Iliad (part 1)

What is the Iliad? Who “wrote” it? How old is it? Mycenaean (1600-1200 BCE) elements (e.g. boar’s tusk helmet) mixed with later elements datable to Dark Age or Archaic period. Fluidity, crystallization, fixation in 5th c. BCE, transcription Who is Homer? Etymology: hom-eros, “one who fits together”. Significance? Cf. Hesiod, hesi-odos, “one who makes song arise”. Epic poetry and composition in performance

Iliad overview 51 days of the 10th year of the war focalized through Achilles Agamemnon and Chryses [Book 1] Conflict between Achilles and Agamemnon, confiscation of Briseis Achilles withdraws from fighting Thetis and Achilles Duel of Paris and Menelaos [Book 3] Hector and Andromache, Astyanax [Book 6] Hector kills Patroclus [Book 17] Achilles rejoins the fighting in new armor for Achilles [Book 18] Achilles kills Hector [Book 22] Priam ransoms Hector’s body [Book 24] Funerals, laments and funeral games

Beginning of Iliad Rage (mênis): Sing, goddess, Achilles’ rage, Black and murderous, that cost the Greeks Incalculable pain, pitched countless souls Of heroes into Hades’ dark, And left their bodies to rot as feasts For dogs and birds, as Zeus’ will was done [or “as Zeus’ plan was fulfilled”]. Begin with the clash between Agamemnon— The Greek warlord—and godlike Achilles. Which of the immortals set these two At each others throats? Apollo …

Book 1: The plague Apollo punishes the Achaeans (Greeks) for refusal to accept ransom for return of Chryseis to father (priest of Apollo)

Iliad Book 1: The quarrel between Agamemnon and Achilles Menis – “rage, anger” – normally applied to the anger of a god with cosmic effects and consequences. Why use this word of Achilles’ anger? The issue in Book 1 and the Iliad: Who is the “best” of the Achaeans? What does “best” mean? Most authority? Skill in warfare? Intelligence? Skill in speaking?

Briseis, Achilles’ war-prize

Achilles’ dilemma Choice between a short life but full of glory(kleos) or longer life with return home (nostos) without glory Distress at removal of kleos through giving of Briseis to Agamemnon Mother Thetis (sea goddess) intercedes with Zeus (cf. Iliad p. 13), gets him to make Greeks suffer and lose until they honor Achilles again. Note myth referred to of rebellion against Zeus by other gods – attempted chaining of Zeus, intervention of Briareus, one of the hundred-handers. Parentage: father Peleus (mortal) and Thetis (goddess). This marriage as way for Zeus to avert being himself father of Achilles and producing son more powerful than himself. Etymology of name of Achilles: “he who brings akhos [pain, grief] to the laos [army, people]”. Significance?

Book 3 Duel between Paris and Menelaus Paris proposes to settle the war by single combat with Menelaus (pp. 30-32) Figure of Helen on the walls and identification of Greek warriors to Priam – why now? (pp. 32-35): shared motif with figure of Draupadi in Indic epic Mahabharata and abduction and counter-abduction? Aphrodite removes Paris before he can be killed, transport to bedroom of Helen. Humiliation of both Paris and Menelaus. Dialogue and conflict between Aphrodite and Helen, Helen and Paris (Iliad pp. 40-42)

Iliad Book 5 The aristeia (period of being best [aristos] in battle) of Diomedes, wounding of Aphrodite (pp. 58-59), wounding of Ares (pp. 67-68) Pain and suffering of gods (pp. 60-61)

Iliad Book Six Hector (from root (s/h)ekh-, “the one who holds off, defends”), brother of Paris, returns to Troy to organize women to pray to Athena for help Visit to mother Hecuba, brother Paris, and wife Andromache and child Astyanax (“city-ruler”) Conversation with Helen pp. 76-77, Andromache pp. 78-81

Iliad Book 9 Embassy of Odysseus, Phoenix, and Ajax to request Achilles to come back to war What is Achilles doing when they arrive? Singing klea andrôn (lit. “glories of men/warriors”) – i.e. epic poetry and song celebrating the deeds of heroes. Patroclus waits for his turn p.92 Rejection of gifts of Agamemnon, pp. 95-98 Myth of Meleager related by Phoinix as cautionary example pp.101-103

Athenian red-figure vase, embassy to Achilles’ hut Athenian red-figure vase, embassy to Achilles’ hut. L to R: Phoenix, Odysseus, Achilles, Patroclus The embassy to Achilles

Achilles, p. 98 [Book 9] My mother Thetis … Tells me two fates sweep me on to my death. If I stay here and fight, I’ll never return home, But my glory [kleos] will be undying [aphthiton] forever. If I return home to my dear fatherland My glory is lost but my life will be long…

Undying/imperishable fame kleos aphthiton (Ancient Greek) Greece, first millennium BCE shravas akshitam (Vedic, Sanskrit) India, second millennium BCE

Myth within myth: Phoenix tells a story (p.101). Why does he tell it? “We all know stories about heroes of old [klea andrôn], How they were furiously angry, but later on Were won over with gifts or appeased with words. I remember a very old story like this, and since We are all friends here, I will tell it to you.”

Meleager The Calydonian boar Aetolians and Curetes

The wrath of Meleager Meleager nursed his anger at Cleopatra’s side, Furious because his mother had cursed him, Cursed him to the gods for murdering his uncle, Her brother, that is, and she beat the earth, The nurturing earth, with her hands, and called upon Hades and Persephone the dread, As she knelt and wet her bosom with tears, To bring death to her son. And the Fury Who walks in darkness heard her From the pit of Erebus, and her heart was iron….

Meleager comes back No one could move his heart or persuade him Until the Curetes, having scaled the walls Were burning the city and beating down His bedroom door. Then his wife wailed And listed for him all the woes that befall A captured people —the men killed, The town itself burnt, the women and children Led into slavery. This roused his spirit. He clapped his armor on and went out to fight. And so he saved the Aetolians from doom Of his own accord and they paid him none Of those lovely gifts, savior or not.

Kleopatre Patroclus kleos + pateres glory +ancestors Kleo-patre Patro-clus