After the great tour de force of Diomedes' aristeia in the previous Book, the poet reverts briefly to a series of more ordinary combats. Even now it is not part of his plan to develop the theme of full-scale warfare, and Hektor's brother Helenos is soon telling him to return to the city to organize prayers for the hard-pressed Trojans. The awkwardness of this in strategic terms is disguised by a long digression in which Diomedes faces Glaukos and elicits the tale of Bellerophon. That encounter has the ethos of an arranged contest rather than real battle, and acts as an emotional transition to Hektor's meetings in the beleaguered town, first with the womenfolk at large, then with his mother, then with Paris and Helen, finally with his wife and baby son. The Book ends with Hektor and Paris preparing to sally out once more, the latter temporarily in high spirits.

Glimpses of life in Troy have already been given in bk 3, with Helen and Priam on the walls and Paris reunited with a reluctant Helen after his failure against Menelaos. Now the poet explores this civic and domestic dimension more deeply, especially through the women and their reactions to Hektor.