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This test consists of 5 short answer questions, 10 short essay questions, and 1 (of 3) essay topics.

Short Answer Questions

1. How do the Trojans’ successes in battle affect the Greeks’ morale?

2. Who will be the next Aristos Archaion?

3. How does Patroclus describe the feeling in the camps as the years drag on?

4. How does Patroclus describe his relationship with Achilles now that Achilles and Agamemnon are in conflict?

5. What does Patroclus spend hours each day doing among the captives?

Short Essay Questions

1. What is Achilles and Patroclus’ relationship with Hector like?

2. Achilles visits his mother to learn more about the prophecy regarding his death. What is his response to this visit and Thetis’ news?

3. What does Patroclus’ accomplish in his interview with Agamemnon?

4. How does Achilles’ relationship to Hector change?

5. How does Chriseis create a crisis for the Greeks?

6. What is Patroclus’ relationship with Briseis like?

7. How do the Greeks react when Achilles withdraws from the fighting?

8. Why do the Greeks adopt the strategy of raiding around Troy instead of negotiating?

9. What new wrinkle do Achilles and Patroclus learn about the prophecies from Thetis?

10. How does the battle go, once Achilles is not fighting?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Debate the proposition that Achilles’ fame comes more from his regard for Patroclus and his treatment of Briseis than from his renown in battle.

Essay Topic 2

When is The Song of Achilles most itself? What is its characteristic passage, or moment? What makes that moment or passage the most representative of the book as a whole? Are there any places where the book seems to depart from its typical self, as if to become a different book?

Essay Topic 3

Where is the climax of this book? Are there different climaxes? What questions does each climax resolve? What questions does each climax leave unanswered?

(see the answer keys)

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