![Page 1: Ancient Greek Literature · Wrote Iliad & Odyssey Oldest epic poems of Ancient Greece Known as “The Poet” or the Ionian Bard Legend says Homer was a blind bard . Engraving of](https://reader033.vdocuments.us/reader033/viewer/2022060605/605ae6816e0a892ebc042158/html5/thumbnails/1.jpg)
The Iliad
by Homer
![Page 2: Ancient Greek Literature · Wrote Iliad & Odyssey Oldest epic poems of Ancient Greece Known as “The Poet” or the Ionian Bard Legend says Homer was a blind bard . Engraving of](https://reader033.vdocuments.us/reader033/viewer/2022060605/605ae6816e0a892ebc042158/html5/thumbnails/2.jpg)
Wrote Iliad & Odyssey
Oldest epic poems of Ancient Greece
Known as “The Poet” or the Ionian Bard Legend says Homer was a blind bard
![Page 3: Ancient Greek Literature · Wrote Iliad & Odyssey Oldest epic poems of Ancient Greece Known as “The Poet” or the Ionian Bard Legend says Homer was a blind bard . Engraving of](https://reader033.vdocuments.us/reader033/viewer/2022060605/605ae6816e0a892ebc042158/html5/thumbnails/3.jpg)
Engraving of
Poet Homer
![Page 4: Ancient Greek Literature · Wrote Iliad & Odyssey Oldest epic poems of Ancient Greece Known as “The Poet” or the Ionian Bard Legend says Homer was a blind bard . Engraving of](https://reader033.vdocuments.us/reader033/viewer/2022060605/605ae6816e0a892ebc042158/html5/thumbnails/4.jpg)
Greeks contrast:
inner vision/ wisdom
with physical vision
Composed poems in 750 B.C.
Events occurred 500 years
before Homer’s time
![Page 5: Ancient Greek Literature · Wrote Iliad & Odyssey Oldest epic poems of Ancient Greece Known as “The Poet” or the Ionian Bard Legend says Homer was a blind bard . Engraving of](https://reader033.vdocuments.us/reader033/viewer/2022060605/605ae6816e0a892ebc042158/html5/thumbnails/5.jpg)
Bust of
Poet Homer
(300-100 BC)
![Page 6: Ancient Greek Literature · Wrote Iliad & Odyssey Oldest epic poems of Ancient Greece Known as “The Poet” or the Ionian Bard Legend says Homer was a blind bard . Engraving of](https://reader033.vdocuments.us/reader033/viewer/2022060605/605ae6816e0a892ebc042158/html5/thumbnails/6.jpg)
Story of the Trojan War
plus heroic mythology
Greek legends about heroes
form a tribal family history
which becomes
a national family history
The Iliad is a statement
of cultural identity & considered history.
![Page 7: Ancient Greek Literature · Wrote Iliad & Odyssey Oldest epic poems of Ancient Greece Known as “The Poet” or the Ionian Bard Legend says Homer was a blind bard . Engraving of](https://reader033.vdocuments.us/reader033/viewer/2022060605/605ae6816e0a892ebc042158/html5/thumbnails/7.jpg)
Homer’s epics are the first to be written down.
Oral tradition
supplies Homer with
a vast body of legends
The Iliad is the product of
an oral poetic tradition
of heroic narrative
![Page 8: Ancient Greek Literature · Wrote Iliad & Odyssey Oldest epic poems of Ancient Greece Known as “The Poet” or the Ionian Bard Legend says Homer was a blind bard . Engraving of](https://reader033.vdocuments.us/reader033/viewer/2022060605/605ae6816e0a892ebc042158/html5/thumbnails/8.jpg)
Homer begins the epic by stating the theme and invoking the muses.
Muses are omniscient goddesses of poetry, art, music and dance.
Muses inspire the poet with material.
In Medias Res= in the middle of things
![Page 9: Ancient Greek Literature · Wrote Iliad & Odyssey Oldest epic poems of Ancient Greece Known as “The Poet” or the Ionian Bard Legend says Homer was a blind bard . Engraving of](https://reader033.vdocuments.us/reader033/viewer/2022060605/605ae6816e0a892ebc042158/html5/thumbnails/9.jpg)
“Thetis of the silver feet”
“Resourceful Odysseus”
Stock epithets are descriptive words and phrases that are noun-adjective combos.
![Page 10: Ancient Greek Literature · Wrote Iliad & Odyssey Oldest epic poems of Ancient Greece Known as “The Poet” or the Ionian Bard Legend says Homer was a blind bard . Engraving of](https://reader033.vdocuments.us/reader033/viewer/2022060605/605ae6816e0a892ebc042158/html5/thumbnails/10.jpg)
Long series of events
in Trojan War
Paris violates:
the sacred bond of hospitality
xenia (guest-host etiquette)
![Page 11: Ancient Greek Literature · Wrote Iliad & Odyssey Oldest epic poems of Ancient Greece Known as “The Poet” or the Ionian Bard Legend says Homer was a blind bard . Engraving of](https://reader033.vdocuments.us/reader033/viewer/2022060605/605ae6816e0a892ebc042158/html5/thumbnails/11.jpg)
![Page 12: Ancient Greek Literature · Wrote Iliad & Odyssey Oldest epic poems of Ancient Greece Known as “The Poet” or the Ionian Bard Legend says Homer was a blind bard . Engraving of](https://reader033.vdocuments.us/reader033/viewer/2022060605/605ae6816e0a892ebc042158/html5/thumbnails/12.jpg)
Bust of
Menelaus,
King of
Sparta &
husband of
Helen
(1st cent. BC)
![Page 13: Ancient Greek Literature · Wrote Iliad & Odyssey Oldest epic poems of Ancient Greece Known as “The Poet” or the Ionian Bard Legend says Homer was a blind bard . Engraving of](https://reader033.vdocuments.us/reader033/viewer/2022060605/605ae6816e0a892ebc042158/html5/thumbnails/13.jpg)
Head of Helen
by
Antonio
Canova
![Page 14: Ancient Greek Literature · Wrote Iliad & Odyssey Oldest epic poems of Ancient Greece Known as “The Poet” or the Ionian Bard Legend says Homer was a blind bard . Engraving of](https://reader033.vdocuments.us/reader033/viewer/2022060605/605ae6816e0a892ebc042158/html5/thumbnails/14.jpg)
![Page 15: Ancient Greek Literature · Wrote Iliad & Odyssey Oldest epic poems of Ancient Greece Known as “The Poet” or the Ionian Bard Legend says Homer was a blind bard . Engraving of](https://reader033.vdocuments.us/reader033/viewer/2022060605/605ae6816e0a892ebc042158/html5/thumbnails/15.jpg)
Homer’s focus:
2 months in year 10 of the War
Achilleus’ anger and
Consequences of Achilleus’ anger
Primary focus: humanity
What does it mean to be human?
![Page 16: Ancient Greek Literature · Wrote Iliad & Odyssey Oldest epic poems of Ancient Greece Known as “The Poet” or the Ionian Bard Legend says Homer was a blind bard . Engraving of](https://reader033.vdocuments.us/reader033/viewer/2022060605/605ae6816e0a892ebc042158/html5/thumbnails/16.jpg)
Greek army:
is besieging Troy
is stricken by a plague
sent by god Apollo
Why?
To punish Greeks for
Agamemnon’s refusal to
ransom captive girl Chryseis
![Page 17: Ancient Greek Literature · Wrote Iliad & Odyssey Oldest epic poems of Ancient Greece Known as “The Poet” or the Ionian Bard Legend says Homer was a blind bard . Engraving of](https://reader033.vdocuments.us/reader033/viewer/2022060605/605ae6816e0a892ebc042158/html5/thumbnails/17.jpg)
Belvedere Apollo
130 A.D.
Roman copy
of 4th century
Greek original
![Page 18: Ancient Greek Literature · Wrote Iliad & Odyssey Oldest epic poems of Ancient Greece Known as “The Poet” or the Ionian Bard Legend says Homer was a blind bard . Engraving of](https://reader033.vdocuments.us/reader033/viewer/2022060605/605ae6816e0a892ebc042158/html5/thumbnails/18.jpg)
![Page 19: Ancient Greek Literature · Wrote Iliad & Odyssey Oldest epic poems of Ancient Greece Known as “The Poet” or the Ionian Bard Legend says Homer was a blind bard . Engraving of](https://reader033.vdocuments.us/reader033/viewer/2022060605/605ae6816e0a892ebc042158/html5/thumbnails/19.jpg)
Agamemnon finally agrees to return
the girl Chryseis to her father
But Agamemnon demands replacement:
the girl Briseis
Problem:
Briseis is Achilles’’ war prize
![Page 20: Ancient Greek Literature · Wrote Iliad & Odyssey Oldest epic poems of Ancient Greece Known as “The Poet” or the Ionian Bard Legend says Homer was a blind bard . Engraving of](https://reader033.vdocuments.us/reader033/viewer/2022060605/605ae6816e0a892ebc042158/html5/thumbnails/20.jpg)
![Page 21: Ancient Greek Literature · Wrote Iliad & Odyssey Oldest epic poems of Ancient Greece Known as “The Poet” or the Ionian Bard Legend says Homer was a blind bard . Engraving of](https://reader033.vdocuments.us/reader033/viewer/2022060605/605ae6816e0a892ebc042158/html5/thumbnails/21.jpg)
Achilleus withdraws from battle
& deprives Greeks of best warrior
First Greek word of Iliad:
menis, which means
anger, as in
powerful anger of the gods
![Page 22: Ancient Greek Literature · Wrote Iliad & Odyssey Oldest epic poems of Ancient Greece Known as “The Poet” or the Ionian Bard Legend says Homer was a blind bard . Engraving of](https://reader033.vdocuments.us/reader033/viewer/2022060605/605ae6816e0a892ebc042158/html5/thumbnails/22.jpg)
All action in the Iliad:
consequence of Achilleus’ anger
at being dishonored (dissed?)
Achilleus has a crisis
of identity (Who/what am I?)
Withdrawal from battle destroys his
sense of worth (private & public)
![Page 23: Ancient Greek Literature · Wrote Iliad & Odyssey Oldest epic poems of Ancient Greece Known as “The Poet” or the Ionian Bard Legend says Homer was a blind bard . Engraving of](https://reader033.vdocuments.us/reader033/viewer/2022060605/605ae6816e0a892ebc042158/html5/thumbnails/23.jpg)
Achilleus is:
“best of the Achaians” (Greeks)
strongest and swiftest
But Achilleus is not:
the most powerful ruler
or commander
![Page 24: Ancient Greek Literature · Wrote Iliad & Odyssey Oldest epic poems of Ancient Greece Known as “The Poet” or the Ionian Bard Legend says Homer was a blind bard . Engraving of](https://reader033.vdocuments.us/reader033/viewer/2022060605/605ae6816e0a892ebc042158/html5/thumbnails/24.jpg)
The Iliad expresses truths about:
Human beings, and their
place in the cosmos
Cosmos = harmonious & orderly
universe
![Page 25: Ancient Greek Literature · Wrote Iliad & Odyssey Oldest epic poems of Ancient Greece Known as “The Poet” or the Ionian Bard Legend says Homer was a blind bard . Engraving of](https://reader033.vdocuments.us/reader033/viewer/2022060605/605ae6816e0a892ebc042158/html5/thumbnails/25.jpg)
Fundamental element of
Greek code of ethics:
HONOR
Hero’s honor depends upon:
how the world sees him
not upon
how he sees himself