[Iliadm] General questions to send out on Monday

[Phil Terry]

Hey everyone,

This time we are doing something a bit different. The note below has only two simple general questions for everyone. 

Please send it out tomorrow, Monday.

Then, I'll send you specific questions you can assign to individuals on Tuesday.

Thanks,

Phil 

p.s. take note of the BRACKETS - you need to put custom text in between those…don't send the note out without changing that text!

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To: [YOUR READERS]
From: [YOURNAME]
Subject: General questions for Books 9-16 of Iliad

Hey everyone,

Hope you are enjoying Books 9 - 16. [note: say something about the Super Bowl, if you like - especially if the Giants won]

Below are two general questions for you to look at before our meeting next week.

Tomorrow, Tuesday, I'll assign more detailed specific questions to each of you but I wanted to get the general questions over now. 

These questions were prepared by a team of readers and scholars from Reading Odyssey.

I look forward to our next session Monday, February 13, 2012 [put time and place here].

Thanks,

[YOURNAME]

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General questions

1. Gems - favorite passages from the text?

Bring one favorite passages to share with the group. 

For example, Book 13 line 769

"Hector, you are a difficult man to persuade.
Because Zeus has made you preeminent in war
You want to excel in counsel too.
But you can't have everything. Zeus makes
One man a warrior, another a dancer,
Another a singer, and in another's heart
He puts wisdom, by which many profit"

Bring your own favorite passage (and, if possible, note the book and line number so everyone can look it up as you read it)

2. Gods

If you are reading Iliad for the first time, you are likely getting new insight into the personalities and roles of the various gods. It's much easier to learn about the ancient gods by seeing them act in Homer than by simply reading a list of gods and their various attributes. 

What has been surprising or interesting to you about the gods as depicted in Homer?