Final answer:
Hera assisted the Greeks in the Trojan War by seducing Zeus and putting him to sleep with the help of Hypnos, allowing Poseidon to intervene on behalf of the Greek forces.
Step-by-step explanation:
The student is asking about a mythological event involving the Greek hero Achilles during the Trojan War, a central theme in Homer's Iliad. Specifically, they are inquiring about Hera's intervention when Achilles refused to fight and the Greeks were being defeated by the Trojans.
Hera, queen of the gods and wife of Zeus, took action to support the Greeks indirectly. She knew she could not directly influence the battle as Zeus had forbidden the gods from participating. Instead, Hera devised a plan to deceive Zeus, enabling the other Greek gods to assist their favored mortals on the battlefield. Hera seduced Zeus and, with the help of Hypnos, the god of sleep, she put Zeus to sleep. During his slumber, she instructed Poseidon, the god of the sea, to intervene on behalf of the Greek forces, providing a crucial advantage in battle.
This myth highlights the gods' intricate involvement in mortal affairs and how divine will could impact the outcome of human conflicts. The ancient Greeks would have understood this tale as part of explaining the ebbs and flows of their legendary narratives.