The war lasted ten years and resulted in the victory of the Olympians and their dominion over the world.
Aphrodite is wounded by the spear guided by Athena; this is the first theomachy to occur chronologically in the Iliad.
Book 20 begins with Zeus' grant of permission to the gods to participate in the battle and is traditionally known under the title Theomachia.
Apollo rejects his offer and comments on the triviality of gods fighting over the whims of mortals while their own pain from injury would be transitory and quickly healed.
Theomachy is purposely added to show the unbridgeable gap between mortal men and the immortals who rule them.