The Iliad: Book 11

In this lesson, students will step into Homer’s Iliad as both readers and participants, exploring how heroes rise and fall in battle. We’ll begin with a playful “spy mission debrief” from Book 10 to set the stage for the fighting in Book 11. As we read aloud dramatically, students will encounter the Greek ideas that shaped the epic world: arete (heroic excellence), moira (fate) and hybris (arrogance). Through narration, discussion, and creative writing, students will not only practice retelling the story but also wrestle with the essential question: Does true greatness lie in short-lived glory on the battlefield or in lasting obedience to fate and wise counsel?