1. Prof. Bretton Rodriguez October 5, 2016
The Iliad
Prof. Bretton Rodriguez
October 5, 2016

2. Outline: I. Review II. Historical Context III. Textual Background
IV. Main Themes of Book I
V. Afterlife of The Iliad

3. Section I: Review

4. Key Terms:
Myth
Once believed to be true by a specific people or culture
Attempts to explain the the nature of the world
Provides a rationale for social customs and beliefs
Establishes rules by which people can live their lives
Epic
A long narrative poem dealing with heroic deeds and often associated with war, vengeance, and adventure
Written in an elevated style and concerns a heroic or semi- divine figure whose actions have a national or even cosmic importance

5. Key Terms (2): Monotheism Polytheism Anthropomorphism
The doctrine or belief that there is one god alone
Polytheism
System of belief in which there is more than one god
Anthropomorphism
Non-human beings and objects that are described or thought of as being like humans in appearance, behavior, etc.

6. Gilgamesh:
c BCE
Genesis:
c BCE

7. The Iliad: c.800 BCE

8. Iliad - Overview Earliest work of the European Literary Tradition
Covers a few weeks within a ten-year war
Composed in an archaic form of Ionian Greek
Written in dactylic hexameter
Epic poem
Begins in the middle of the action
Heroes and gods are characters
Was part of a larger epic cycle
Oral composition
24 Books
Over 15,000 lines
Formal rhyme scheme made it easier to remember

9. Section II: Historical Context

10. The Trojan War: c.1200 BCE

11. The Hellenic World: c.800-500 BCE

12. The Homeric Question(s):
Did a poet named Homer compose The Iliad and the Odyssey?
Were they composed by the same author?
Were they composed at the same time?
How is it possible to remember a 15,000+ line poem?

13. Section III: Textual Background

14. Early Manuscripts:

15. Problem of Translation:
Example of original Greek:
Iliad, lines 1-21

16. English Translations (Pope):
The Wrath of Peleus' Son, the direful Spring Of all the Grecian Woes, O Goddess, sing! That Wrath which hurl'd to Pluto's gloomy Reign The Souls of mighty Chiefs untimely slain; Whose Limbs unbury'd on the naked Shore Devouring Dogs and hungry Vultures tore. Since Great Achilles and Atrides strove, Such was the Sov'reign Doom, and such the Will of Jove.

17. English Translations (Lattimore):
Sing, goddess, the anger of Peleus' son Achilles and its devastation, which put pains thousand-fold upon the Achaians, hurled in their multitudes to the house of Hades strong souls  of heroes, but gave their bodies to be the delicate feasting of dogs, of all birds, and the will of Zeus was accomplished....

18. English Translations (Lombardo):
Rage: 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.

19. Section IV: Main Themes of Book I

20. Summary of Book I Introduction to the world of The Iliad
Introduces the audience to the various divine, semi- divine, and mortal characters
Establishes the conflict that will be developed throughout the rest of the poem
Explores several of the main themes, which will be further developed throughout The Iliad

21. 1. Role of the Gods
How do we interpret the role of the gods in The Iliad?
Are they different than the gods in Gilgamesh?
How much control do they have over events?

22. Book I, Lines 205-219 Athena came, sent by the white-armed goddess
Hera, who loved and watched over both men.
She stood behind Achilles and grabbed his sandy hair,
Visible only to him …
Athena’s eyes glared through the sea’s salt haze.
“I came to see if I could check this temper of yours,
Sent from heaven by the white-armed goddess
Hera, who loves you and watches over both of you men.

23. 2. Heroic Ideal What does it mean to be a hero in The Iliad?
Is Achilles a hero at the beginning?
What is the importance of honor?

24. Book I, Lines
Then Achilles, in tears … He prayed over and over to his beloved mother: “Mother, since you bore me for a short life only, Olympian Zeus was supposed to grant me honor. Well, he hasn’t given me any at all. Agamemnon Has taken away my prize and dishonored me.” … And Thetis, now weeping herself: “My poor child. I bore you for sorrow, Nursed you for grief … Now you’re destined for both an early death And misery beyond compare.

25. 3. Importance of Destiny What is the role of destiny in The Iliad?
Can the characters in The Iliad change their destiny?
What is its relationship to the gods?

26. Book I, Lines
Thetis did not forget // Her son’s request … “Father Zeus, if I have ever helped you In word or deed or among the immortals, Grant me this prayer: Honor my son, doomed to die young … Give the Trojans the upper hand until the Greeks Grant my son the honor he deserves.” … This provoked a troubled, gloomy response: “This is disastrous. You’re going to force me Into conflict with Hera … And so you can have some peace of mind, I’ll say yes to you by nodding my head, The ultimate pledge. Unambiguous, Irreversible, and absolutely fulfilled, What I say yes to with a nod of my head.” And the son of Cronus nodded.

27. Section V: Afterlife of The Iliad

28. Myths of Origin:
Greek and Trojan origins become incredibly important in the Ancient and Medieval worlds
Various nations created origin myths that linked themselves to individual heroes from the war:
Rome
France
Germany
England
Spain
Iceland

29. Modern Retellings of the Trojan War

30. Thank you!