The book also describes the foregone decision of the result of the war as decided by Hera who held a vicious grudge against the Trojans.

The events in Book Four perfectly portrays how despite the truce forged and upheld after the fight between Menelaos and Alexandros, it is through the meddling of the gods and goddesses in the form of Athena's machinations to convince Pandaros to break the truce that caused the war to begin again. In the end of Book Sixteen, Patroclus dies because the gods chose to withdraw their protection and instilled dangerous temper in his heart at a critical time in the battle.

Up to that time, gods had not let that helmet with its horsehair plume get smudged with dirt, for it was always guarding godlike Achilles' head, his noble forehead, too. Later Zeus awarded it to Hector to carry on his head, as his death...
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