CC108 Investigating Ancient Greece CC108 Investigating Ancient Greece Lecture 3: The Trojan War and OdysseusLecture 3: The Trojan War and Odysseus

Circus lecture tomorrowCircus lecture tomorrow

Dr Edward HerringDr Edward Herring

‘‘What are they like? The Greek view of What are they like? The Greek view of foreigners in South-East foreigners in South-East

Italian vase-paintingItalian vase-painting’’

Classical Society (next Classical Society (next Tuesday)Tuesday)

Prof. Glen Dudbridge will be addressing Prof. Glen Dudbridge will be addressing the Classical Society on Tuesday October the Classical Society on Tuesday October 12th at 6.30 p.m. in the Siobhan 12th at 6.30 p.m. in the Siobhan McKenna Theatre, Arts Millennium McKenna Theatre, Arts Millennium Building. His topic will be a comparative Building. His topic will be a comparative study of China in the Jin Dynasty (265-study of China in the Jin Dynasty (265-420 CE) and the declining power of 420 CE) and the declining power of Rome over its empire in the same Rome over its empire in the same period. Professor Dudbridge is the period. Professor Dudbridge is the former Shaw Professor of Chinese at former Shaw Professor of Chinese at Oxford University Oxford University

1. “Some died at Troy, some at 1. “Some died at Troy, some at Thebes…”Thebes…”

2. The opening of the 2. The opening of the OdysseyOdyssey

O Muse, sing to me of the man of many turnings, who very much

Was made to wander, when he had sacked the holy citadel of Troy;

Of many men he saw the cities and learnt their mindAnd much evil he suffered in the sea along his thought’s

breathing,Defending his life and the homecoming (nostos) of his

companions.

3. Nostos 3. Nostos – the journey home, – the journey home, the journey to wisdom?the journey to wisdom?

5. The war: where did it all 5. The war: where did it all begin?begin?

5. The great goddess Gaia 5. The great goddess Gaia (Earth)(Earth)

Ouranos (Sky) = Gaia (Earth)

Kronos = Rhea

Zeus = Hera

5. The opening of the 5. The opening of the CypriaCypria There was a time when the countless tribes of There was a time when the countless tribes of

men, wandering over the world, men, wandering over the world, pressed down on the broad surface of the deep-pressed down on the broad surface of the deep-

chested Earth:chested Earth: Zeus saw and pitied her, and in his knowing mindZeus saw and pitied her, and in his knowing mind he planned to lighten all-nourishing Earth of her he planned to lighten all-nourishing Earth of her

burden of menburden of men by throwing up the strife of the Trojan war,by throwing up the strife of the Trojan war, so that he might lighten the weight by means of so that he might lighten the weight by means of

death; so in Troydeath; so in Troy the heroes went on being killed, and the plan of the heroes went on being killed, and the plan of

Zeus was being fulfilled.Zeus was being fulfilled.

6. Trouble with a capital T6. Trouble with a capital T

6. Strife (greek 6. Strife (greek ErisEris))

6. Brown envelopes6. Brown envelopes

6. When you’re in love with a 6. When you’re in love with a beautiful woman…beautiful woman…

Attic Red-figure skyphos by Hieron Attic Red-figure skyphos by Hieron

(potter) and(potter) and

6. Art changes, the image 6. Art changes, the image remainsremains

7. Ten years of war7. Ten years of war

8. The Wooden Horse: Troy 8. The Wooden Horse: Troy falls at last and is plunderedfalls at last and is plundered

9. Like a great ram…9. Like a great ram…

(Look out for this in (Look out for this in Odyssey Odyssey Book 9)Book 9)

10. The 10. The metis metis (cunning) of (cunning) of OdysseusOdysseus

10.The epithets of Odysseus10.The epithets of Odysseus

Polumetis OdusseusPolumetis Odusseus

““Odysseus of many schemes”Odysseus of many schemes” Polutlas dios Odusseus Polutlas dios Odusseus

““much-enduring bright Odysseus”much-enduring bright Odysseus” Andra polutropon Andra polutropon

““the man of many turnings”the man of many turnings”

11. Why do men fight? 11. Why do men fight? BRAVERYBRAVERY

RESPECTRESPECTREWARDREWARDSTATUSSTATUS

HONOURHONOUR REPUTATIONREPUTATION

GLORYGLORY

[IMMORTALITY][IMMORTALITY]

11. The best of the 11. The best of the AchaeansAchaeans

12. Long life – or glory and 12. Long life – or glory and deathdeath

13. “…noble though you 13. “…noble though you be…”be…”

14. The death of Achilles14. The death of Achilles

15. Aias/Ajax carries the 15. Aias/Ajax carries the corpsecorpse

16. Contest for Achilles’ 16. Contest for Achilles’ weaponsweapons

17. Foxes and hedgehogs17. Foxes and hedgehogs

““The fox has many ideas, the The fox has many ideas, the hedgehog has one big one” hedgehog has one big one”

(Archilochus)(Archilochus)

17. The heroic triangle:17. The heroic triangle:fox and hedgehogfox and hedgehog

18. The suicide of Aias/Ajax18. The suicide of Aias/Ajax(by the vase-painter Exekias, c.540 (by the vase-painter Exekias, c.540

bce)bce)

14. Odysseus the shameless 14. Odysseus the shameless politicianpolitician

I know well, my boy, that it is not in the nature you I know well, my boy, that it is not in the nature you were born withwere born with

To speak like this, or plan evil schemes, To speak like this, or plan evil schemes, But – since it is such a great possession to seize But – since it is such a great possession to seize

the victory –the victory – Go on and do it:Go on and do it: We can display ourselves as men of virtue another We can display ourselves as men of virtue another

day.day. Now, for a brief part-day of shameless behaviourNow, for a brief part-day of shameless behaviour Hand yourself over to me, and for the rest of your Hand yourself over to me, and for the rest of your

timetime You can win fame as the most holy and virtuous of You can win fame as the most holy and virtuous of

all men. all men. (Sophocles, (Sophocles, PhiloctetesPhiloctetes 79-85) 79-85)

20. “Autolykos had stolen it…”20. “Autolykos had stolen it…”

21. Nostos21. Nostos Literally: “a journey home”Literally: “a journey home” Symbolically: a journey of the mind, Symbolically: a journey of the mind,

a journey towards understandinga journey towards understanding Greek Greek no-osno-os “mind, understanding” “mind, understanding”

22. The 22. The nostosnostos of of AgamemnonAgamemnon

21. Athene versus Poseidon21. Athene versus Poseidon

28. On the edges of the world: 28. On the edges of the world: chaotic monsters, griffin and chaotic monsters, griffin and

chimaerachimaera

28. On the edges of the world: 28. On the edges of the world: the Gorgonthe Gorgon

29. For next week29. For next week

Read books 5-8 and 13, tracing the Read books 5-8 and 13, tracing the dynamic between Nausikaa and dynamic between Nausikaa and Odysseus. Could they have married Odysseus. Could they have married each other?each other?

Web searches: see the handout and Web searches: see the handout and get to experiment with Google get to experiment with Google ImagesImages

25. “Dawn rose up from her bed beside Tithonos…” 25. “Dawn rose up from her bed beside Tithonos…” What happens when you marry a goddess?What happens when you marry a goddess?

29. Like a seed of fire…29. Like a seed of fire…