14a. THE ILIAD READING GUIDE

Back to Syllabus.

In general

• trace Achilles' attitude toward duty, heroism and fate throughout the poem
  • how do his views change, and why?
• look at the similes: the comparisons printed in italics
  • nearly every one has a special relevance to its context; think about what that is

Assignment for Wed. 10 Oct.

Lombardo 1-23 [from Books 1-2]

• The theme of the poem is clear from the first word.
• Apollo's plague punishes Agamemnon for dishonoring Apollo's priest Chryses
  • so Agamemnon must give back the priest's daughter, Chryseis
  • so he takes Achilles' war prize, Briseis
• Look at the argument between Agamemnon and Achilles
  • why does Agamemnon say he is entitled to take Achilles' prize?
  • what is Achilles' answer? why does he resist so? what does having a prize mean to him?
  • who is right? or are both right?
• Why does Athena step in?
  • she says what will happen, as well as telling him what to do
  • she is goddess of wisdom; external deity, and internal impulse
• Does Homer say how Briseis felt about leaving Achilles for Agamemnon?
• Achilles and his mother Thetis
  • what do we learn about his attitude toward Agamemnon? war prizes?
  • what does Thetis say about Achilles' destiny?
• Up on Olympus with the gods
  • what is Zeus like as a god?
  • how much control does Zeus have over what happens?
  • why does he send a dream to Agamemnon?
• Back at the Greek camp
  • compare Thersites' insults to Agamemnon with Achilles' insults in Book 1
  • why does Homer have Odysseus defend Agamemnon? is he effective?

Lombardo 28-36 (line 284), 38 (line 353)-42 [from Book 3]

• A new group of characters is introduced
  • We meet Paris and Menelaus; compare them
  • We meet Hector, the Trojans' best fighter; what's your impression of him?
  • We meet Helen; what's your impression of her?
    • how does she behave with the Trojans?
    • what does she say about herself, and leaving Menelaus for Paris?
  • What do we learn about Odysseus?
• A long arming scene precedes the duel between Menelaus and Paris: what effect does it have?
• How does the duel end?
• The scene between Helen and Aphrodite
  • what is the effect of the meeting between them?
  • how does it compare to the meeting of Achilles and Athene?

Lombardo 52-71 (line 152), 72 (line 218)-82 [from Books 5-6]

• The heroism of Diomedes
  • follow his progress as he defeats increasingly tough enemies
  • how does Aphrodite react when he wounds her?
  • which other gods get involved in the battle, how, and why?
  • how does Zeus react when Aphrodite is wounded? when Ares is wounded?
• The meeting of Diomedes and Glaukus
  • shows honor among warriors
  • shows the importance of hospitality and family ties
• Hector in Troy
  • what do we learn about him from his various encounters?
    • with his mother Hecuba
    • with his brother Paris and Helen
    • with his wife and son

Assignment for Fri. 12 Oct.

Lombardo 92-106 [from Book 9]

• The embassy to Achilles
  • why does Agamemnon send Odysseus, etc. to Achilles?
  • how does Achilles receive them?
  • compare Odysseus' arguments to Phoenix's arguments
  • what are Achilles' reasons for staying out of battle?
    • what do you think of his attitude?
  • his threat to go home is new
    • is that really an option for him?
    • what would that mean for his status as a hero

Lombardo 124 (line 300)-25 (line 344) [from Book 12]

• The speech of Sarpedon, a Trojan ally
  • lays out clearly the heroic code: the value system of a Homeric warrior-king
    • a trade-off: bold warfare brings honor; honor brings obligation to be bold in war

Lombardo 153-74 [from Book 16]

• Achilles and Patroclus
  • note: Patroclus is older
  • what does Patroclus think of Achilles' stubbornness?
  • why does Achilles let Patroclus go into battle with Achilles' armor?
  • what does he warn him?
• Patroclus in battle
  • compare his exploits to those of Diomedes
  • Patroclus and Hector
    • how does Homer make Patroclus' death memorable?
• The death of Sarpedon, Zeus' son
  • Zeus can't stop it--or won't; which?

Lombardo 175-95 [from Books 18-19]

• Achilles' learns of Patroclus' death
  • how does his attitude toward fighting and his fate change, and why?
• New armor for Achilles
  • why does Homer devote so much space to describing the new armor?
  • what designs does Hephaestus put on the shield?
• Achilles rejoins the Greeks
  • what do you think about his reconciliation with Agamemnon?
  • what reminders are there of Achilles' fate?

Lombardo 205-21 [from Book 22]

• Achilles' combat with Hector
  • which gods get involved, and how? Is it a fair fight?
  • compare the attitudes of the two heroes toward this combat
  • how does Homer make Hector's death memorable?
  • why is it effective to have the reactions of the Trojan women to Hector's death?
    • compare their encounters with him in Book 6

Assignment for Mon. 15 Oct.

Lombardo 222-40 [from Books 23-24]

• The funeral of Patroclus
  • why does Achilles finally give Patroclus his funeral?
• The embassy of Priam to Achilles
  • why does Priam finally decide to go ask for his son Hector's body?
  • why is it Hermes who guides him to the Greek camp?
  • how does Achilles receive Priam?
  • why does he give the body back?