[Iliad1] Fwd: My answers to reading question

Tue Jan 10 03:21:10 UTC 2012

Dear readers,
Here are Danny Weitz's responses to our last question on Books 7-8.  He
included illustrations of the Classic Comic book covers of the Iliad. 
Enjoy his comments and keep the conversation going!
Andre

----- Original Message -----

Andre-
There is a strong probability that I will not be able to call-in to the
discussion.
I hope my thoughts and answers will help!
Danny
Hector and Ajax duel; divine and human; Homer's cinematic moments. 

What terms or conditions does Hector propose for an individual duel? 
The image of Athena and Apollo (VII, 62 on)“sat like vultures in Zeus’
tall oak enjoying the warriors” is certainly an odd and striking image
of the gods.  This is almost as odd as the term “ballistic Apollo”
(I, 118) At first I though was Apollo covered in silver ballistic nylon? 
Notice that Hector blames Zeus for both sides violating their oaths. 

He proposes that the winner may strip the armor of the loser, but should
return the body for proper disposition (burning for the Trojans, burial
under a barrow for the Greeks.  The Greeks held it to be vital to give
the proper burial to the fallen; as in the case of the Athenian admirals
who were punished for not trying to recover the bodies of the dead from a
naval battle. The barrow will be a sign of the fallen and Hector’s fame
for future generations.

What does it take to get Greek warriors to volunteer to fight against
Hector? 
Menelaus chastises the Greeks as being “wusses” for not taking up the
challenge, and prepares to do battle himself until stopped by the Greek
Agamemnon and the other Greek leaders. Nestor’s “If only I was young
again speech…we were tough then, not like now!” shames 9 of them into
volunteering. Ajax is chosen by lot [Note that they mark their lots; they
do not write their names; is this a reference to a pre-literate Greece?]

What does this say about Hector’s formidability? 
.They are terrified of fighting Hector.

How does Hector react to being pitted against Ajax? 
His heart pounds; but issuing the challenge he cannot withdraw.  The
image of mutual fear is fascinating.  The Greeks felt that there was no
shame in being afraid as you entered battle, as long as you rose to the
challenge.  The Spartan poet Tyrtaeus (mid 7th century BC) spoke of men
voiding their bowels as they enter battle. Perhaps the mutual taunts are
to erase this fear.

Who stops the duel and under what authority is this demand made? 
Notice that swords are “the weapon of last resort” among the Greeks;
only taken up when all spears are gone.  The heralds from both sides stop
the duel.  Zeus wishes them to stop as it is getting dark, and Ajax
insists that Hector make the formal request as he issued the formal
challenge.

A long stretch of battle, punctuated by a long scene on Mt. Olympus,
offers more contrasts between the divine and human worlds. Discuss how
Homer portrays leadership and authority in human figures like Menelaus and
Hector, as compared with the god Zeus. How does a divine king wield power,
as compared with a mortal one? 
Menelaus and Hector wield power by moral authority and example; they are
each not the technical leaders of their armies.   The other Olympians
seem to obey Zeus from fear rather than love or respect.

Does Homer offer any judgments about Zeus’ exercise of power?
Zeus certainly does seem tyrannical and a threatening bully.  Yet all is
pre-ordained by the fates which bind even Zeus.

The pace of the poem changes in Book 8 - it shifts into high gear. Modern
readers may describe the experience of reading Book 8 as "cinematic." What
was your experience? How does Homer change the pace and quicken the heart
of readers? Why does he do so at this point in the poem?
My first reading of the Iliad was in the 1950’s when I read the
“Classic Comics” version of the Iliad.  I had already read the
“dumbed-down” version of the Odyssey that my brother brought home from
high school, and the public librarian said an 8 year old was too young to
be exposed to the Iliad, so I purchased the comic version instead. I can
still see the illustrations in my mind as I read the book.  It was $.15
then and is described as they 

[ http://www.amazon.com/Iliad-Classics-Illustrated-Comics-No/dp/B0012RAE7Y
]http://www.amazon.com/Iliad-Classics-Illustrated-Comics-No/dp/B0012RAE7Y

1950’s cover followed by modern cover:
[Image]

[Image]

Homer seems to use short, “combative” phrases and names of
insignificant victims to give the speed and intensity of battle.  This is
well-translated by Lombardo.  In an oral reading this would leave both
the speaker and the crowd almost exhausted with the frenzy of battle, and
then on to the slower pace of Olympus.

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