Book XVII at last gives the reader the aristeia of Menelaos. The capture of Menelaos' wife caused the Trojan War, yet he has for the most part been a bit player in the story, often looked out for by his older brother, Agamemnon. In Book XVII, he comes into his own as a warrior. However, even here Homer continues to use similes that seem to diminish Menelaos. In line 5 he is compared to a cow protecting its calf and later in this book he is compared to a fly. Menelaos is generally presented as a sympathetic character, but at the same time, this presentation often makes him seem somewhat less than many of the other Greek heroes.
The horses of Achilles weep for the dead Patroklos. This scene underscores the earlier introduction of these horses. This allows Homer to emphasize the point that even nature weeps for the dead Patroklos.
While most of Book XVII is battle description, the decision by Hektor to wear Achilles' armor is very suggestive. Hektor, the greatest of the Trojan warriors, seems by this act to associate himself as the equal of Achilles. Later events will show that Hektor's actions here are examples of hubris — sinful pride. In this book, Hektor and Aeneas sweep forward again, but their successes mark the beginning of the end in the Iliad for Trojan victories.
