Iliad Book IV

I wonder if the chess scene in the clouds of Mt. Olympus in the 70s movie Jason and the Argonauts came from the start of Book IV of the Iliad where the gods and goddesses are milling around discussing the fates of the puny mortals.
Hera uses flattery to cope with her husband and king, Zeus, telling him, in effect, that he can do what he wants because he is stronger than she is, but he has no right to bully her because she is just as important as he is, in part, because she is married to him. Athena uses a form of flattery, too, trying to convince one of the Trojans that he will be highly honored if only he will do something that just happens to be less than honorable, and then, when he does what she tricks him into doing, she prevents his act from having its full effect.

I've written up a summary and notes for Book IV:

• Public Domain Text of Iliad Book IV
• Summary of Book IV
• Major Characters in Book IV
• Notes on Book IV of the Iliad

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