10/10/06 - Classical Literature - Iliad: Books 22-24

Iliad has poetic and dramatic excellence. Finely woven structure.

Patroklos's death treated as Achilleus's, even by Achilleus himself. Book takes parts of story from later Trojan cycle.

The death of Hektor and the fall of Troy are equated.

Agamemnon's apology, 19:55-73. Achilleus renounces his anger. Godlike, unwilling to consider the consequences of his actions on the community. Agamemnon's reply, 19:83-94. Gives mythological example and lists rewards at the end. It was his actions to blame, yet he was deluded so it must have been an action of the gods.

Achilleus's anger transferred to Hektor. Odysseus has to step up and remind Achilleus that the army have to eat; it shows how Achilleus has become indifferent to human matters, including eating, and shows how he has gone to the opposite extreme of not fighting.

Patroklos and Achilleus are not quite equal although this was expected between good friends. It was normal for a friendship of this intensity in a society where women could never be equal to their husbands and therefore could not be as close as a friend. 17:401-411, Achilleus blames himself; he got his wish but it wasn't what he bargained for.

After Patroklos's death, Achilleus becomes more godlike as he becomes careless for own life.

Achilleus's aristeia comes when he kills Hektor.

21:99-114. Achilleus is more godlike and cruel than before. Because he knwos his destiny, he is reckless.

The greatness of a hero depends on how worthy his opponents are.

Aristeia:
1) anger at wounded/killed friend.
2) arming.
3) wounded - gods.
4) helped by a god.
5) final duel with enemy and victory.

Contrasting Hektor and Achilleus. Both represent their side. Achilleus has no wife or children, father is absent. Hektor is heroic only when the gods will it. He has a wife and child. He is fighting reluctantly to save his city, unselfish. Hektor is ashamed, he is led to overconfidence which leads to his downfall. Regret. Soliloquy, 22:98-107. Shows he recognises his fate. 22:108-130, he decides to die because he can't face his people as he has let them down. He looks back on everyday life.

Hektor runs from Achilleus. Homer's way of retarding the scene. Simile of dreams of running. Three times round Troy - lucky number. Twice is lucky, three times not a coincidence. But four is impossible, gods decide this is enough.

Hektor's death takes normal pattern. Why didn't Homer make it stand out? Symbolic of Achilleus killing himself, as Hektor is wearing his armour.