Iliad Flashcards
(16 cards)
1
Q
Book 1 Summary
A
- Invocation of the Muse, Menis, Apollo intervention changing fortune of men.
- Calchas tells of Apollo’s anger - interaction with Gods. Calchas pleas for Life show Agamemnon attitude and foreshadows Achilles and Agamemnon
- Agamemnon demands Briseis as to not be dishonoured, Tîme
- Dispute is that of Honour, Agamemnon is the most powerful king so demands all the spoils but Achilles is the best fighter
- Athena stops Achilles - calls into question Achilles free will
- Thetis asks Zeus for a favour - Sets Achilles fate into motion but allows him great glory
- Zeus though Angered accepts the promise, warns of Hera showing passion of the God
2
Q
Book 3 Summary
A
- Trojans and Acheans face each other however Trojans shown doing war cries, Barbarism vs Civilisation
- Paris asks for the Duel with Menelaus,
- Menelaus agrees, Sacrifices to be made to seal the duels oath, “limited Vengance”
- Helen is told of the Duel and longs for Menelaus and her homeland
- Teichoscopia, Elders recognise that Helen should return, trojans speak of the greeks with respect
- “Zeus would not fufill their prayers”, Fated nature
- Duel measures each mans worthiness despite Menelaus winning but stopped by Gods
- Aphrodite takes Paris back to Helen’s bed, Act of intervention to save life
- Helen and Aphrodite argue, Helen berates Paris showing futility of war
3
Q
Book 4 Summary
A
- Hera angered by the outcome of the duel and still wants to destroy troy, Zeus criticises her saying that in turn he should be able to destroy a city he loves, she agrees - Shows how Gods belittle mortals and view their cities as playgrounds, Mortals are expendable
- Zeus orders Athena to fly down to Troy in order for Pandarus to shoot his bow
- Athena Deflects the arrow so it only grazes him but the Oath is broken and both armies ready themselves again
- Agamemnon rouses the troops and compliments both ajax’, Idomeneus and Nestor but goads Odysseus
- Agamemnon goads Diomedes as well comparing him to his father Tydeus and his feats of strength, Men were most likely to be remembered for their military endeavours and sons measure their feats against their forefathers
- The armies clash (Greeks described as a wave pounding the shore compared to the clamour of different languages of the trojans, once again Barb vs Civ)
- Antilochus and Great Ajax kill in grisly fashion
- see the beginning of reprisal killings in Odysseus killing a bastard son of Priam after his mate is killed, compassion for a fallen friend is a huge spur of strength across the poem.
- Trojans are forced back, Apollo cries for the trojans, Athena spurs the Acheans forward
- Homer finishes the book with two deaths, Pirous and Diores, Many Bodies lie in the dust
4
Q
Book 6 Summary
A
- Battle Continues, Ajax and Diomedes kill more trojans, Menelaus almost spares a supplicating enemy but Agamemnon convinces Menelaus to kill him, shows Agamemnon’s cruelty.
- Helenus tells Hector to rally the troops but to also organise a sacrifice to Athena to show mercy, shows that Mortals understood that sometimes the Gods were against them and that sacrifices to the Gods were necessary to get them back on side
- Diomedes and Glaucus meet on the battlefield, they exchange armour and decide to not fight each other after finding out that their grandfathers were friends, Xenia
- Hector reaches the Sceaen Gate and says to the people to pray to the Gods, goes to Hecuba and asks her to prepare a sacrifice to Athena, Hecuba gathers the trojan women and does the sacrifice but Athena ignores their prayers,
- Hector comes across Paris in his chambers polishing his armour, Helen and Hector berate him, He agrees to join Hector, Shows the immediate and vast contrast in the two Hector deeply cares about troy and the Trojans wheras Paris seems indifferent and is the reason for this war.
- Hector meets Andromache on the walls, she shows respect to Achilles after he gave her brothers a proper burial, fears for Hectors death and recites a funeralesce rite to his face, shows Hector as a family man yet the dicotomy of war forcing fathers away to keep families but to save peoples from being slaughtered
- Cradles Astyanax but he is frightened of his fathers helmet
5
Q
Book 9 Summary
A
- Agamemnon summons the armies and declares the war a defeat, ‘entangled me in madness’ Zeus, Says Achaeans should sail home, Diomedes says he will stay and fight and Nestor agrees - Agamemnon blames Gods and loses honour
- Nestor proposes to make up with Achilles and Agamemnon agrees once again blaming Zeus for his quarrel, Offering of Briseis and many goods- Unable to accept responsibility
- Send emissaries to Achilles, He’s playing a lyre singing of Heroes, Patroclus is with him, Achilles rejects it saying death is the same for everyone and there is no point in the war - Portrayed as good man and cultured and rejects the idea of Kleos
- Achilles says that he can either win everlasting glory at Troy and die or live a long unremarkable life at home, ‘no wealth is worth my life’, tells captains to sail home - Achilles fate is unusual as he is both aware of it and able to change it, challenges typical view of fate, Agamemnon’s treasure is no use if he’s dead
- Phoenix attempts to convince Achilles, recalls a story of himself and his father falling out and him being forced to flee to Pythia where he became Achilles Guardian, He also tells the story of Meleager in which Meleager sits at home in anger while the city is under siege and joins only once it has reached his house, they repel them but he doesn’t get any of the gifts promised of him - Phoenix tries to exploit Achilles emotions and appeal through a moralistic tale and respect of ancestors.
- Ajax finally speaks and he appeals on the basis of his fellow soldiers and that he has gotten too proud, Achilles choses not to leave tomorrow but he won’t fight till it reaches his own ships - Glory is the closest issue to Achilles heart, a trait only to be granted by others
- The embassy returns, Soldiers are dispirited, Diomedes is convinced he will fight when his time comes and that the Achaeans can fight on without him.
6
Q
Book 10 Summary
A
- Agamemnon and Menelaus can’t sleep, They seek out Nestor to create a plan, - Both Aga and Men are deeply concerned for the fate of the expedition as it will ruin Agamemnon’s reputation
- Nestor Rouses Odysseus and Diomedes, Diomedes volunteers to be on the night raid then choses Odysseus to go with him - Shows new aspect of Warfare not seen before, Possibly added afterwards
- Diomedes and Odysseus arm themselves, Odysseus wears an ancient Boar teeth helmet, Athena sends out a lucky bird omen and they pray to her
- They are planning the same night raid at troy, Dolon volunteers in return for Achilles horses, Diomedes and Odysseus see Dolon and plan to ambush him
-They ambush and kill Dolon, example of Greek superiority and cunning, they gain valuable info on Trojan positions - They get to the camp and kill the Thracians soldiers and take their horses
7
Q
Book 16 Summary
A
- Patroclus mourns the dying Acheans and urges Achilles to stop being stubborn, Achilles doesn’t seem to care and believes that it is just for the disrespect he got, Achilles preservation of Honour is far greater than other lives and it will only grow greater the more that are killed
- Patroclus offers to fight in Achilles armour, Achilles agrees but only to the extent of driving them from the ships, he does this as he doesn’t want to diminish his own glory but also that he is worried that he may be killed by the Gods
- Trojans start setting ships on fire, Achilles stirs the Mrymidons, He prays to Zeus for Patroclus to gain Time and Kleos and bring him back to safety but Zeus only honours half of the prayer, Ships represent the Acheans escape, everything is reliant on the ships
- ‘like wasps that a boy has angered’, Mrymidons are eager to fight, Trojans fear that its Achilles, mere presence of Achilles starts to turn the tide
- Trojans start to rout, Trojans get stuck in the trench, Patroclus kills Sarpedon (A Son of Zeus), Zeus considers saving him but Hera tells him not to as they shouldn’t intefere, Zeus rains blood and sends his body back intact - Illustrates importance of father son relations and also respect for the dead and fate.
- Glaucus is filled with grief, Apollo fills Glaucus with strength, He urges hector to remember his allies and a battle for Sarpedon’s body ensues - Foreshadow of Patroclus death and the fighting after that
- Zeus allows patroclus more glory before killing him, Patroclus pushed too far and reaches the gates, Apollo tells him its not his fate to seize troy - he doesn’t listen
- Apollo knocks Patroclus armour and weapons off him, Euphorbus kills him, Hector gets the final blow and with Patroclus last breath he predicts Achilles will kill him - Patroclus has great glory but his demise is embarrasing and tragic, Patroclus had overstepped his mark and zeus must return the world back to its natural order.
8
Q
Book 17 Summary
A
Menelaus sees Patroclus’ death and a Battle ensues once again over his body - Patroclus’ body is the greatest symbol of honour the war has seen so far, he made the greatest effort but he is also a companion of Achilles and both sides know what the capture of his body would mean - Menelaus finds Great Ajax and rouses him to help defend the body, Hector strips the armour before they arrive, He offers half of his spoils to whoever retrieves Patroclus’ body - Hector fully realises the magnitude of this action yet still does it.
- The fight over the body last all day, Apollo spurs Aeneas to regroup the trojan forces, Despite efforts Acheans hold fast over the body
- Achilles’ horses begin to weep, Zeus pities them and fills them with strength, they take Automedon (driver) back into the battle, Automedon escapes from Hector and Aeneas - Sign of Achilles’ close relations with the Gods, preparation of Achilles entering into battle.
- Athena breathes strength into Menelaus, he kills a close friend of Hector, Apollo gives strength to Hector, Zeus lets forth a thunderbolt turning the tide in favour of the Trojans - Prefaces the events of Book 20 in which Gods fully intervene again
- Menelaus and Great Ajax devise a plan to pull Patroclus’ body clear of the fighting, Antilochus rushes to tell Achilles of Patroclus death, Menelaus and Meriones pick up Patroclus’ body while Aeantes defend them from Trojans - Testament to Ajax’ strength
9
Q
Book 18 Summary
A
- Antilochus races to Achilles’ camp to tell of Patroclus death, Achilles dissolves into grief, weeps uncontrolably, abasing in dirt, women are beating at chest - extremely passionate display of grief, indicates bond, regrets deeply allowing Patroclus to leave
- Achilles lets a cry out that Thetis hears, Thetis lamets Achilles’ approaching death saying she can do nothing to prevent it, Achilles tells thetis about the death of Patroclus and says he has no will to live other than to kill Hector - Achilles grief is forming into anger as he now needs to kill Hector
- Achilles mourns his inaction saying that he will now ready himself to accept his fate, Thetis tells him she will go to Hephaestus to make him new armour - The new armour will become a symbol of his Godliness and superiority, Achilles has found good enough reason to face his fate.
- Acheans continue the retreat Patroclus’ body, Hector is close to seizing his body, Iris tells Achilles that he must show himself to strike fear, Achilles lets out a war cry, Crowned by a golden cloud from Athena, fear strikes the trojans and the Aecheans manage to pull the body to safety - Achilles is so feared that hes mere presense instills terror, he is also empowered by Athena for a godlike presence, the fall of night acts like a chapter closer and a break before Achilles retuning to Battle
- Polydamas advises Trojans to withdraw back into Troy’s walls, Acheans were hard enough without Achilles, Zeus causes Hector to reject the advice calling it cowardice, says they will attack again in the morning - Zeus’ intervention turns the tide against the Trojans, with Trojans still on the field he can use his full force
- Acheans mourn P, Achilles prepartes body for burial but says he wont until he has slain Hector - Achilles constantly demonstrates his grief and his decision to not bury is one of respect, Achilles is facing certain death for revenge, his love for Patroclus are so great he goes out knowing he will die
- Hephaestus sets to work, forges Shield of Achilles and the armour,
10
Q
Book 19 Summary
A
- Thetis arrives with Achilles’ armour, Achilles is still mourning Patroclus, The armour shines so brightly that the Mrymidon’s are afraid to look at it - Symbolises its godiness
- Achilles calls an assembly of the Achaean troops, says time has come to reconcile, Agamemnon holds that he is not to blame he was blinded by Zeus, - Achilles has sealed fate, he now exists on a different more heroic plane as the only thing he has is Kleos and Revengance,
- Achilles urges troops to battle asap, Odysseus convinces Achilles to let the men - Achilles refusal to eat is a sign of respect to Patroclus and an indication of his eagerness, he has basically become one of the dead
- Agamemnon gifts are brought to Achilles’ camp, Briseis mourns Patroclus, Achilles is too grieved to eat, Zeus sends Athena to nourish Achilles with Ambrosia without him noticing - Hera gives a voice to Achilles horse, The horse reminds Achilles of his impending Doom, Achilles is angered by the Reminder - Achilles is tired of hearing about his future his fate is already sealed may as well get on with it
11
Q
Book 22 Summary
A
- Achilles chases the man he believes to be Agenor (its Apollo), Apollo reveals himself, Achilles angered at being rejected Glory, He turns to the City walls Hector is the only trojan standing outside the walls - Apollo saves more trojan lives by distracting Achilles, Achilles and Hector both look for Glory but Hector by proctecting his city rather than slaughter
- Priam implores Hector to get inside the city
- Hector while waiting for Achilles starts to think, He feels ashamed for keeping the trojan camp outside the walls, wonders if he can negotiate with Achilles, he loses his nerve and starts to run, Zeus feels bad but Athena says that Hector is fated to die - Hector is more human, he wants to make amends for his failures but Achilles pure Menis is unwaivering, Zeus’ thoughts about Hector make it unsure if he can change fate, Zeus’ concern highlights Hectors’ heroism.
- Achilles can’t gain on hector nor can Hector escape Achilles, Zeus tips the scales and sentences Hector to death, Athena disguises as Deiphobus telling him that they together can defeat him
- Hector speaks to Achilles asking to Honour each others’ bodies, Achilles rejects, They both throw their spears, Hector turns to see that Deiphobus was an apparition - Hector tries to appeal in terms of decency but Achilles is bent on shaming Hector for Patroclus’ death, The Gods are giving Achilles all benefits
- Achilles drives his spear into Hectors’ neck, Hector asks for his body to be returned but Achilles Boasts that dogs will feed on him, Acheans stab his corpse
- Achilles considers further battle but realises he needs to bury Patroclus, he Defiles Hectors corpse by draging it from his chariot - Achilles realises that the most important thing to do is to pay respect to Patroclus rather than Patroclus and Hector who both made prideful decisions, Love for Patroclus is greater than that of glory
- Priam and Hecuba grieve for Hector, Andromache laments that Astynax will grow up as an orphan - Hectors death is a presentiment of the fall of troy as well as Astynax’s orphaning
12
Q
Book 23 Summary
A
Achean troops return to camp, Achilles organises elaborate funeral for Patroclus, Hector is left desectrated in the dust, The men have a funeral feast
- Boxing match, Epeus is the victor, Great ajax and Odysseus have a boxing match, neither can get an advantage so achilles tells them to share the prizes
- Footrace, Odysseus, Little Ajax, Antilochus, Odysseus wins as Athena trips ajax,
- Duel in full armour, Great ajax and Diomedes, they fight but are seperated before they injure one another, Achilles is made the winner
- Throwing, Polypoetes wins the iron lump throwing comp, Archery, attempt to shoot at a dove tied to a cord, Meriones wins and Teucer comes second as he doesn’t pray to Apollo
- Achilles automatically wins the Spear throwing comp by addmision from Achilles - Gods intervene in the smallest actions and competitions
13
Q
Book 24 Summary
A
- Funeral games end, Achilles consumed by grief again, uses chariot to drag Hector again, Apollo protects his body from harm
- The Gods feel sorry for Hector and desire to rescue his body but Hera intervenes and won’t allow it
- Apollo addresses the Gods arguing that Hector always respected the Gods and Achilles has no decency for desecrating his body, Hera argues that Achilles is a son of a God and that they can’t be equals, Zeus agrees but also indicates that the Gods loved Hector dearly, Zeus instructs her to go to Achilles and tell him to return Hector to priam - Apollo’s plea is one of decency, Hera’s is one of status, Achilles should be judged by a different set of rules
- Thetis tells him of Zeus’ decree and he agrees that he won’t resist the will of the Gods
-Zeus sends Iris to troy letting Priam know he must travel to Achaean ships to ransom Hector’s body, Priam is deetermined to take back Hector’s body and ignores Hecuba, He prays to Zeus for a sign and Zeus sends and Eagle to reassure them - Priam’s vulnerability is emblamatic of troy - Zeus tells Hermes to ensure Priam’s safe travel, Hermes appears as an aide of Achilles to help Priam
- Priam asks for mercy and beseeches Achilles to remember his own father, Achilles is moved by Priam’s words and courage, they both weep, Achilles asks Priam to sit but Priam refuses and wants to ransom the body - Achilles sees his father in Priam, first moment of Compassion since death of Patroclus,
- Achilles fetches Hector’s body and apologizes to Patroclus for letting it go, Priam dines with Achilles, he then sleeps outside as to not be discovered, Priam asks for an eleven day truce to mourn and bury dead - meal is a moment of silent unity in each others grief, both know war is imminent
- Hermes wakes Priam from his sleep advising him to leave Achaean camp before he is killed, Priam returns to Troy and the city is plunged in grief
14
Q
Shield of Achilles
A
The shield transcends the trojan war and represents Greece back home, the Shield emphasises the desirability’s of peace and ‘normality’, what Trojans are hoping to go back to, also links to the all important ships that Achilles is not willing to risk, also represents what he could have chosen.
Realisistic = City at war, murder but also farming and living
War is only a sector of life and normality is idylic in itself
15
Q
If hes angry about the girl then why is he still angry even if shes being offered back - where is the anger coming from
Agamemnon still wants Achilles to yeild to him
Achilles must not yeild as its the heroic thing to do
A
16
Q
Battle is only Glorios because you may die
Glaucus and Sarpedon dont need to fight in the war
wouldnt do it if were immortal
A
