says The rage of Achilles sing it now goddess This shows how important honour is and how it affects people Homer shows that in this society being honoured is everything The Role of the Gods The Gods are a big part of people s lives in The Iliad The people believe that Gods decide what happens to them The Gods sometimes help or hurt people depending on who they like For example Athena helps Achilles fight better and Zeus controls the fate of everyone Homer says Whoever obeys the gods the gods will favor This shows that people think they must listen to the Gods to be safe Social Status and Leadership In this society some people have more power than others Kings and leaders like Agamemnon are respected and obeyed because of their position Even a strong warrior like Achilles must respect the king The poem says A king is entitled to honor above all men This shows how society is divided with those at the top having the most control The Harshness of War and Mortality Homer does not glorify He represents war as a brutal act He realistically describes the loss pain and death that war brings to society Warriors like Hector and Achilles know they will face death but they fight for honour This makes Homer a realist in portraying this harsh truth The Role of Family and Friendship Family and friendships are very important in The Iliad We see Hector saying goodbye to his wife Andromache and it s a very sad moment He knows he might not come back from the war She says Hector you are my everything now my father my mother my brother and my beloved husband This shows the love and care people have for each other even when they know death is near Homer realistically shows how people attach to their loved ones in difficult times The Influence of Fate In this society people believe in fate They think that whatever happens is already decided Hector knows he might die but he still faces Achilles He says No man shall send me to Hades before my time This shows that people think their lives are controlled by fate and they can t change it Homer shows that this belief was a big part of their lives Homer s The Iliad gives us a clear and real view of society in ancient Greece Homer does not hide the truth but shows life as it is This makes him a realist The story remains powerful because it talks about human experiences that are real and timeless nbsp