28/9/06 - Classical Literature - Iliad: Books 2-6

Gap between Gods and men is impassable in Iliad. Homer maintains this division. 18:117-119. Even Hercules is sated. In Odyssey there is a place equatable to heaven. But Homer is not 'strict', there may have been different beliefs at the time. What were the beliefs of Homer's audience? By 'confusing' Gods and heroes and maintaining division, Homer gives poignance to Iliad. Unbending heroes; they sometimes refuse to accept their mortality, greater distance to fall. Raised stakes.

Poets considered 'masters of truth', as people did believe in the Gods. More dramatic to contemporary audience. Gods sometimes give favours, but they do not have to grant the wishes of people who pray to them.

Meat considered valuable. Offered to Gods, but eaten afterwards at a feast; not wasted. Meat difficult to come by; rare, expensive.

Dramatic element to presence of Gods. When Achilleus weeps and his mother asks what's wrong, he states that she already knows; she is a goddess. He tells her anyway for the purpose of the story. Gods spectators of human life.

In book 2 Agamemnon 'tests' the army. Says he wants to go home, soldiers agree rather than disagreeing as he had purposed. For Agamemnon everything goes wrong. He cannot manipulate others yet he believes Zeus is on his side. Not self-aware.

2:211-222. Ugly people presented as base, primitive. Heroes are beautiful, graceful, etc. Homer parallels Thersites to Achilleus (abuse of Agamemnon) to emphasise Achilleus's greatness. Thersites is rebuked by Odysseus.

There is no clear chain of command between princes/kings and others. They contest each other's authority. Iliad deals with highest elements; tradition of stories about great people only. Written for nobility? Court poetry. Could explain Thersites' treatment.

Only low person who gives a speech. Is he noble in some way? Demonstrates crude and primitive society of Homer's. At same time, gives comical relief to story.

End of book 2, catalogue of ships. Why ships? Convenience of groups. Introduction to battle; could be a kind of domesday register.

Book 3, introduction to heroes. Helen tells Priam. Gives magnitude and grandeur to story. Paris and Menelaos duel. Homer 'telescopes' - takes sections from story of Troy that do not normally appear in this section and puts them in his story for dramatic effect. One magical section; Aphrodite saves Paris and 'makes' Helen want to make love with him. Again, juxtaposition of different parts of the story.

Pandorus breaks truce by firing an arrow. Homer points out that 'the Tojans started it'.

In book 4, second review of army by Agamemnon. Diomedes introduced. Equates to Achilleus, but second to him because he is not as dynamically interested. Agamemnon tells Diomedes he isn't as great as his father - another sign of bad ruling. Diomedes doesn't stoop to this level, does not 'fall for the bait'.

Pandorus killed by Diomedes and Diomedes' aristeia (his shining moment, his peak performance). Diomedes given gift of seeing Gods, wounds Aphrodite.

Diomedes wounded in heel - similar to Achilleus. Significant.

Homer chooses realism over magical (in general).

Book 6, Achaians there for money, women, etc. Balance agaisnt Trojans who are fighting for their lives. Glaukos (Trojan) and Diomedes exchange armour. 6:145. A bad trade of armour? Gold for bronze. BUT he got away with his life.

At end of book 6 Hektor wants to go back to battle.
Hecuba offers him wine. He looks for Paris, so refuses the wine.
Helen often said to be flirting. Unlikely.

Andromache. 6:396, she wants him to stay, believes he will die.

These try to detain him from battle. 288-295. Paris's guilt.
Hektor a 'fuller' character than Achilleus. Hektor fights for his brother, because of his folly.
In scene with baby. A kind of farewell. Hektor sees that it is the doom of Troy but he fights on. He remains hopeful.
Reread. How book 6 is coordinated.