Thursday, 9/26 - Bk 13 . . . discuss

Marauding in the Night - Diomedes

• P&P

• You'll probably have to look at it on a computer, but I found some pretty cool modern reinterpretations of what Diomedes and Odysseus might have looked like as they pounced on Dolon the weasel boy. My wife says she's going to get me one of these hawt new items for my birthday . . . um, no thanks ; )

• Discuss Bk 13

• Begin reading Bks 14-16 . . .
• Oh, I forgot to mention that Book 14 is pretty strange and contains a seduction scene between Hera and Zeus. Zeus becomes a new "Paris," while Hera is a new . . . "Helen." Surprise, surprise. You'll notice that Zeus' words even mirror those of Paris, after Aphrodite whisks Paris away from battling Menelaus to Helen's bedroom. Zeus, however, is quite the dashing suitor when he appeals to Hera, cataloging the past womenfolk he's conquered: "Hera, my wife, I want you so badly right now, even more than when I was with so-and-so-and-so-and-so" . . . ad seeminglium infinitum. What a man, what a god, what a lew-hew-zer. It's OK, though; Hera is just using him.   

  

  Odysseus pouncing on Dolon, the weasel boy

  
  

HW: 

1. Bks 14-16 (plus a quote for each)
2. Begin working on J10

J10 – Heroes (114-125) – “The Love of Achilles, Books 9-17”
Nail: What heroic motivations does Homer explore in Books 9-17; which one proves strongest?

1. Agamemnon accepts no responsibility for having enraged Achilles. Instead, he blames madness, the gods. How is this behavior a chink in the armor of the heroic ethic?
2. What is wrong with Agamemnon’s gift, his offer of reconciliation, to Achilles? In other words, how is his huge offer an assertion of superiority?
3. The messengers to Achilles speak to him with appeals to kleos and philos. Although he doesn’t join the war at the moment, what is ironic—unexpected, given what we know and expect of him—about Achilles’ future decision to join the war?
4. How do Homer’s epic similes contribute thematically to Homer’s understanding of warfare? (Think about the focus on animals and forces of nature).
5. Talk to me about the ancients’ understanding of boundaries, addressing both the Greek and Christian understanding.
6. In what way does Patroclus’ participation in the war “solve” Achilles’ heroic dilemma?
7. On a related note, what is significant about Achilles’ armor? Cite several details that explain your answer.