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Referenced multiple times, including the story that Alexander the Great traveled with a copy and kept it under his pillow. Discussed as foundational Greek epic that later writers tried to emulate.

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Referenced when discussing the plague in Oedipus, noting that Sophocles might have drawn from the opening of The Iliad where a plague rages in an army encampment.

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Referenced multiple times as one of the foundational works of Greek literature, telling the story of the Trojan War. Compared to The Lord of the Rings as an epic adventure narrative.

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Mentioned in comparison to Charles XII's biography of Alexander - noting that Alexander the Great himself traveled with the Iliad

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Referenced for its mention of Phoenicians - specifically the funeral games for Patroclus where a silver mixing bowl made in Sidon is offered as a prize.

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Referenced when discussing how Herodotus echoes Homer in his opening - Tom notes 'Herodotus there is absolutely echoing the Iliad' when discussing themes of great cities being burnt and kings returning from wars.

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Referenced as a book Alexander took with him on his conquests, modeling himself on Achilles. The hosts mention 'He takes Iliad with him on his great adventures' and later that 'Homer in a dream' told Alexander to found Alexandria.

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Referenced when discussing the Greek ideal of a noble death and Achilles' choice between glory and long life: 'the desire of Achilles, the great hero of the Iliad' and comparison of fighting over Leonidas's body to the fight over Patroclus's body.

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Extensively discussed throughout as the primary source for the Trojan War, with Stephen noting 'the butch mano a mano fighting that formed so much of the Iliad' and praising Homer's writing about the battles.

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Referenced multiple times in discussion of Troy, Hector, and Achilles from previous episode; described as a 'gateway drug' to ancient history

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Discussed extensively as Homer's account of the Trojan War. Dominic mentions reading a children's version to his son as bedtime reading. The hosts discuss how the Iliad doesn't contain many famous elements like the Trojan horse.

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Mentioned throughout, including references to Odysseus, Circe, and the sirens. Tom says it was his 'gateway drug' to Greek mythology. They discuss doing a future episode on it when Christopher Nolan's film adaptation is released.

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Mentioned alongside The Iliad as Homer's second great poem about Odysseus's 10-year journey home after the Trojan War.

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Referenced for the passage where Odysseus lies to Athena, claiming he paid passage to Phoenicians who brought him to Ithaca.

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Mentioned alongside the Epic of Gilgamesh as another ancient text featuring the dead rising

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Referenced multiple times in discussion of Odysseus's homecoming (nostos) and Greek mythology, with Stephen noting 'you can read the whole of the Iliad and the whole of the Odyssey.'

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Referenced as 'the sequel' to the Iliad, specifically mentioning the scene where 'we meet the ghost of Achilles in the underworld' who regrets choosing a short glorious life.