The Iliad: Books 12-14

Today we’re celebrating that we’ve made it halfway through Homer’s Iliad! We’ll begin by reading and reviewing the battles and tricks of Books 12–14, then work in groups to put event cards in the correct order to retell the story. After that, you’ll take the stage for some fun activities: first, you’ll give a short “roast or toast” speech about a character from Books 1–12, using evidence from the text. Then, we’ll hold a class debate over the big question: Who is the greatest hero so far? Finally, we’ll wrap up with our Arete Awards, nominating characters for categories like “Most Stubborn,” “Best Fighter,” or “Most Manipulative.” At the end, you’ll reflect in writing on our guiding question: How do we measure greatness in Homer’s world?