Although the story covers only a few weeks in the final year of the war, the Iliad mentions or alludes to many of the Greek legends about the siege; the earlier events, such as the gathering of warriors for the siege, the cause of the war, and related concerns tend to appear near the beginning.
虽然故事只是讲述了战争最后一年几周内发生的事情，但《伊利亚特》提及或暗喻了许多关于围城的希腊传奇；在早先的事件中，例如勇士们为围攻集合，战争的由来，以及相关的顾虑等等都在故事开始之时出现。