Poseidon, having been introduced in Book XII, takes an even greater role in Book XIII. Book XIII is sometimes referred to as the Poseidonead. Poseidon rouses the Achaians to battle with hortatory speeches. These exhortations early in Book XIII are another typical facet of epic battle and once again accentuate the importance of oratory in Greek culture. Just as the speeches in Book IX reveal the oratorical skills of the warriors, so now in Book XIII the god is shown as a great orator as well as fighter.
In the last part of the book, old Idomeneus emerges as the principal fighter. The battle scenes in this book grow more intense as the fighting seems to move toward some climax. Idomeneus, the Cretan king, has his aristeia as he holds off the Trojan attackers.
