There is a frequently recalled story about a contest between Homer and Hesiod, imagined from the contest recounted by Hesiod in Works and Days. In it, both poets choose their best passages from their works -Hesiod chooses his section on the rising of the Pleiades constellation from Works and Days. Ultimately, the round of aristocratic judges … Continue reading Notes on Hesiod
homer
The Idea of Revenge in the Iliad and the Odyssey
In both the Iliad and the Odyssey we encounter vengeance exacted by the protagonists. In the Iliad, a poem explicitly about the "rage" or "wrath" of Achilles, we discover the rage that follows from the sorrow for the death of a loved one. In Books XV and XVI, the beloved companion, Patroclus, is killed by Hector … Continue reading The Idea of Revenge in the Iliad and the Odyssey
Book XVIII of the Iliad: Examining the Shield of Achilles
In Book XVIII of the Iliad, Achilles is distraught. Patroclus has been killed by Hector, and the armor of Achilles has been stripped and stolen by Hector. Thetis, Achilles's goddess mother, travels to the house of Hephaestus to convince him to build a new shield for Achilles so he can return to the battle and … Continue reading Book XVIII of the Iliad: Examining the Shield of Achilles
Notes on Odysseus’s Tale to the Phaeacians
In Book IX, the "great teller of tales" responds to Alcinous's request by first revealing his name as Odysseus (paralleling the tale of his venture with Polyphemus). He reminds the Phaeacians of his many troubles and woes after finally revealing his name, he recalls his story: Upon leaving Ilium, Odysseus and his men were carried … Continue reading Notes on Odysseus’s Tale to the Phaeacians
Phemius and Demodocus: Two Bards Considered
In Homer's Odyssey, we encounter two different examples of poets, one hailing from the halls of Ithaca, and the other from the land of the Phaeacians. We hear neither one speak -Phemius is silent until the closing books of the text when he pleads for his life. As with all things inherited from the ancients, we … Continue reading Phemius and Demodocus: Two Bards Considered
The Iliad and the Odyssey: Two Proems Compared
"Rage" is the first word presented to us in the Iliad. The Goddess, not the muse, is commanded to sing of the rage of Peleus's son Achilles. Which Goddess does Homer invoke? We are not given a clear answer, however we can acknowledge that this Goddess remains anonymous, not unlike Odysseus at the outset of … Continue reading The Iliad and the Odyssey: Two Proems Compared
Nature and Order in Homer
It has been argued that Homer represents a significant turning point for philosophy, especially toward politics and nature. Odysseus, the man most closely resembling the Socrates of ancient Achaea, is identified as a well traveled man knowing many cities and many men's minds. He is fascinated by these minds of the men that he encounters. … Continue reading Nature and Order in Homer
Persuading Achilles: Books IX, XVI, XXIV Considered
In Book IX of the Iliad, the Achaeans have been stricken with Panic ("panicos" meaning pertaining to Pan, the god of shepherds and wild animals). In the absence of Achilles on the battlefield, Hector has beaten back the Achaeans nearly to their ships. All that is left is to burn the Achaean ships into the … Continue reading Persuading Achilles: Books IX, XVI, XXIV Considered
On the Homeric Gods
In our survey of antiquity, we have encountered gods, great and small, who command the affairs of human beings. For example, in the Egyptian pantheon, we have uncovered gods of both life and death, including Osiris Winnefer and Amun Re, or the judge of the netherworld and god of the sun. The gods appear to … Continue reading On the Homeric Gods
Thoughts on Odysseus and Achilles
Achilles is a man of many passions. He is often descibed as quick, or "swift-footed." For Achilles, the warrior, his life is short and grim. His unfettered rage is drawn out and drawn towards those who have offended him, especially those who have offended him most recently. He knows only friends and enemies. Rather than pursuing … Continue reading Thoughts on Odysseus and Achilles
