The Age of Homer

Do Now (U3D2)10/30/2013

Question: Is literature art? Why is literature created?

An important question to ask!

Who invaded Greece and took over the Mycenaeans?

Fall of Mycenaean Civilization

Not long after the fall of Troy (1100 BCE) Mycenaean civilization crumbled

(1100- 800 BCE)

Another Greek-speaking people invaded Greece Invaders are called the Dorians

As Mycenaean civilization fell: People left the cities People forgot the ability to write

Who are the Dorians and

where did they come from?1100 BCE

Dorian=Doris=Woodland/Upland

Conquered Mycenae by 1100 BCE

Indo-European group that migrated from the North into Southern Greece

If Greeks lost the ability to write after the Dorians took control, how did people share important stories of their culture?

The Poet: Homer

The Age of Homer

Homer (750 BCE) Was a blind poet Wandered from village to village singing of

heroic deeds Poems were originally passed orally then

eventually written down

Two famous Homeric epic poems: The Iliad and The Odyssey The Iliad: Chief source of information for the

Trojan War The Odyssey: tells of the Greek hero

Odysseus’ troubles returning home to his faithful wife, Penelope, after the fall of Troy

A Question…

How does the great Homeric poems, The Iliad and The Odyssey, reveal Greek values?

The Iliad: Hector vs. Achilles (Book XXII)

Setting the Stage

You are about to read a selection from the Iliad

The great Trojan warrior, Hector, stands alone outside the walls of the city of Troy

When Achilles returns from chasing Apollo (disguised as Agenor), Hector confronts him. At first, the mighty Trojan considers trying to negotiate with Achilles, but he soon realizes the hopelessness of his cause and flees.

Setting the Stage

Hector runs around the city three times, with Achilles at his heels.

Zeus considers saving Hector, but Athena persuades him that the mortal’s time has come. Zeus places Hector’s and Achilles’ respective fates on a golden scale, and, indeed, Hector’s sinks to the ground.

Setting the Stage

During Hector’s fourth circle around the city walls, Athena appears before him, disguised as his ally Deiphobus, and convinces him that together they can take Achilles.

Hector stops running and turns to face Achilles.

YOUR SELECTION FORM THE ILIAD BEGINS AT THIS POINT!!!

The Iliad

Now let’s look a primary source activity

Read and answer the two questions

(10 Minutes)

Read the brief summary and double check your answer

With your partner, discuss the following question: What value is represented in this Iliad story? Cite specific evidence from the text to support your group’s claim.

Complete this task on a separate piece of paper.