne by Zeus and later, by his daughter Athena and occasionally by Apollo; a sign of Zeus' protection.
Aeneas Trojan warrior, son of Anchises and Aphrodite. In legend, he is the only major Trojan warrior to escape from Troy.
Agenor Trojan warrior, one of Antenor's sons. Saved from Achilles by Apollo.
Aias the Greek forces in the Iliad have two Aiases (also known as Ajax). The stronger and more prominent one is Telamonian Aias, King from Salamis. He is a notable fighter often referred to as the Great Aias. Oilean Aias is from Locris and is sometimes called Little Aias.
ambrosia the food of the gods.
Antenor one of the Trojan elders; advises Priam.
aristeia the greatest battle of a hero. For example, Diomedes' aristeia occurs in Book V; Achilles' aristeia ends the Iliad.
bastard not a pejorative term for an illegitimate child but more of a description. Bastard children were acknowledged and honored, although they were not considered royalty.
battalion a large group of soldiers arrayed for battle.
Bellerophon hero from Corinth who killed the Chimaera.
black ashes the black ashes in this book are symbolic of death and mourning.
bossed shield decorated with raised ornaments. The more modern term would be embossed.
boundary stones boulders used to mark property lines in Greek communities.
bravado blustering, swaggering conduct; the pretense of bravery. Much of the boasting in battle is a type of bravado.
brazen made of brass or bronze.
breastplate a piece of armor for the breast.
bronze alloy of copper and tin. Frequently used in metalworking and decoration at the time of the Trojan War. Bronze was often used as a symbol in Greek literature for the age of the Trojan War, i.e., the Bronze Age.
brooch an ornament held by a pin or clasp and worn near the neck.
buckler a small, round shield held by a handle or worn on the arm. Buckler seems to be synonymous with any shield in the Iliad.
car chariot.
carrion birds any birds that scavenge on dead flesh (carrion) such as vultures or crows.
casque a helmet; In anatomy the casque refers to a helmet-like body part; Homer, often refers to the skull with this term.
Catalogue of Ships list of Greek kings and their countries in Book II. This listing of a group of warriors, countries, or other items is a relatively common epic device.
Cebriones one of Priam's bastard sons, killed by Achilles.
charioteer the driver of a chariot. The fighter was not responsible for driving, only for fighting.
Chimaera a monster with a lion's head, a snake's tail, and a goat's body, killed by Bellerophon.
Chiron wise centaur (part horse, part human) who taught Achilles.
cortege a ceremonial procession, such as at a funeral.
Crete island in the Mediterranean Sea south of Greece. Legendary home of King Minos, the labyrinth, and the Minotaur. In the Iliad, it is the kingdom of Idomeneus.
Cronus early god in Greek mythology. Son of Uranus and father of Zeus, Poseidon, Hades, Hera, and Demeter.
