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Reading Notes: Homer's Iliad, Part B

The Iliad by Homer, translated by Alfred Church 

One thing I noticed was how many Greeks the Trojans knew by name and vice-versa. During the fight for the body of Patroclus, the Trojans knew it was Menelaus and Ajax the Greater who fought for him. It wasn't as clear in this version but this part makes me a great fan of Menelaus because he was not a great fighter and yet he was the one who roused the Greeks to defend the body. He was not the strongest but in this instance, he was the bravest and most loyal of them.

Apollo also plays a big part in this section as well. He seems to be the most involved of all the gods. He keeps Patroclus from taking Troy and helps to kill him, later he plays a part in killing Achilles, and at this time he saves the Trojans by pretending to be one of them and distracting Achilles long enough for them to escape. Though Hera and Athena are on the side of the Greeks they do not directly interfere this much. They lend strength to their favorites and give them advice but they are not active participants in the fighting. An example of this is when Hera has the sun set earlier so that the Greeks can rest after they fight for Patroclus' body (and probably so that the morning will come sooner when Achilles will join the battle) and Athena convinces Hector to stand and fight Achilles when they are running around Troy (of course she only has to do that because Apollo is helping Hector evade Achilles). Apollo is one of my least favorite characters in the book because of how much he intervenes.

In this section, we finally see just what a great warrior Achilles really is, it is said that he has sacked many cities before the book begins and everyone says that he is the best, however, we finally see it for ourselves. Even before he joins the fight, his appearance and yelling cause the Trojans to run away. In this version, the fighting is cut short but the god of the river has to pretty much beg him to stop killing the Trojans near his river because it is so full of blood. He also almost singlehandedly drives the Trojan army back to their city where they must hide behind its walls. Since he quit fighting, the Trojans have been fairly well matched with the Greeks but once he arrives it isn't long before they must go back into hiding.

I do pity Hector here, he has been so courageous throughout the entire book. He stays at the front lines and fights the best of the Greeks. He even stays outside of the city to face Achilles because he sees it as his fault that the Trojans stayed outside of the city and so many of them were killed that day, He is very brave but at the sight of Achilles all of that bravery dissolves. Honor is so important to the Trojans and the Greeks and his act of running away is shameful. Though he has been brave and glorious in his life, his death is not glorious.

The glory goes to Achilles and his vengeance is almost complete. Again this version doesn't dwell on it but Achilles has refused to bury Patroclus until he had killed Hector. He can finally lay his friend to rest. However, when Priam arrives he does the honorable thing and gives the body of Hector back to his father.

Games in Honor of Patroclus during his Funeral

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