Summary Why read Homer What the Iliad teaches
- Slides: 7
Summary Why read Homer?
What the Iliad teaches us about the world l “Gods perceive future events, mortals present ones, whereas the wise sense those that are imminent” -Philostratus l Iliad is the story of how the Trojans and Greeks must come together and fight l But it is a complex story, full of human suffering and glory
Rage l Quarrel of Achilles and Agamemnon l Agamemnon takes Achilles’ concubine because his own is taken away l Agamemnon loses his concubine when her father asks the gods to intervene
The Plague – Greeks realize the plague they are all falling sick from is due to Agamemnon’s concubine being the priest’s daughter – Agamemnon is forced to give up his war prize, so he takes Achilles’ war prize – Achilles withdraws from the war – Unlike Brad Pitt’s version of Achilles in Troy, the REAL Achilles spends most of the epic out of the action, sulking in his tent
Human Actions and Divine Motives l Learn how the ancients viewed the world l Preordained because fate decreed Achilles must fight in order for Greeks to win war l What makes the story beautiful and complex is that it is his decision alone to make
What makes Homer so engaging to read? l Trojans are a human enemy l Greeks and Trojans show courage in combat l Readers still ask the question: What is a hero?
Hero: What is our modern perception of what it means to be one?
