No great fight in this book. A man goes home for an hour.
The Iliad · C1
Book Six: Hector and Andromache
Cleft sentences (It was… who, What… was, The reason… is that), like / as, on good terms, exchange for, no matter how, be inclined to, but for and with + -ing: C1 grammar for the most human book of the Iliad.
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SOPHIA
DEMETRIA
Finally. Someone asks what the women think.
The story
After Homer’s Iliad, Book Six
With the Trojans breaking, Hector went back into the city to ask his mother to pray to Athena. Meanwhile, on the plain, Glaucus told Diomedes that the generations of men are like leaves; it turned out that their grandfathers had been on the best of terms, so they shook hands and exchanged armour, gold for bronze.
In the city, no matter how much Hecuba pressed him, Hector would not drink wine. The women laid their finest robe on Athena’s knees, but the goddess was not inclined to help them. Hector found Paris polishing his armour, and refused Helen’s gentle invitation to sit down.
At the Scaean Gate, Andromache met him with their son. It was Achilles who had killed her father and her seven brothers, and she begged Hector to stay on the wall. But the reason he could not stay, he said, was that he would be ashamed in front of the Trojans. What he feared most was not his own death but her slavery.
When he reached for his son, the baby screamed: but for the horsehair plume on his father’s helmet, he would not have been frightened. Hector laughed, took off the helmet and prayed that his son would be a better man than he was. Then, with the Greeks pressing at the gates, he went back to the war.
The generations of men are like leaves…
Cleft sentences
PHILO
It was Achilles who killed her brothers. What Hector feared most was her slavery. The reason he couldn’t stay was that he’d be ashamed.
SOPHIA
Cleft sentences put the focus where you want it: It was X who / that…, What + clause + be…, The reason… is that… (careful writers avoid is because). No extra it: not What he feared it was.
Like / as; on good terms; exchange for
MARCOS
Men are like leaves. Their grandfathers were on the best of terms. And he exchanged gold for bronze!
SOPHIA
like + noun for comparisons; as + clause, or as = in the role of. be on good terms with. exchange A for B (with a person).
No matter how; inclined to; but for; with + -ing
DEMETRIA
No matter how much she begged… Athena wasn’t inclined to help. But for the plume, the baby wouldn’t have cried. With the Greeks pressing, he left.
SOPHIA
no matter how + adjective / adverb. be inclined to + verb. but for + noun = without. with + noun + -ing for the circumstances.
Sophia’s summary
| Form | Use | From the story |
|---|---|---|
| It was X who…; What… is… | cleft sentences: focus | What he feared most was her slavery. |
| The reason… is that… | giving reasons formally | The reason he couldn’t stay was that… |
| like + noun; on good terms; exchange A for B | comparison; relationships; swapping | Men are like leaves. |
| no matter how; be inclined to | concession; willingness | No matter how much she begged… |
| but for + noun; with + noun + -ing | condition; circumstances | But for the plume, he wouldn’t have cried. |
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. The generations of men are ___ leaves.
2. Their grandfathers had been ___ the best of terms.
3. Glaucus exchanged his gold armour ___ bronze.
4. It was Achilles ___ killed her brothers.
5. What Hector feared most ___ her slavery.
6. But ___ the plume, the baby wouldn’t have cried.
B · Write
Write the correct form of the word in brackets, or the missing word.
7. No matter much she begged, he wouldn’t stay.
8. Athena wasn’t inclined (help) the Trojans.
9. With the Greeks (press) at the gates, he left.
10. The reason he couldn’t stay was he would be ashamed.
C · Right or wrong?
Is it correct?
11. “What Andromache wanted it was for Hector to stay.”
12. “Diomedes exchanged armour with Glaucus.”
13. “Hector, as his father, was a great fighter.”
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