The Iliad AI — Book I Summary (OpenAI)
Note that Onadoc’s Summary function generates point form, and then Medium is converting it into paragraphs when I paste and quote it.
To keep this article reasonably short, I’m just trying two AIs here — GPT 3.5 Turbo 16L and GPT 4 (128K). And I’m doing two different summaries — one using a canned query (“Summarize the following text in point form. Keep important facts and remove unnecessary details”) and one just asking “Summarize this chapter”.
Interestingly, I find the non-canned query best for the Iliad — if using GPT 4. I’m quite a fan of point-form, which works great with science papers, but it doesn’t quite work here. GPT 3.5 and GPT 4 create comparable results for the point form, but GPT 3.5’s free summary is not particularly good.
GPT 3.5 — Canned Summary
Summary — BOOK I.
The Greeks sack some neighboring towns and take two captives, Chryseïs and Briseïs.
Chryses, the father of Chryseïs, comes to ransom her but is refused by Agamemnon.
Chryses prays to Apollo for vengeance, and Apollo inflicts a pestilence on the Greeks.
Achilles calls a council and Chalcas attributes the pestilence to the refusal of Chryseïs.
Agamemnon and Achilles argue, and Agamemnon takes Briseïs from Achilles in revenge.
Achilles withdraws from the Greeks and complains to his mother Thetis.
Thetis asks Zeus to help Achilles, and Zeus grants her request.
Zeus and Hera argue, but are reconciled by Vulcan.
The book takes place over 22 days, with 9 days of plague, 1 day of council and quarrel, and 12 days of Zeus’ absence.
The scene changes from the Grecian camp to Chrysa and then to Olympus.
Achilles prays to the Muse to sing about his wrath and the consequences it brings.
Chryses prays to Apollo for vengeance on the Greeks.
The Greeks hold a feast and sacrifice to Apollo to appease him.
Thetis goes to Olympus to ask Zeus to honor Achilles.
Zeus refuses to reveal his plans, but assures Thetis that her request will be granted.
Vulcan tries to calm the situation and urges Juno to comply with Zeus’ will.
The gods continue their feast and Apollo plays the lyre while the Muses sing.
GPT 4 — Canned Summary
Summary — BOOK I.
Achilles and Agamemnon argue over captive women, Chryseïs and Briseïs.
Chryses, Chryseïs’s father and a priest of Apollo, unsuccessfully tries to ransom her.
Apollo sends a plague to the Greeks as vengeance.
Achilles calls a council; Chalcas blames the plague on Agamemnon’s refusal to return Chryseïs.
Agamemnon agrees to return Chryseïs but takes Achilles’s captive, Briseïs, as compensation.
Angered, Achilles withdraws from battle and asks his mother, Thetis, to persuade Zeus to help the Trojans.
Zeus agrees to Thetis’s request after she reminds him of her past support, causing a quarrel with Hera.
The book covers 22 days: 9 for the plague, 1 for the council and quarrel, and 12 for Zeus’s absence.
The scene shifts from the Greek camp to Chrysa and Olympus.
Achilles’s wrath is central to the story, causing the death of many Greek heroes.
Agamemnon’s insult to Achilles leads to a divine intervention and a prediction of Greek suffering.
Thetis petitions Zeus to honor Achilles, promising that Zeus’s decrees remain hidden from Hera.
The gods dine together, and Vulcan tries to mediate a quarrel between Zeus and Hera.
The book ends with the gods retiring to their dwellings and Jove and Juno resting.
GPT 4 — “Summarize this Chapter”
This version appears to be the best.
This chapter appears to be an excerpt from the first book of Homer’s epic poem, “The Iliad.” It describes the conflict between Achilles and Agamemnon, two of the Greek leaders during the Trojan War. The trouble begins when Agamemnon is forced to return his captive, Chryseis, to her father, Chryses, a priest of Apollo, to appease the god and end a plague sent upon the Greek army. In compensation, Agamemnon demands and takes Achilles’ captive, Briseis, which infuriates Achilles and leads him to withdraw from the war effort.
Achilles, feeling dishonored, prays to his mother, Thetis, a sea goddess, to intervene with Zeus (Jove) to punish the Greeks and make them realize his importance. Thetis agrees to plead with Zeus, who is initially reluctant to help because it will create strife with Hera, his wife. Despite Hera’s suspicions and confrontations with Zeus over his secretive discussion with Thetis, Zeus ultimately consents to Thetis’ request, signaling his assent with a nod that shakes the heavens.
The chapter closes with the gods, including Hera and Zeus, feasting in Olympus, with Vulcan (Hephaestus) trying to ease the tension by serving nectar to the deities and cautioning his mother, Hera, to be careful with her demands on Zeus to maintain harmony in the divine realm. The gods enjoy music and laughter, putting aside their quarrels as night falls and they retire to their individual dwellings.
This part of “The Iliad” sets the stage for the subsequent events of the epic, where the divine will of the gods has a significant impact on the mortal world, particularly on the outcomes of the Trojan War.
GPT 3.5— “Summarize this Chapter”
This version is not so good.
In this chapter, the Greeks have sacked some neighboring towns and taken two captives, Chryseïs and Briseïs. Agamemnon claims Chryseïs as his captive, while Achilles claims Briseïs. Chryses, Chryseïs’ father and a priest of Apollo, comes to the Greek camp to ransom her, but Agamemnon refuses and insults him. Chryses prays to Apollo for vengeance, and the god sends a plague upon the Greeks. Achilles calls a council to determine the cause of the plague, and Chalcas reveals that it is due to Agamemnon’s refusal to return Chryseïs. Agamemnon reluctantly sends Chryseïs back, but in revenge, he takes Briseïs from Achilles. In anger, Achilles withdraws from the Greeks, and his mother, Thetis, pleads with Zeus to help him. Zeus agrees and incenses his wife Hera. The chapter ends with Thetis going to Olympus to appeal to Zeus on behalf of Achilles.
