Iliad: Week Three Discussion (Book 3)

Book Three: Events and Observations

- Encouraged by his dream, Agamemnon lines up his army, and Troy follows suit

-Hector accuses Paris of starting the war. Paris defends himself, but to placate him, offers to challenge the Greeks to a duel

-A challenge is made, and Menelaus accepts. Both sides take an oath that whoever wins get Helen, and then will leave each other alone in peace.

-Helen, notified by the gods, comes out to watch the duel between her past and current husbands. Homer uses this as a chance to give the Trojans’ views of the Greeks as Helen identifies the Greek warriors for Priam.

-Helen blames herself for the upcoming battle, and expresses regret that she ever left Menelaus.

-The duel begins, and Menelaus is winning. Just as he is about to kill Paris, Aphrodite intervenes and whisks Paris away to safety.

-Aphrodite tries to get Helen to go to Paris. Helen initially refuses, calling him a coward, but Aphrodite uses her power to make Helen fall back in love with him.

-Confused by Paris’ vanishing act, the two armies nonetheless declare Menelaus victor. He is to take Helen back to Greece, and the war will be over.

-Notable Quotation

“Let any parties to this oath who first

calamitously break it have their brains

decanted like these wine-drops on the ground-

they and their children; let their wives be slaves” Fitzgerald, Book 3, lines 357-360


Questions to think about:

-Homer describes the two armies as they prepare for battle. What are the differences between their behavior, and what might this represent?

- Who is/are the villain(s) here? Who is/are the victim(s)?

- Why might Homer split his narrative view between the three groups (gods, Greeks, Trojans)?

Iliad: Week Three Introduction (Book 3)

Book Three: Introduction

The next two books move away from the opening conflict of the Iliad and back towards the cause of the Trojan War. When Helen, the most beautiful woman in the world (the face that could launch 1,000 ships), married Menelaus (Agamemnon’s younger brother) all her other suitors promised to defend that marriage. So when Paris/Alexander “kidnapped” her (Helen’s participation in the event is debatable), all her former suitors, i.e. the princes and kings of Greece, have to uphold their vows and go to Troy to get her back.

Behind of the scenes of these human actions are the gods, specifically Athena, Hera, and Aphrodite. They had asked Paris to judge which of them was the most beautiful, each one offering a bribe if he chose her. Hera offered a kingdom, Athena offered victory in war, and Aphrodite offered Helen. Paris chose Aphrodite’s offer, which explains why she supports the Trojans while Hera and Athena support the Greeks.

Book three begins with what the whole Trojan War should have been to start with: a duel between Menelaus (Helen’s wife) and Paris (the guy who kidnapped her). However, Aphrodite gets involved and the duel ends in an unexpected way. The rest of the book deals with the results of this duel, particularly with Helen’s reaction.

Questions to consider while reading:

-Hera is the goddess of marriage, Athena the goddess of wisdom, and Aphrodite the goddess of love. How do these things affect their interactions with humans? How powerful are each of them, respectively?

-What are the effects of Zeus constantly making bargains about how the war will go?

-Why does Homer wait until now to introduce the main conflict behind the Trojan War?

Discussions on these two books will begin on 
Friday, January 30th and continue through the weekend. 

Please post any questions you may have about the reading here as you go along, 

and I will answer them (or find someone who can). 

However, I ask that you try to save any big discussion questions for Friday. 

See you then! 

Iliad: Week 2 Discussion (Book 2)

Book Two Events and Observation:
-To appease Thetis (whom he had forced to marry a mortal), Zeus sends Agamemnon a dream that if   he attacks Troy now, he will win the war
-Agamemnon comes up with a stupid idea to test the men’s loyalty by saying they are going to go   
  home
-Odysseus cleans up Agamemnon’s mess
-The Catalogue of Ships (Click here for a cool project on this)
-Introduction to Trojan troops
-Noteworthy Quotation: Agamemnon to the Greek army:
"I mean Achilles and myself. We fought
like enemies, in words, over a girl--
and I gave way to anger first. 
We two--
if we could ever think as one, the Trojans'
evil day would be postponed no longer" (2.442-7), Fitzgerald trans.  
 Some Questions to get started:-What does it mean if Zeus, king of the gods and god of justice, tells lies to people?-Why is honor so important to Achilles?-Why does Homer spend so much time on the Catalogue of Ships?

Iliad: Week 2 Introduction (Book 2)

In Book Two, we see the results of Agamemnon’s actions from Book One. We also get a really long list of all the kings who have brought troops to the fight. Here is a cool project exploring what is called The Catalogue of Ships. While this list is a bit hard to read, I encourage you to at least skim it. There are some interesting facts and stories slid in between the list of names. After the list, the reader is introduced to the Trojans and their allies. 

Iliad: Week One Discussion (Books 1,2)

Recap

Book One Events and Observations:

-In the Greek, the first word of the poem is “rage”

-We are given a glimpse into what the future holds:

                -Bodies left unburied, eaten by animals (a very bad thing in Ancient Greece)

                -Zeus’ will will be done in the end

-We are introduced to the power struggle between Achilles and Agamemnon. Agamemnon has to      

  give up his prize (the woman Chryseis) to appease Apollo, so he takes Achilles’ prize (the woman    

  Briseis)

-As a result of this, Achilles and his troops, the Myrmidons (Greek for ant-people), withdraw from battle

-Thetis (Achilles’ sea-goddess mother) appeals to Zeus so that the Greeks will lose without Achilles’   help, thus gaining him honor

-Noteworthy quotation: Achilles to Agamemnon:

“I have seen more action

hand to hand in those assaults than you have,

but when the time for sharing comes, the greater

share is always yours” (1.193-5), Fitzgerald trans.

Some questions to get you started:

-Why is honor so important to Achilles?
-How does a society decide who should have power?

And...go. You can suggest answers to these questions, propose questions and/or observations of your own, and respond to what other people have to say. Also,  feel free to share any good resources you know of, and any quotations you found interesting/noteworthy. Please just be respectful of each other and keep the language PG. 

Iliad: Week One Introduction (Book 1)

Book One: Introduction

The Iliad begins with a proem, which is the introductory part of an epic poem. It includes an invocation (calling upon) of a muse to help the narrator tell the story. It also introduces the main characters and sets up the central conflict of the poem (hint: it’s not actually about the Trojan War). 

In Book One, we learn that the Greeks have been besieging Troy for nine years, and have been raiding Troy’s neighboring cities and islands for supplies and booty (pun intended). The power struggle between Achilles and Agamemnon is introduced, and we get a glimpse of Agamemnon's leadership skills. 

In Book Two, we see the results of Agamemnon’s actions from Book One. We also get a really long list of all the kings who have brought troops to the fight. Here is a cool project exploring what is called The Catalogue of Ships. While this list is a bit hard to read, I encourage you to at least skim it. There are some interesting facts and stories slid in between the list of names. After the list, the reader is introduced to the Trojans and their allies. 

Questions to consider while reading (apologies if these seem pedantic):

-What is the central conflict of the Iliad, as set up in the first book?

-What does it mean to a hero? A leader?

-At the end of the proem, we are told that Zeus’ will is going to be done. To what extent does this happen?

Discussions on this book will begin on 
Friday, Jan. 15th and continue through the weekend. 

Please post any questions you may have about the reading here as you go along, 

and I will answer them (or find someone who can). 

However, I ask that you try to save any big discussion questions for Friday. 

See you then! 

___________________________________________________

Just for kicks, here is a really awful translation of the proem I made a long time ago. The reason I'm sharing it is because I attempted to maintain the Greek word order as much as possible. This leads to some really bad English, but perhaps will make an interesting comparison to whatever translation you are using.

Of rage sing, goddesses, of Peleus’ son Achilles,

destructive to the Achaean ranks, causing pain,

the hero caused many strong spirits to be sent down to Hades,

themselves made prey for dogs and

augur-birds of all [kinds], and Zeus’ will was fulfilled.

But first [tell?] of the quarrel

Of Atreus’ son, lord of men, and noble Achilles.

Which of the gods provoked both of them to fight?

Leto and Zeus’ son, for he, made angry by the king

roused a badness that traveled along the army, destroying soldiers

because Chryses, his priest, was disgraced

by the son of Atreus. For he came to the swift ships of the Achaeans

to free his daughter, bearing unlimited ransom,

he had a wreath in his hands of far-reaching Apollo

along with a gold staff, and begged the Achaeans,

but mostly the two sons of Atreus, ruler of the armies:  

“You sons of Atreus and other Achaeans with good greaves,

may the gods who hold Olympus give to you

Priam’s city to be utterly destroyed […..]

but free my loved child to me, and accept this ransom,

revering Zeus’ son, far-shooting Apollo.”

All the other Achaeans shouted assent

to revere the priest and accept the splendid ransom.

But Atreus’ son, Agamemnon, was not pleased in the soul

but harshly sent forth [the priest], laying a strong word upon him:

“Let me not come upon you by the hollow ships, old man,

either tarrying now or coming later.

Indeed, now your staff and wreath of the god will not ward off danger.

But I will not free [your daughter] until old age comes upon her

in our house in Argos, far from her home,

and she approaches the loom and meets me in my bed.

But go, do not rouse me to anger, so you may go safely.”

He spoke thus, and feeling fear, the old man was persuaded by the speech,

and he walked silently along the beach of the loud-roaring sea.

Then, when he had gone a ways off, the old man prayed (35)

to Lord Apollo, who was born of fair-haired Leto.

“Hear me, you of the silver bow, who guards Chryse

and sacred Cilla, you who strongly rule Tenedos;

Smintheus, if at some time I built a new roof for a temple pleasing to you,

or if at some time I burnt fat from thighs to you, (40)

of a bull or a goat, then fulfill my wish:

May the Danaans be paid for my tears with your arrows”.

Thus he prayed, and Phoebus Apollo heard it.

Down from the summits of Olympus he came, angry at heart.

He had his bow on his shoulder and a covered quiver. (45)

The arrows on the shoulder of the angry one rattled

as he moved. His coming was like the night.

Then he sat down a way off from the ships and shot his arrows into their midst.

And fearful was the sharp sound made by the silver bow.

Mules he shot first, and swift dogs, (50)

but then on the men he sent his bitter arrows

down. And always the pyres of dead bodies burned thick.