Wednesday, September 11, 2019

Week Four Reading Notes Part B - Homer's Iliad

Source story: The Iliad by Homer (retold by Alfred J. Church)


  • "The Rousing of Achilles"
    •  The Greeks and the Trojans fight over the body of Patroclus, and Hector puts on the armor of Achilles, which angers Zeus. Achilles's two immortal horses weep for the death of Patroclus, but Zeus bids them leave so that they won't be taken by Hector too. Finally, the Greeks send Antilochus to tell Achilles of Patroclus's death.
  • "The Rousing of Achilles (cont.)"
    • Achilles is heartbroken by the news, and his mother offers to get him new armor from Hephaestus to wear into battle to defeat Hector in vengeance, although she tells him that when Hector dies, he will soon die, too. In the meantime, he yells across the trench and Athena makes his voice terrifying, so the Trojans fall back and the Greeks recover the body. Then Hera makes the sun set early so the sad day will end. Hector says he will meet Achilles in battle.
  • "The Slaying of Hector"
    • With his new arms, Achilles rejoins the Trojans in the fight and nearly overtakes the city, but Apollo interferes and saves the Trojans. Priam calls to Hector, begging him to come inside the city gates so that Achilles will not kill him.
  • "The Slaying of Hector (cont.)"
    • Hector weighs his options and decides to stand against Achilles, but at the last moment is terrified and flees. They run around the city three times, and the gods discuss whether or not to help Hector, but they decide against it (though Apollo attempts to help him anyway by helping him run). Finally Athena tells Achilles to catch his breath and she will make Hector come to him.
  • "The Slaying of Hector (end)"
    • Athena pretends to be Hector's brother and tricks him into facing his death at the hands of Achilles. Hector begs Achilles to send his body back to his father and mother, but after Achilles kills him, he drags his body back to the Greeks behind his chariot. Andromache is heartbroken when she finds out.
  • "The Ransoming of Hector"
    •  Achilles has the body of Hector drug around his friend's grave daily, but finally the gods tell him he must sell it back to the Trojans. So Zeus sends Hermes in disguise to guide King Priam with all his treasures unseen to the tent of Achilles, where the gods have made Hector's body remain unblemished.
  • "The Ransoming of Hector (cont.)"
    • Achilles agrees to ransom the body of Hector, and after eating together and agreeing on a nine-day truce between their armies for the burial and mourning of Hector, Priam sneaks away in the night, guided by Hermers again, with his son's body, to avoid getting caught by the Greeks in their own camp. They are able to bury Hector well and nobly.
"Achilles Dragging the Body of Hector Around Troy" Mezzotint after G. Hamilton

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