corc1110 presentation 02
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Classical Cultures
Dr. Michael Broder
Brooklyn College
August 30, 2012
Identifying a Text
• For every text that we study, I want us to identify it by three main categories– Author
• Nationality• Dates
– Title– Genre
Five pieces of information in total
Some Literary Genres
• Poem• Story• Play• Novel• Essay
Text Identification
• Author = Homer – Greek– c. 750 BCE
BCE = Before the Common Era. The Common Era starts with the year 1 according to the way we count years. This is often called BC and AD but we are using BCE and CE.
Text Identification
• Author = Homer – Greek– c. 750 BCE
• Title = Odyssey• Genre = Epic poem
Marble bust of Homer in the British Museum, London. Roman copy of a lost Greek original of the 2nd c. BCE
Words: Epic
• Epic = long, narrative poem– From Greek (G) epos, word,
story, poem
Words: Narrative
• Narrative = tells a story about characters and events– From Latin (L) narrare, to tell a story
or give an account
Words: Poem
• Verbal composition like speech in some ways and like song in other ways, often with a distinctive rhythm– From L poema, poem– From G poiēma, poem or any other
result of creative activity• From G verb poiein, to make
Trojan War: Fact or Fiction?
• Is it a historical event that really took place, or is it an imaginary event made up by Homer and other ancient Greek poets?
Trojan War: Fact or Fiction?
• Ancient Greeks believed the war was real and took place about 1200 BCE
• By modern times, most historians believed there had never been a Trojan War or even a city of Troy
Trojan War: Fact or Fiction?
• However, in 1870, German archaeologist Heinrich Schliemann excavated a site in Turkey that he identified as Troy
• Most scholars now accept that Schliemann’s Troy is the Troy that we read about Homer
• Many scholars now also believe there is a historical basis to the story of the Trojan War
Troad
Odyssey Book 1 Overview
• Homer invokes the Muse• Assembly of the gods• Athena visits Telemachus• Penelope comes down to the great
hall• Telemachus confronts the suitors• Telemachus goes to bed alone in
his bedroom
Ithaca
But once again, archaeology may change
our view of Homer’s world.
Where is the real Ithaca?
IthacaKafalonia
Odyssey Book 2 Overview
• Telemachus summons the men of Ithaca to an assembly
• Zeus sends an omen• Telemachus prays to Athena• Athena answers his prayer• Telemachus return to the palace
and prepares for his journey• Telemachus takes command and
sets sail
Odyssey Book 3 Overview
• Telemachus and his crew arrive at Pylos• Nestor recounts the fate of Agamemnon• Athena reveals herself• Nestor prays• Going to bed
– Telemachus + Pisistratus– Nestor + his wife
• Nestor leads a feast in honor of Athena• Nestor sends Telemachus and Pisistratus
off to Sparta
Assembly of the gods (1.12-112)
• What do we learn about how mortals view gods and gods view mortals?
• Why do you think Homer tells us about Aegisthus, Agamemnon, and Orestes here?
Athena visits Telemachus (1.112-376)
• What do we learn about the situation in Odysseus’ household?
• Who are the suitors?• Why can’t Telemachus get rid of
them?• Why does Penelope refuse to
choose a new husband?
What do we learn about the treatment of
strangers?• xenia = Reciprocal relationship of
hospitality between guests and hosts– Enforced by respect for Zeus, who is the
protector of stranger (Zeus Xenios)
• The word xenos (pl. xenoi) can mean1. Guest2. Host3. Stranger4. Friend5. Foreigner
Epic Abuses of Xenia
• The Trojan War was caused by a violation of xenia– Paris ran off with the wife of Menelaus
while he was a guest in his home
• The suitors are abusing xenia– Overstaying their welcome– Continuing to eat Odysseus’ food and drink
his wine– No reciprocation toward Telemachus and
Penelope
Penelope comes downto the great hall (1.376-
419)• What do we learn about cultural
expectations for women?
Telemachus summons the men of Ithaca to an
assembly (2.1-14)• What do we learn about the way
government works?• What do we learn about the role of
public speaking in male society?
Zeus sends an omen (2.164-179)
• What do we learn about religious beliefs and practices?– Halitherses interprets the omen
(2.180-198)– Eurymachus scorns his prophecy
(2.199-230)– So we see Homer representing
conflicting opinions about prophecy
For Next Time
• Homer, Odyssey, Books 4-6, pp. 124-178
Classical Cultures
Dr. Michael Broder
Brooklyn College
August 30, 2012