English 112

Period 2

Dayeol Choi

Homer is said to have lived around the 8th century B.C.; about 2 centuries after the Trojan War- which happened around 1100s B.C.

He is known as the writer of the Iliad and the Odyssey, but this is in dispute.

Some scholars believe Homer finished both long epic poems only.

Other scholars believe Homer was not one but two or more people.

Almost nothing is certain of Homer, not even his birthplace or whether he ever lived.

He is known to be blind, but this is also disputable.

Hector looked fiercely at him and said, "Polydamas, I like not ofyour reading. You can find a better saying than this if you will.If, however, you have spoken in good earnest, then indeed has heavenrobbed you of your reason. You would have me pay no heed to thecounsels of Jove, nor to the promises he made me- and he bowed hishead in confirmation; you bid me be ruled rather by the flight ofwild-fowl. What care I whether they fly towards dawn or dark, andwhether they be on my right hand or on my left? Let us put our trustrather in the counsel of great Jove, king of mortals and immortals.There is one omen, and one only- that a man should fight for hiscountry. Why are you so fearful? Though we be all of us slain at theships of the Argives you are not likely to be killed yourself, for youare not steadfast nor courageous. If you will. not fight, or wouldtalk others over from doing so, you shall fall forthwith before myspear."

So they were assembled within Zeus' house; and the shaker of the earth did not fail to hear the goddess, but came up among them from the sea, and sat in the midst of them, and asked Zeus of his counsel:    'Why, lord of the shining bolt, have you called the gods to assembly

  once more? Are you deliberating Achaians and Trojans?   For the onset of battle is almost broken to flame between them.'

In turn Zeus who gathers the clouds spoke to him in answer:   'You have seen, shaker of the earth, the counsel within me,   and why I gathered you. I think of these men though they are dying.Even so, I shall stay here upon the fold of Olympossitting still, watching, to pleasure my heart. Meanwhile all you othersgo down, wherever you may go among the Achaians and Trojansand give help to either side, as your own pleasure directs you.For if we leave Achilleus alone to fight with the Trojansthey will not even for a little hold off swift-footed Peleion.For even before now they would tremble whenever they saw him,and now, when his heart is grieved and angered for his companion'sdeath, I fear against destiny he may storm their fortress.'

Summary: Zeus, leader of the Greek Gods, lifts the ban on the gods' influence of the war, and allows the gods to intervene in the battles.

The poem contains numerous allusions to Greek mythology.

The excerpt foreshadows more violence and death since the Gods are now free to do what they want. Achilles’ assault on the Trojan forces is also foreshadowed.

Homer uses Dactylic hexameter as the basic rhythmical structure of the poem.

The theme of the excerpt is divine intervention/retribution and revenge- by Achilles after the death of his friend.

This part of the Iliad is a turning point as Achilles finally engages in battle, shifting the tide in favor of the Greeks. Also, as the various Gods take sides and join the War, the Iliad reaches its climax.

Achilles mad with rage darted towards him, with his wondrousshield before his breast, and his gleaming helmet, made with fourlayers of metal, nodding fiercely forward. The thick tresses of goldwi which Vulcan had crested the helmet floated round it, and as theevening star that shines brighter than all others through thestillness of night, even such was the gleam of the spear whichAchilles poised in his right hand, fraught with the death of nobleHector. He eyed his fair flesh over and over to see where he couldbest wound it, but all was protected by the goodly armour of whichHector had spoiled Patroclus after he had slain him, save only thethroat where the collar-bones divide the neck from the shoulders,and this is a most deadly place: here then did Achilles strike himas he was coming on towards him, and the point of his spear went rightthrough the fleshy part of the neck, but it did not sever his windpipeso that he could still speak. Hector fell headlong, and Achillesvaunted over him saying, "Hector, you deemed that you should comeoff scatheless when you were spoiling Patroclus, and recked not ofmyself who was not with him. Fool that you were: for I, his comrade,mightier far than he, was still left behind him at the ships, andnow I have laid you low. The Achaeans shall give him all due funeralrites, while dogs and vultures shall work their will upon yourself."Then Hector said, as the life ebbed out of him, "I pray you byyour life and knees, and by your parents, let not dogs devour me atthe ships of the Achaeans, but accept the rich treasure of gold andbronze which my father and mother will offer you, and send my bodyhome, that the Trojans and their wives may give me my dues of firewhen I am dead."

Now Chryses had come to theships of the Achaeans to free his daughter, and had brought with him agreat ransom: moreover he bore in his hand the sceptre of Apollowreathed with a suppliant's wreath and he besought the Achaeans, butmost of all the two sons of Atreus, who were their chiefs."Sons of Atreus," he cried, "and all other Achaeans, may the godswho dwell in Olympus grant you to sack the city of Priam, and to reachyour homes in safety; but free my daughter, and accept a ransom forher, in reverence to Apollo, son of Jove."On this the rest of the Achaeans with one voice were forrespecting the priest and taking the ransom that he offered; but notso Agamemnon, who spoke fiercely to him and sent him roughly away."Old man," said he, "let me not find you tarrying about our ships, noryet coming hereafter. Your sceptre of the god and your wreath shallprofit you nothing. I will not free her. She shall grow old in myhouse at Argos far from her own home, busying herself with her loomand visiting my couch; so go, and do not provoke me or it shall be theworse for you."

The old man feared him and obeyed. Not a word he spoke, but wentby the shore of the sounding sea and prayed apart to King Apollowhom lovely Leto had borne. "Hear me," he cried, "O god of thesilver bow, that protectest Chryse and holy Cilla and rulest Tenedoswith thy might, hear me oh thou of Sminthe. If I have ever decked yourtemple with garlands, or burned your thigh-bones in fat of bulls orgoats, grant my prayer, and let your arrows avenge these my tears uponthe Danaans."Thus did he pray, and Apollo heard his prayer. He came downfurious from the summits of Olympus, with his bow and his quiverupon his shoulder, and the arrows rattled on his back with the ragethat trembled within him. He sat himself down away from the ships witha face as dark as night, and his silver bow rang death as he shothis arrow in the midst of them. First he smote their mules and theirhounds, but presently he aimed his shafts at the people themselves,and all day long the pyres of the dead were burning.

The Iliad was written centuries after the time when the Trojan War took place; would you consider the poem more closer to a novel or a piece of history? Will you use the poem extensively if you were to write a history book about the Trojan War? The Iliad is one of the very few sources of the war.

If you lived during the Ancient Greek era, but still centuries after the Trojan War, how would you view of the epic poem differ from your view now? Would you have regarded the poem as a fact if you lived during those times?

Agamemnon says “Your scepter of the god and your wreath shall profit you nothing,” when he is asked to return a priestess to her father. Why would a religious Greek say this? How does Agamemnon’s behavior and the result of his behavior relate to the themes of the Iliad?

What does Apollo’s reactions portray about Greek Gods?

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