The Prolegomena provide an introduction to a better understanding of Homer's text itself and the manner of commentary on it. Contents: On the history of commentaries on the Iliad (Latacz) - History of the text (West) - Formulaic language and oral tradition (Latacz) - Grammar (Wachter) - Metre (Nünlist) - Actors (Graf/Stoevesandt) - Plot and chronological structure with diagrams (Latacz) - narrative technique (de Jong/Nünlist) - Index of Mycenaean words in the Iliad, with brief explanations (Wachter). The third edition has been fully re-edited and contains an up-to-date bibliography.