ILIAD
WEEK THREE ----------------Numbers 81 – 129 DUE SESSION FOUR
NB: When answering “What is” or “Who is” questions, please provide the following: family
status, superpowers and authority, Roman name (if there is one), trademark clothing or
props, personality traits, and any known familial (animal associations). These attributes are
essential, foundational material for the student to understand later works. Later authors
assume classical knowledge of the gods and their attributes.
81. Line 3.161
What family relationship is Priam to Helen? Are they related? 1 point
82. Line 3.164
Who gets the blame for sinful behavior? 1
Lines 3.184-89
In the 12th century BC, the Indo-European speaking people of the Hittite
Empire were invaded by northerners and migrated to Syria, causing various disturbances.
These are the same peoples referred to in the Books of Kings. King Priam says he was
present at the battle between the Phrygians and Amazons. This reference is believed to be
a true account from the Mycenaean period which found its way into The Iliad (this period
having ended several hundred years earlier). The Phrygian’s mentioned here are probably
the ‘Meshech’ of Ezekiel 32:26; 38:2-3; 39:1.
83. Give a brief biography of the Amazons (5-9sentences).
Lines 3.205-6
4 points
Odysseus and Menelaos have already tried to bargain for Helen.
84. Lines 3.243-4 Helen is from Sparta, Lakedaimon. Where are her brothers Kastor and
Polydeukes (Castor and Pollux)? 2
Line 3.277 This god is depicted on the eastern pediment of the Parthenon in Athens,
Greece. It is Helios. He is the keeper of the sacred cattle in the Odyssey.
85. Who is Helios? 4
86. Line 3.302
Who is the son of the Titan Kronos/Cronos? 1
87. Lines 3.373-82
What is the outcome of the battle between Menelaus and Paris? 4
88. Lines 3.400-402
What is the significance of this statement (i.e., what concern
does Helen express)? 4
Note that the book ends with the Greeks claiming victory, demanding Helen be turned over
with her possessions. Apparently, when she left Menelaos, she took more than just her
valuable self (cf. 22.114-116). It is interesting that the Trojan reaction is not recorded.
Book Four
As Book Three contains one major scene, so it is with Book Four.
Agamemnon’s inspection of the army.
This gives us
89. Line 4.2 Who is Hebe and why would she be pouring wine? 3
90. Line 4.1-19
How does Zeus show his indifference towards the mortals? In other
words, what clues are we given as to the attitude of the gods to mortals? (cf. 24.524530) 3
Homer is reflecting the pagan society to us. The Heroic Code of values that include honor,
glory, boasting, pride, vaunting, and trickery, are exemplified in both stories. Although the
Iliad and Odyssey were not written texts until much later, they did provide a ‘moral compass’
for Greeks to measure themselves by. In comparison, the Hebrew kings were required to
write their own copy of the law and read it before the people; Cf Deut.17:18-20. This kept
their hearts right before God, and assisted them in resisting temptation from Satan to follow
after foreign gods. For the Hebrews, man had been the crown of God’s Creation. According
to the Greeks, man was the most ‘dismal’ of creatures (cf. Iliad 17.446-47).
91. How would you contrast the Wisdom Literature of the Hebrews to the wisdom literature
of the Greeks (i.e., Homer)? Cf. Glossary, ‘Wisdom Literature.’ 3
92. Lines 4.115-50
What happens in this scene?
2
Lines 4.217-18
It is possible that the arrows were poisoned, this would account for
sucking the wound. You will find poisoned arrows referred to in The Odyssey.
Line 4.242 ‘arrow-fighters:’ this refers to archers, who keep back out of the most intense
fighting. It is a call of cowardice.
Line 4.457 Antilochos is the son of the highly esteemed Nestor. Homer honors him with the
first victory. The soldiers dying are alternately Trojan and Greek.
Line 4.508-13
Pergamos is the high citadel of Troy. See Rev.2:13: The Apostle John
calls it the “throne of Satan.” Pergamos was the site of the first emperor worship in 29 BC.
93. Paraphrase the words Apollo shouts out in anger in 4.508-13. 2
Line 4.515 ‘Tritogeneia’, Malcolm Willcock says this is a reference to Athene, but with
uncertain origins.i See 22.183.
Book Five
Lines 5.1-8 Homer allows the hero, Diomedes to dominate this book since Achilleus is still
pouting. It is the aristeia of Diomedes. Homer will highlight Diomedes, with all of his best
warring skills on display for our imaginations to enjoy.
Line 5.23
There is a beautifully preserved Temple of Hephaistos that was one of the first
sites Athenians would pass on the processional way to the Parthenon in the course of the
Panathenaea celebrations.
94. Who is Hephaistos (Roman Vulcan)?
95. Line 5.51
4
Who is Artemis (Roman Diana)?
4
96. Line 5.37-83
What is significantly similar about the wounds of each Trojan warrior thus
far? Homer gives a clue as to which side is winning (hint: in what parts of the body are
they receiving their wounds?). 3
Line 5.95
Pandaros (a Trojan) is the coward who broke the truce by shooting Menelaos.
Line 5.115 Atrytone is Athene.
97. Lines 5.124-32
Line 5.190
Paraphrase what Athene says to Diomedes.
3
Aidoneus is a longer name for Hades (Greek , the god of the underworld.
98. Lines 5.247-48
Who is the mother of Aineias? 1
Line 5.330 The ‘lady of Kypros’ is Aphrodite. She was born from sea foam near Cyprus,
thus the use of Cytherean, or Cyprian (in this translation, Kypros).
99. Line 5.340
What is ichor? 1
100.
Line 5.380
fighting? 3
What important changes have taken place in the battle? Who is
Line 5.422
Hera and Athene hate the Trojans. They are still furious that Paris chose
Aphrodite as the most beautiful of the three goddesses (in return, he was promised the most
beautiful woman in the world as his wife).
Later, in Virgil’s Aeneid, we will learn that
Hera/Juno truly hates the Trojans: “That suffering, still rankled: deep within her, hidden away,
the judgement Paris gave, snubbing her loveliness.”ii
Line 5.447 Leto was a Titaness lover of Zeus, who bore him twins, Apollo and Artemis. In
jealousy, Hera sent her giant snake, Python, to chase Leto. Apollo slew it, and the location
(southern slopes of Mt. Parnassus) is the site of Apollo’s oracle at Delphi. The Pythia is the
oracle’s priestess
101.
Line 5.443 Who is Tydeus’ son (use Iliad text Glossary if you do not know)? 1
102.
Line 5.446
The Apostle John calls Pergamos “the throne of Satan” in
Revelation 2:13! Where is Pergamos (Glossary)? 1
103.
Lines 5.627-46
Who is the father of Tlepolemos? Who is the father of
Sarpedon? What do lines 5.640-43 tell us? 4
Lines 5.738-42
The terrible aegis is described.
who turned to stone those who looked upon her.
The gorgon head was that of Medusa,
Line 5.760 Kypris is Aphrodite, Aphros means ‘foam’ in Greek (she was born of sea foam
near Cyprus.
Line 5.785 Note the mention of Stentor. This is the only mention of him in any of Homer’s
works, yet from this reference comes the proverbial use of the word, stentorian.
104.
Define ‘stentorian’. 1
105.
Line 5.875
What is Ares’ complaint? 1
Book Six
This book continues to reveal to us the Greek successes.
Aias, Diomedes, Euryalos,
Odysseus, Teukros, Antilochos, and Agamemnon will all have personal victories in the first
forty lines.
106.
Line 6.19
Where did these men go? 1
107.
Lines 6.43-65 Contrast the two brothers’ character traits in this exchange.
What does Agamemnon want? What does Menelaos want? 4
Define ‘augur’. 1
108.
Line 6.75
109.
Lines 6.83-101 Paraphrase.
5
Lines 6.116-18
The only possible excuse for Hektor to leave the battlefield in the midst
of the battle is to make certain we witness the touching scene between he and Andromache.
Another messenger could have been sent to tell the women to pray, offer a lovely robe to
Athene, etc.. It is rather ironic that the Trojans worship Athene, who is obviously siding with
the Greeks.
“Meanwhile to hostile Pallas’[Athena] shrine the Trojan women walked with hair unbound,
bearing the robe of offering, in sorrow, entreating her [Athena], beating their breasts. But
she [Athena], her face averted, would not raise her eyes.” Aeneid iii
Line 6.152
Ephyre is Corinth, the biblical city which is situated on the road that
connects the Peloponnese with northern Greece.
Line 6.155-211
We are introduced to Bellerophontes (later Bellerophon). He was an
ancient Corinthian hero (like Theseus and Hercules) whose experience with the king’s wife
was similar to that of Joseph in the Bible. He slew the Chimaira, with the aid of Pegasus,
the winged horse (who was birthed from the severed head of the Medusa). Bellerophon
tried to fly to Olympos and was banished to wander in madness. Pegasus’ image is on
some ancient Corinthian coins.
Line 6.168
The ‘murderous symbols’ here and in lines 176 and 178 are the only
references to writing in this epic.
The poet must have known about the alphabet the
Phoenicians introduced to the Greeks in the eighth century, which enabled his epic to be
recorded. Within 200 years, Homer would be quoted from profusely, by the third century BC,
the Alexandrian scholars had provided the texts we get our translations from.
Hundreds of years earlier (possibly 2,000), the Hebrews were writing their Wisdom
Literature, recording prophecy, and chronicling their history for future generations.
110.
Line 6.183
What is a chimaira?
1
111.
Lines 6.215 & 230
Glaukos and Diomedes find they are friends.
According to the Heroic Code, they cannot fight one another. Friendship and hospitality
were crucial to the ancient cultures. Those who violate these codes are considered to be
uncivilized and impious. What do they do to seal their friendship publicly? 1
112.
Lines 6.234-6 Whose idea was it to exchange armor? Who gets the best end
of the deal (Homer shows his sympathies here)? 2
113.
Line 6.246
How many sons does King Priam have? 1
Line 6.291 Sidon was a Phoenician/Canaanite merchant city: I Kings 17:9.
114.
Line 6.300
Who is Athene’s priestess? 2
Line 6.370…
Andromache is one of the few characters in the Iliad who is developed
past a shallow level. She is real to the reader and almost reflects a present-day worldview,
rather than the heroic ideal. The touching scene here in book 6 of Hektor with his family is
beautiful – it reflects the tragedy of the heroic culture and its demands.
115.
Prepare a character study of Andromache (50-70 words, including quotes from
text). Consider her family losses (brothers and parents), her epithets, Hektor's description
of her, and her future possible fate.
5
Line 6.441 ‘shame’. We can see a stark contrast between the Hebrews and Trojans here.
The Hebrews farther down the coast of the Mediterranean are concerned only with serving
Yahweh and discerning right from wrong. The Trojans care only about appearances, pride,
and personal honor.
Some modern scholars debate this as the difference between a ‘Shame culture’ and a ‘Guilt
culture.’ A Shame culture is motivated primarily by shame. A guilt culture, which includes the
Western world, is primarily motivated by guilt and fear.
116.
Lines 6.440-65 Paraphrase.
8 points
117.
List the three women Hektor visits, their relationship to him, and what transpires
in each of the three meetings.
9 points
Book Seven
Line 7.86
This refers to the Hellespont.
Lines 7.123-60
Wise old Nestor again lectures them from his own glorious past,
beginning with “when I was young” and ending with “if I was young”.
This is another
example of Ring Composition..
118.
Lines 7.161-92:How do the Greeks choose a champion to fight glorious Hektor?2
Line 7.274-7
The heralds act as referees for the heroes Aias and Hektor. Homer
shows his bias for the Greeks by having the Trojan herald suggest a truce for the night.
Exchanging gifts is a way to glorify and memorialize this particular battle for future
generations.
119.
Lines 7.331-77 Why do both Greeks and Trojans want a reprieve from fighting?2
Lines 7.337-43
There is no good reason to build a wall now, ten years into the war,
except that it will be needed in Book twelve.iv
120.
Lines 7.389-97 Paraphrase.
4
Lines 7.467-75
Experts cite four main cycles of Greek mythology: The Trojan cycle, the
Theban cycle, the story of the Argonauts, and the tales of Herakles (Roman Hercules).
Some blend well, some contradict. It is quite interesting for the legendary Jason of the
Argonauts to be mentioned in The Iliad here, since it is from a separate cycle of myths. In
his own myth, Jason stayed on the island of Lemnos, and fathered a son (Euneos) by Queen
Hypsipyle.
Book Eight
The Greeks suffer many losses because Zeus will not allow Hera and Athene to help them.
It ends with legendary imagery (word pictures) of the Trojan campfires against the clear night
sky.
121.
Lines 8.423-24 Paraphrase this touch of Homeric humor. 2
122.
Using 50 to 100 words, give a summary of Book Eight (include all major events,
and the ending).
12 points
Book Nine
123.
Line 9.77, 78 What are the Trojans doing that is unnerving the Greeks? What
is there about this night that could ‘break’ their army (the clue is in 8.562)? 2
124.
Lines 9.120-157
Agamemnon is the king of Mycenae. List the treasures
he will bestow on Achilleus if he returns to help the Greeks fight the Trojans. 5
Line 9.145 Agamemnon’s daughter, Electra, is not mentioned here, and Iphianassa may be
the same as Iphigeneia, the daughter sacrificed to the gods to ensure his success before he
left Greece. This is another instance where the Greek wisdom literature is inconsistent,
unlike the God-breathed Wisdom Literature of the Hebrews. The attributes of Yahweh have
been consistent since revealed. There are many inconsistencies in Greek accounts of the
same event. The Hebrew scriptures, in contrast, have remained pure in copy after
copy.
In a later trilogy, the Oresteia (Agamemnon, Choephoroe, and Eumenides) by Aeschylus,
Agamemnon is murdered by his wife when he comes home. She hates him for having
sacrificed their daughter to ensure victory over the Trojans. Later, his son Orestes kills his
own mother Klytemnestra to avenge his father. There is justice in the last play when Athene
sets up a court at the Areopogus, considers motive and circumstance, and acquits him.
125.
Line 9.168-70 List the three warriors and two heralds who are chosen to go
entreat Achilleus to return? 2
Line 9.181 ‘Peleion’ is Achilleus, son of Peleus.
Line 9.182 Three are chosen, plus two heralds, and Nestor tags along to give advice. In
original Greek copies, the word ‘two’ is not found in this line. The Greek language has not
only singular and plural, but also a ‘dual’ verb form, which is the case here. There has been
much argument over the apparent inconsistency here, three heroes sent, with the verb in a
‘dual’ form. The explanation is probably simple, but not understood by us.
126.
Line 9.183
Who is the holder and shaker of the earth? 1
Line 9.184 “Aiakides”, Aiakos was the grandfather of Achilleus and father of Peleus.
Lines 9.185-91 The embassy finds the great warrior playing a lyre and singing. He should
be out on the battlefield earning fame (glory/kleos).
127.
Lines 9.185-91
singing about? 1
What is Achilleus doing when the embassy arrives? What is he
Line 9.188 Remember, Eëtion was Andromache’s father, a king over a town called Thebe,
near Troy (not the Thebes of Egypt).
128.
Lines 9.318-20 What does Achilleus think about fame and glory now (cf. Also
lines 9.400b-402a)? 2
129.
Line 9.327
soldier gain)? 2
What is one of the major reasons for fighting (i.e., what does a
Lines 9.328-29
During all these years of fighting, Achilleus has attacked twenty-three
cities. Ironically, one of these attacks resulted in his bringing back the very women he and
Agamemnon fought over.
Line 9.363 Phthia is Achilleus’ home in south Thessaly; one of the few places in Greece with
fertile soil for pastures and horses.
130.
Lines 9.369-80 Paraphrase.
5 points
----------------- ILIAD WEEK FOUR NUMBERS 130 – 178 DUE SESSION 5 -------------------
Lines 9.381-84
Orchomenos and Thebes were two great cities in the Mycenaean Age,
representing wealth to Achilleus. Thebes in Boiotia and Thebes in Egypt are different cities;
all scholars are of the opinion that this reference was originally of Mycenaean Thebes,
changed to Egyptian because of the destruction of the former.
Line 9.395 Hellas, which eventually became the name for all of Greece, was still here the
limited reference to a part of Thessaly.
Line 9.405 Remember, Pytho is the old name for Delphi.
Delphi was the location of
Apollo’s oracle, where the pythoness gave her ambiguous replies.
131.
Lines 9.410-16 Paraphrase. This is known as the famous choice for Achilleus.
Alas, the problems that surround a hero born to a goddess!
4 points
Define ‘maledictions.’
132.
Line 9.460,61
133.
Define ‘parricide.’
134.
Line 9.508
135.
Line 9.516
1
1
Define ‘venerate’.
1
Define ‘rancour’ (rancor).
1
Line 9.556 Notice that ‘Kleopatra’ in the Meleagros story plays the same part that
Patroklos plays in The Iliad. Even her name is a reversal of his (Patro-klos). The story of
Meleagros is another myth, with its own storyline; Homer adapts and changes it to fit his own
epic.
It could be mentioned here that Homer’s depiction of the gods is more the result of his
imagination than a literal representation of the gods of actual ancient Greek religious
observance. Notice how he makes the gods suit the needs of the epic, rather than having
the epic serve to reveal the divine natures of the deities. The gods almost act as foils for
humanity by accenting their troubles and suffering.
The historian, Herodotus, even
suggested that Homer named the gods, determined their attributes and functions, and
designed their physical appearance.v
136.
Define ‘foil’ as a literary term in the context of this literary setting.
137.
Lines 9.598-99 What foreshadowed message is relayed to Achilleus here? 1
138.
Lines 9.618-19 What does Achilleus decide here? 2
2
139.
Line 9.633
What is the ‘blood price’? Malcolm Willcock states this was a
relatively new idea, nipping in the bud an ‘unending vendetta’, or feud.vi
2
140.
Line 9.649-55
Paraphrase.
3
Book Ten
141.
Lines 10.204-18
What does Nestor propose and offer?
2
Lines 10.262-66
This was thought to be pure imagination until a helmet of this design was
discovered in a shaft grave at Mycenae.
Note the reference to the thieving Autolykos, the maternal grandfather of Odysseus. You will
remember a character from Shakespeare’s, The Winter’s Tale, by this same name, which
claimed he was sired by Mercury (Roman name for the Greek Hermes).
Lines 10.296-98
The visual image these lines create for us is not as dramatic as it would
have been for those familiar with the gods, heroes and geography of the time.
Lines 10.295-514
play, Rhesus.
This story is similar to Aeneid 1.639-45. It is the topic of Euripides’
142.
In brief, describe this scene (8-12 sentences are adequate). 15 points
143.
Line 10.348
Define ‘feinting’.
1
Book Eleven
Line 11.1
“Dawn rose from her bed”, this type of figurative language is personification.
Line 11.20 Kinyras , legendary king of Kypros (or Cyprus).
Line 11.86 The woodcutter would stop for noon supper at mid-morning.
will go on until the middle of Book 18.
This day’s fighting
144.
Lines 11.138-42 Why was Agamemnon especially anxious to kill these two
brothers, sons of Antimachos? 2
Line 11.166
“the barrow of ancient Ilos”, means ‘tomb’.
Lines 11.218-20
Homer again addresses the Muses.
This draws our attention to
upcoming events and their importance. It is like a theatrical pause.
Line 11.229 Perkote is on the Hellespont.
145.
Line 11.312
are listed here). 2
Pause in the story and list five or more main Greek heroes (two
Line 11.360 Here we note that Hektor is no match for Diomedes. We already know he is
no match for Agamemnon (from Zeus’ message which begins at line 186); and in the single
combat against Aias (Roman Ajax) in Book seven he got the worst of it. Also considering
Achilleus, we conclude that the best Trojan warrior would have ranked fifth among the
Greeks. Homer again displays his allegiance.vii
146.
Line 11.352
Line 11.340
Define ‘infatuate’.
1
This is reason enough to refer to “Hektor of the glancing helm”(line 11.315).
147.
Lines 11.380-95
Give a brief, written contrast between Paris’ and
Diomedes’ speeches (40-100 words). You may contrast personality, bravery, choice of
weapons, purpose for fighting, or what they each have to lose or gain from this battle or
the war.
8 points
Lines 11.404-10
This is a famous speech by Odysseus. Kill, or be killed.
Line 11.446
run, killed him.
Odysseus frightened Sokos by his words alone, and when he turned to
Line 11.517
Machaon is the Greek surgeon.
148.
Line 11.560
Define ‘infantile’. 1
Line 11.603
The literary term for this is ‘foreshadowing’.
audience is left waiting to find out why this is the beginning of evil.
Homer’s listening
Lines 11.669-760
Nestor again recites a lengthy episode from his own life, revealing
himself as hero. If only he were young again! Homer borrowed this semi-historical account
from another story to insert it here.
Lines 11.698-99
A tripod was the prize for Olympic and Pythian games, set every fourth
year. The only games mentioned in the Iliad clearly are funeral games.
Line 11.764
Menoitios is the father of Patroklos.
Line 11.803
Note that this book closes with Patroklos responding silently to Nestor’s
pleas. A foreshadowing of grim events is presented here. The Greeks have three of their
heroes wounded, so they are fighting defensively.
Book Twelve
Remember the divine annoyance in Book Seven? We know that the Greek wall from that
chapter is doomed from lack of proper sacrifice to the gods. In this chapter Homer develops
a very clear picture of battle, dividing the Trojan army into five divisions, and progressing
through a sequence of events which enable Hektor to break through.
Line 12.12b-33
“but afterwards…” This refers to years later, after the war.
149.
Lines 12.55-66
Describe the ditch and the ‘palisade’ wall; what is the
design? How would this deter the enemy?
4 points
Line 12.92-101
We read here that Hektor is now on his third chariot driver, Kebriones,
who plays a key part in Book Sixteen. Half of these men survive in the last books of this
epic; scholars say this is to carry on their own stories in other literary works.
150.
List the five leaders of battalions named here (three leaders are listed for each
battalion, name the principles). 3
151.
Line 12.209
Define ‘portent’.
1
Lines 12.322-28
As shown in Sarpedon here, the Heroic/Homeric Code which governs
the conduct of the hero was simple; the goal of every hero was to achieve glory and honor,
kleos and timě; life was meaningless without it. Honor is accumulated in the rewards, booty,
or gifts awarded. Glory is what people say about you, especially after you are dead. Since
there was no belief in afterlife, except the zombie-like existence in Hades (as a ‘shade’),
one’s honor/timě in life and one’s glory/kleos after death were of the utmost importance.
Honor was determined by ones courage and physical abilities, especially in battle. We saw
this in 6.441-43, when Hektor’s wife urged him not to re-enter the war, and in 11.408-10.
Nestor was able to gain lesser honor by giving wise counsel, since he could no longer fight
(1.254-84).
152.
Line 12.391
Line 12.373
1
A modernist slang term for this is ‘talking smack.’
153.
Define ‘vaunt’. 1
154.
Lines 12.397-99
Line 12.403
Define ‘bastion’.
Who opens the wall? 1
Sarpedon is a son of Zeus. Sarpedon’s mother was Europa.
155.
Breifly tell the story of Europa and her three sons (Glossary: use 4-8
sentences).
5 points
156.
Line 12.450
Who is the son of devious-devising Kronos?
157.
Line 12.451
Define ‘wether’.
1
1
Book Thirteen – The Second Half of the Iliad
Lines 13.1-80
Zeus is not watching carefully in this book because he does not expect
anyone to disobey his orders to stay out of the fighting. Poseidon takes advantage of this to
go and rally the Greeks (he takes the form of Kalchas). In the next book, Zeus sleeps and
Poseidon will not have to be so surreptitious as he helps the Greeks.
158.
Kalchas was important in the events of book one. Who is Kalchas? 2
It was Kalchas, in Euripides’ Iphiginia in Aulis, who demanded Agamemnon’s daughter be
sacrificed to ensure success of the sail from Aulis to Troy.
Lines 13.10-38
This section contains ‘the epiphany of Poseidon.’ The imagery here is
powerful; he watches the battle from the top of a mountain on an island till he can stand it no
longer, goes to his sanctuary (Aigai) to arm himself and mount his chariot, then drives it over
the seas while dolphins and other sea creatures vie for his attention and approval. Virgil will
describe to us later in the Aeneid how Neptune/Poseidon pries up the very walls of Troy with
his trident, undermining it.viii
159.
What is Poseidon’s relationship to Zeus? 1
160.
Define ‘epiphany.’
161.
Line 13.113
1
Who is Peleus’ son? 1
Line 13.125
Poseidon is the ‘earth-encircler’ because he rides his chariot on the seas
around the great land mass (the earth is flat, with a ring of water around it, you know. The
ring of water is Oceanus).
Line 13.185
Amphimachos is leader of the contingent from Elis, named in Book Two
(2.620). His father was a twin, fathered by Poseidon. See line 13.206.
162.
Lines 13.239-78
These two men are not on the battlefield – they are back
at camp and run into one another. What are these two friends trying to convince one
another of?
3
Lines 13.345-60
Homer helps his audience to stand back from the fighting for a moment
and look at the battle from the vantage point of the gods.
Line 13.433
163.
Troad refers to the area where Troy is located.
Line 13.636
Define ‘satiety.’
1
Line 13.663
Euchenor is the only man from Korinth mentioned in The Iliad. Many names
of people and places will seem more familiar if we substitute a ‘c’ for the ‘k.’ Paul wrote at
least three letters (two are extant) to the people of Corinth, where he founded a church. It
was a leading city of southern Greece, located near the Isthmus that divides the
Peloponnese from northern Greece.
Korinth is also where the winged horse, Pegasus, went every night to stable.
Line 13.836
‘aether’ is the upper sky, or stratosphere.
Book Fourteen
The fighting continues. Again, Agamemnon speaks of running back to Argos and Nestor the
wise counsels him to stay and not bring shame on the Argives.
Lines 14.27-29
As you will recall, Agamemnon, Diomedes and Odysseus were all
wounded in Book Eleven.
164.
Line 14.155
How are Hera and Zeus related? 2
Lines 14.153-165 Hera decides to seduce her husband to distract him from the battle. She
wants to give Poseidon a chance to advance upon the Trojans. With Hera busy, Hektor will
have no protector.
165.
Line 14.171
Define ‘ambrosia.’
1
Lines 14.201-10
This identifies Rheia as the wife of Kronos and so the mother of Hera.
Kronos/Cronos ruled the earth until Zeus usurped him and banished he and his supporters,
the Titans, to Tartaros, which is even below Hades. Hera tells Aphrodite that Okeanos and
his wife, Tethys, both ancient gods of the sea, took care of her during the overthrow. They
are angry with one another and she wishes to bring them together again.
Line 14.259
Night is the mother of Sleep, according to Hesiod in his Theogony, a
genealogy of the gods, beginning with creation. Night was an ancient deity herself, the
daughter of Chaos.ix
Line 14.267
Although it is not mentioned here, there are only three Graces in later
mythology: Splendor, Mirth, and Good Cheer. They are daughters of Zeus and Eurynome, a
child of the Titan, Ocean. Their companions are the Muses: no party or banquet was a
success without their presence.x
166.
Line 14.271
Define ‘ineluctable.’ 1
Remember, Styx (the abhorrent) is a river god, the daughter of Oceanus and Tethys, married
to Titan Pallas. Children: Zelus (`Zeal'), Nike (`Victory'), Kratos (`Strength'), Bia (`Force'). The
irrevocable oaths which the gods take are sworn by the River Styx (punishment for violation:
one year in a coma, nine years in exile). It made the oath unbreakable. It was the river you
crossed after death, to reach the Underworld.
Line 14.288
The implication is of a very tall tree.
Lines 14.317-28
This comical (to us) list of his past lovers is a way to ‘cover all the bases’
for the pagans in Homer’s time.
Many people worshipped the creation instead of the
Creator, calling on sun and moon gods, using various names. Zeus was connected in this
way to other legends, making him palatable to other Indo-European Greek people.
Line 14.317
Ixion tried to carry away Hera; Zeus tested him with a cloud image of her
(which he tried to steal). Zeus had Hermes (Roman Mercury) tie Ixion, King of the Lapith’s,
to a wheel of flames as punishment (which rolls endlessly about the underworld). The unruly
Centaurs, who plague the Lapith’s, are the result of the union between Ixion and the cloud.
Line 14.319
Akrisios was a Greek king who had been warned by an oracle
(prophecy) that his grandson would kill him. His daughter, Danaë, was locked in a tower to
keep suitors away, but Zeus entered as a shower of gold and Danaë had his son, Perseus.
The king set mother and son adrift, they landed on the island of Seriphos. Athene helped
Perseus kill the gorgon, Medusa (which she had created). Flying home, with his winged
sandals, (of course), Perseus fell in love with a princess (Andromeda) chained to a rock,
ready to be sacrificed to a sea monster. He killed the monster, freed her and married her.
Line 14.321
Europa was a princess of Sidon. Zeus appeared to her on the beach
one day as a bull. She played with him, and rode him. The bull jumped into the sea and
carried her off to Krete (Crete). She bore three sons to Zeus, and later married the King of
Krete who made Minos, her oldest son, his heir. Her son, Rhadamanthus, became a judge
in the Underworld.
Line 14.325
Semele was a princess, daughter of King Cadmus of Thebes. She died
after her family insisted Zeus reveal his real god-self to them to prove who he was. He
rescued the unborn child, inserting him into his own leg until birth, and named him Dionysus.
Line 14.324 Alkmene was already married when Zeus fell in love with her. She refused to
betray her husband so Zeus disguised himself as her husband, returning from war. She
named the child, Herakles (‘glory of Hera’), to appease Zeus’ wife. Hera still made life
miserable for Herakles.
Line 14.326 Demeter was a goddess of plants and harvests. Her daughter, Persephone,
was her helper.
Pluto, god of the underworld and Zeus’ brother, married Persephone
against her mother’s wishes. Persephone spent part of the year happily with her mother
(spring) and part in Hades while her mother is in misery alone (winter).
Line 14.327
Leto, a Titaness is the mother of twins, Apollo (see 1.8-10) and
Artemis, the sun god and the goddess of the moon, hunting, and protector of wild animals.
Zeus tried to keep this affair a secret but Hera found out. She sent Python, her giant snake,
to chase Leto till she collapsed. The South Wind helped her to escape, lifting her to safety.
Artemis was born, growing up instantly, and assisted in the birth of Apollo.
Apollo hunted down the python that had hounded his mother. He killed it at Delphi, where a
huge temple was built to honor him. He gifted the priestesses there with the ability to tell the
future. They sat on a three legged stool placed over a crack in the earth, from which they
inhaled gasses said to be the breath of Apollo. Their ambiguous prophecies (oracles) were
famous throughout the known world.
Line 14.354
We tend to consider this as allegorical, but Homer’s audience took it very
seriously, the gods were just as real to them as the humans were.
167.
Line 14.491
Who is Hermes?
4 points
Book Fifteen
Line 15.59 In Greek, ‘phoibos’ means ‘bright,’ like the sun. Remember that Apollo was the
god of light, Helios, the sun god drew the sun across the sky by his golden horses and
chariot.
Lines 15.61-67 Zeus said in Book One that Hera would be first to know his plans, here he
reveals them to her. We now know the story to come.
Lines 15.69-71
This is a reference to another story, part of the Trojan Myth Cycle, in
which Athene advises the craftsmen in the building of the large, wooden horse. The trick is
the idea of Odysseus, who has the horse built as an offering to Athene, for good luck on their
homeward voyages, after pretending to give up the siege on Troy. The Trojans are thrilled,
taking the horse to their own temple as an offering to Athene - you know the rest. The
capture of Troy is the subject of the second book of the Aeneid, by Virgil, a Roman poet
around the time of Christ.
Line 15.119
Fear and Terror are helpers of Ares.
Line 15.204
These creatures (the Furies or Erinyes) are the ones that tormented
Oedipus in Euripides’ play, Oedipus at Colonus.
168.
Who or what are the Furies?
169.
Lines 15.229-30
What is Apollo’s task?
170.
Lines 15.346-51
Paraphrase.
171.
Line 15.390
Eleven? 2
4 points
2
3
What has Patroklos been doing since the end of Book
Line 15.419
Kaletor is Klytio’s son, therefore he is Hektor’s cousin. Klytios was a
councilor on the wall with Priam at 3.147. Naturally, Hektor does not want his cousin’s body
stripped of its armor.
172.
Lines 15.501-13
Paraphrase.
6 points
Line 15.599
See 1.419-27 and 1.493-523. Remember, Achilleus was one of the
seven sons of Thetis and Peleus. She made six of the seven immortal by burning away their
mortal half. As she was doing the same for the infant, Achilleus, her husband came in. He
thought she was injuring the child and stopped her. Achilleus was left with one weak spot,
his heel (his mother held him by the heel).
173.
What was the prayer of Thetis?
4 points
Line 15.638-44
Periphetes of Mykenai is killed. His father, Kopreus, was a messenger
for the evil king, Eurystheus of Mykenai.
Kopreus passed instructions on to Herakles
concerning the ‘Twelve Labors,’ his impossible tasks, which, if accomplished would absolve
him from the guilt of having murdered his wife and children (in a fit of madness brought on by
Hera in her jealousy of Herakles mother, Alkmene) and make him immortal. Hektor gets
mega glory for this killing.
174.
Line 15.736
Define ‘perdition.’
1
175.
Line 15.745
Which Greek hero stops the Trojans from setting fire to the ship?
How does he stop them (see lines 15.674-86)? 3
Book Sixteen
In this book we see the climax of the Trojan attack. Hektor will be successful in setting fire
to an Argive ship, but the Trojans will be driven back again. The aristeia of Patroklos (his
time of glory) is in this book.
He leads the Myrmidons (Achilleus’ people) into battle,
disguised as Achilleus, but fooling no one.
Lines 16.14-15
Both of their fathers are still living.
Lines 16.50-51
This contrasts Book nine, lines 410-16.
176.
do?
Lines 16.1-100
What does Achilleus give his friend, Patroklos, permission to
2
Line 16.82-84
“homecoming,” “honour,” and “glory” are all major themes in the Iliad. In
line 16.90, Achilleus warns his good friend not to “diminish my honour” by fighting the Trojans
too boldly. Pay close attention to the way these themes progress through the course of the
study.
177.
Define ‘coronal.’
Line 16.100
1
Lines 16.140-44
The Pelian ash spear had been given to Peleus, the father of Achilleus,
by the centaur, Cheiron. According to notes on original manuscripts, the gift was given at
the wedding of Peleus to Thetis.
178.
What is a centaur?
179.
Lines 16.171-97
4 points
List the five leaders (names only). 3
Line 16.195
“Peleian Achilleus’ henchman.”
son of Peleus). The henchman is Patroklos.
Lines 16.251-56
180.
Line 16.281
181.
Pouring wine out as an offering is known as a libation.
What does Zeus grant to Achilleus’ good friend, Patroklos?
5
“Peleion’ is the son of Peleus, Achilleus.
Line 16.294
Whose ship was burnt (Cf. 15.704-706; 2.698; 13.681)? 1
182.
Lines 16.351-57
the Trojans? 2
Line 16.397
battlefield.
Peleian refers to his parentage (i.e.
What effect does Patroklos have on the Greeks and on
The high wall is Troy’s wall, the River Skamandros flows alongside the
183.
Lines 16.435-58
What does Zeus consider, and why?
3
184.
Lines 16.667-76
Why does Zeus care about the body of Sarpedon? 3
185.
Lines 16.698-711
Explain what happens here.
186.
Line 16.713
6 points
Define ‘carnage’. 1
Lines 16.787-89
It is interesting that the warrior, Euphorbos, cannot have the credit for
killing the great Patroklos. He strikes him in the back but the god Apollo, has already struck
him there. What seems obvious to us is that Apollo gets credit for what the warrior did. The
Greeks felt nothing happened by chance. Every action was due to the gods favor or
displeasure, Ate.
187.
Line 16.849
Who is the son of Leto? 1
i
Malcolm M. Willcock, A Companion to The Iliad, (The University of Chicago Press, 1976), p.55.
ii
Fitzgerald’s Aeneid, 1.39-41.
Fitzgerald’s Aeneid, 1.653-57.
Ibid., p.81.
iii
iv
v
vi
vii
viii
ix
x
Herodotus, Herodotus, Thucydides, (Britannica Great Books, 1952), vol.6:p.60d.
Malcolm M. Willcock, A Companion to The Iliad, (The University of Chicago Press, 1976), p.111.
Ibid., p.128.
Aeneid, Fitzgerald translation, 2.801-03.
Malcolm M. Willcock, A Companion to The Iliad, (The University of Chicago Press, 1976), p.160.
Edith Hamilton, Mythology, (Penguin Books, 1969), p.37.