Homer’s Iliad

Clst 181SK Ancient Greece and the Origins of Western Culture

Books 2, 3

Italy, Egypt, Mediterranean Sea, Black Sea, Aegean Sea, Phoenicia, Greece, Peloponnesus, Ionia, Crete, Cyprus, Delphi, Mycenae, Troy,

Aulis, Hellespont

Aulis

Mycenae – Palace Megaron

Cf. Megaron at Pylos, Palace of Nestor

Mycenae – Demons?

Background !

Zeus Xenios, protector of guests and hosts

Background: The Story of the Trojan War !

Marriage of Peleus and Thetis !

Strife (Eris) and the apple: "to the fairest" !

Judgement of Paris !

Abduction of Helen !

Assembly of the Greek army at Aulis !

Sacrifice of Iphigeneia !

The siege: 9 years plus 1 !

Fall of Troy: the Trojan horse

!Greeks!

!Agamemnon, "king of kings", son of Atreus ("Atrides")

Menelaus, brother of Agamemnon, husband of Helen, son of Atreus Achilles, king of the Myrmidons, son of Peleus and Thetis

Patroclus, dear friend (second self?) to Achilles Nestor, the old wise man

Calchas, the seer Odysseus, wiley, crafty, cunning!

Ajax, “like a wall”!!

Trojans!!

Priam, the old Trojan king, father of 50 sons Hector, the greatest warrior, & son of Priam

Paris (=Alexander), son of Priam, abductor of Helen !

Important only in Book two!!

Thersites, the ugliest of Greek warriors !

!!

Structure of the army!!

Primus inter pares: "first among equals": kings vs the "king of kings"

Homer’s Iliad

Clst 181SK Ancient Greece and the Origins of Western Culture

Book 2

Homer’s Iliad Book 2

The Dream

The Test

“Dreams are from Zeus!” - who says that in book 1 and in what context?

Dreams, deception, the limits of human understanding

“Zeus son of crooked-counseled Kronos promised me and nodded his head to it, that we would sack Ilion, but he only

contrived a wicked deception!”Agamemnon as leader

Why would Agamemnon do such a trial? What’s the purpose? Yuyi, and similarly Yi, Arabella, Qin

Homer’s Iliad Book 2

Similes in the Iliad2. 87ff - swarming bees

2. 66ff - the wind

Agamemnon’s Test!

Sceptre/Staff 2. 102ff Pedigree

2. 186 Odysseus

Arabella: Deep down, it’s the conflict between the power of gods and the power of humans. Homer repeats again and again that a king is chosen by Zeus. So, the power of Agamemnon

is a reflection of the power of Zeus.

Homer’s Iliad Book 2

Thersites: the ugliest man at Troy

Thersites episode

!

Aulis, Kalchas

Not the Iphigeneia story. Deception.

Aulis and the troops. Agamemnon as leader.

Lightning omen. 2. 355ff Success = “you sleep with a Trojan woman in payment”

2. 229: “your tents are filled, which we Achaeans gave you as first pick whenever we attacked some town… you are no men but ladies of Achaea. Let us go home… [if Achilles had not set aside his anger] O son of Atreus, this would be your last outrage!”

Arabella: “What Thersites said to abuse Agamemnon was quite similar to what Achilles said.”

Homer’s Iliad Book 2

Similes - 460ff

Invocation of the Muses

• fire • flocks • leaves/flowers • flies • goats • bull

Muses - inspiration & memory “Not with ten tongues and ten mouths and my voice unbreakable and with a heart made of bronze….”

Homer’s Iliad Book 2

The Catalogue of Ships

Remembered from the Bronze Age?

Iliad as a text in an oral tradition

Homer’s Iliad

Clst 181SK Ancient Greece and the Origins of Western Culture

Book 3

Homer’s Iliad Book 3

Duel between Menelaus and Paris !

Viewing from the walls (teichoskopia) !

!Helen’s beauty is “like a deathless goddess”

Decidedly unrealistic: how could this happen only after nine years; but what do these scenes accomplish?

Arabella: “two husbands of Helen”

Arabella: “why did Homer call Helen “with white arms”, which he usually uses of Hera?”

Arabella: “why does Priam speak kindly to Helen when she caused the 10-year battle?”

Homer’s Iliad Book 3

Bedroom scene !

Ending: Menelaus, searching for Paris/Alexander, demanding Helen and suitable recompense (=ransom)

What is the tone? Is this comic?

Yuyi: Does Helen really love Paris? Why would she still choose to sleep with him so quickly after just rebuking him?

Qin: Why did Aphrodite save Paris?