Achilles complains to his divine mother, Thetis, who presuades Zeus to let the Trojans prevail in battle until Achilles's honor is satisfied. Lured by a false dream sent by Zeus, the Greeks mass for battle, as do the Trojans.
Homer gives long lists of both and their allies.
Paris agrees to single combat with Menelaus to settle the issue of the war and everyone on both sides hopes that the war will soon be over, but when Paris starts to lose Aphrodite wafts him away. Even Helen is mad at both Paris and the goddess. The Olympians quarrel among themselves and help stir up battle on the fields of Troy. V. Athena helps Diomedes wound Aphrodite as that goddess is bearing her Trojan son Aeneas off the battlefield. Ares comes to the aid of the Trojans, and Diomedes wounds him, too.