Long narrative poems Tell the adventures of heroes

� Long, narrative poems � Tell the adventures of heroes who in some way embody the values of their civilization.

Homer is said to be the first teller of adventures of all times. He was not the first author because in his day stories were passed down--they were told. � Lived about 400 years after the Mycenaean world ended � Composed The Iliad around 800 -725 BCE � � Written down sometime between 725 and 675 BCE

� Iliad – War Epic � Odyssey – Journey

� � King Menelaus called on all those who were loyal to him. They gathered a huge army, and built a thousand ships to carry the army to Troy Helen of Sparta was now called “Helen of Troy” She was “The face that launched a thousand ships”

� The battle raged for nearly 10 years � Many great heroes lost their lives � A prophet predicted that Troy could be captured only with the help of Achilles.

� Knowing of the prophecy, and worried that her son would be killed in war, Achilles’ mother Thetis dipped him in the river Styx to make him immortal. � His only weakness was the place on his heels where she held him.

� The Iliad takes place sometime between 16001200 BCE � It begins In Media Res (In the middle) � Details the last year of the 10 year war � Invocation of the Muses � Characteristics: � Homeric Similes � Epithets � “Son of _____” Son of Atreus � Agamemnon Son of Peleus � Achilles

� Think about the last time you felt dishonored or discredited, like you deserved more recognition or praise than you received. �Discuss � with your group. How does anger or shame from feeling dishonored make people act? How did it make you act? �Discuss � What with your group. in life is worth dying for? �Make a list for each with your group members.

� Characters may include: � (G) Agamemnon � (G) Achilles Write a short skit to convey the first chapter’s events of The Iliad. -- Each line may be no longer than three words! (Contractions OK) --The entire skit must not exceed 10 speaking lines! You may have to present it to the class, so be prepared! � (T) Apollo � (T) Chryseis � (T) Briseis � (G) Athena � (G) Nestor � (G) Calchas � (T) Priest of Apollo � (N) Zeus G: Greek T: Trojan N: Neutral

Group 1 Group 2 Group 3 Group 4 Group 5 Group 6 Nikolai Lindsey Morgan Larry Meghan Connor Sofia John Alyssa Trey Nicole Tristan Tyren Wyatt Erin David Blake Chris

1. What is the scene about? What are the two leaders fighting about? 2. How would you describe the tone or nature of this war of words between two honored war heroes? 3. Had you ever considered that ancient Greek war heroes might have a fight of this nature? How would you expect them to behave? 4. What function do the women serve in this scene (whether they are mentioned or actually appear in the scene? )? 5. How do you feel about women being the sought after and fought over as a ‘prize? ’