Zeus is about to wake up. Today the ships burn, or they don’t.
The Iliad · C1+
Book Fifteen: Fire at the Ships
Future in the past (be destined to, was to have + past participle), be beside yourself, make short work of, the upper hand, backs to the wall, hold the fort, at your wits’ end, at all costs and a last-ditch defence: C1+ language for the day the ships nearly burned.
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SOPHIA
MARCOS
Ajax will stop them. He always does.
The story
After Homer’s Iliad, Book Fifteen
Zeus woke up beside himself with rage, and told Hera what was destined to happen: Patroclus would kill Sarpedon, Hector would kill Patroclus, and Achilles would kill Hector. Then Apollo healed Hector and made short work of the Greek wall, kicking it down like a sandcastle.
With the Trojans having the upper hand, Patroclus was at his wits’ end, and ran to Achilles. At the ships, Zeus broke Teucer’s bowstring, and Ajax told his brother to take a spear instead.
The Greeks had their backs to the wall, except that the wall was gone. Hector was to have burned every ship that day, but Ajax held the fort alone, leaping from deck to deck with a huge pike. The ships had to be defended at all costs: it was a last-ditch defence, on the decks themselves.
There is no city with towers behind us. Our only hope is in our hands.
Future in the past
PHILO
Patroclus was destined to kill Sarpedon. Hector was to have burned every ship.
SOPHIA
be destined to + verb = fated. was to have + past participle = planned or expected, but it did not happen.
Beside yourself; short work; the upper hand; wits’ end
MARCOS
Zeus was beside himself. Apollo made short work of the wall. The Trojans had the upper hand. Patroclus was at his wits’ end.
SOPHIA
be beside yourself (with rage). make short work of. have / gain the upper hand. be at your wits’ end (note the apostrophe).
Backs to the wall; hold the fort; at all costs; last-ditch
DEMETRIA
They had their backs to the wall. Ajax held the fort. The ships had to be defended at all costs. A last-ditch defence!
SOPHIA
have your back(s) to the wall. hold the fort. at all costs (plural). a last-ditch attempt / defence.
Sophia’s summary
| Form | Use | From the story |
|---|---|---|
| be destined to; was to have + pp | fate; plans that failed | Hector was to have burned every ship. |
| beside yourself; at your wits’ end | strong emotions | Zeus was beside himself with rage. |
| make short work of; the upper hand | easy victory; advantage | Apollo made short work of the wall. |
| backs to the wall; hold the fort | desperate defence | Ajax held the fort alone. |
| at all costs; last-ditch | determination | a last-ditch defence |
Practice
Answer all the questions, then press “Check my answers”. You can try again as many times as you like.
A · Choose
Choose the correct form.
1. Zeus was beside ___ with rage.
2. Patroclus was destined ___ Sarpedon.
3. Hector ___ burned every ship, but Ajax stopped him.
4. Apollo made short ___ of the wall.
5. The Trojans had the upper ___.
6. The ships had to be defended at all ___.
B · Write
Write the correct form of the word in brackets, or the missing word.
7. Patroclus was at his end.
8. Ajax held the alone.
9. The Greeks had their backs to the .
10. It was a last- defence.
C · Right or wrong?
Is it correct?
11. “Hector was to have burned the ships, and he did.”
12. “Patroclus was at his wits’ end.”
13. “We must win at all cost.”
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