Iliad Book VIII

Listen to Book VIII
(scroll down to find the MP3 for that book)

Read Along

Try the quiz on characters in the Iliad

Notes and Questions

Zeus bans further divine intervention.
Note the magnificent image of Zeus' scales (80); this will return later.

Zeus signals the Greeks' collapse, but still pities (280ff.): is he confused?

Given that the proem told us that these events are the will of Zeus, what does Zeus really want?

400 Athena and Hera rebel, but Zeus recalls them, with the sudden first account of the fated death of Patroclus. Is this what Achilles and Thetis had in mind?

Why "must? Patroclus die?

580 Hector, flush with glory, decides to camp on the plain; is he being reckless here? Note the beautiful, yet somehow ominous, simile at the end of the book. What effect does this simile have?

Things to Know:

Genre‚ Epic
Literary works are divided into various categories called genres in accordance with their characteristic form and content. The Iliad¹ belongs to the genre of epic. An epic is a long poem which tells a story involving gods, heroes and heroic exploits. Since the epic is by its very nature lengthy, it tends to be rather loosely organized. Not every episode is absolutely necessary to the main story and digressions are not uncommon. You will notice how different in this regard is the genre of drama, in which every episode tends to be essential to the plot and digressions are inappropriate. The events narrated in epic are drawn from legend rather than invented by the poet and are typically of great significance as in the case of the Iliad, which relates an important incident centering around the greatest hero of the Greeks in the Trojan War, the most celebrated war of Greek legend. The epic poet tends to present his narrative impersonally, not drawing attention to himself except occasionally, as in the first line of the Iliad when Homer addresses the goddess who is the Muse² of epic poetry. ¹The word Iliad means "a poem about Ilion [another name for Troy]."
²In Greek myth a Muse is one of the nine daughters of Zeus, who are goddesses of the arts. See line 604 of the first book of the Iliad.

Iliad Book VII

choose:

Listen to the Iliad by Homer book VII (scroll down)

or read it online or from book at home.

Iliad Book V

Listen to Book V of the Iliad

You can follow along here.

Some Questions

• What relationship does Homer show in The Iliad between humans and gods? Does the presence of the gods exalt the human characters, or diminish them?
• Diomedes has his aristeia, under the protection of Athena. Does her help detract from his glory or magnify it? Why can Diomedes now recognize other gods on the battlefield?
  
• Hector ---What does he do? What simile does Homer use about him?
  
• Why do you think the gods are interfering directly in the battle?
  
• How does Ares react when he is injured? How about Aphrodite? Is it different from the human reaction?

Iliad Book IV

Listen to Book IV of the Iliad
You can follow along here.

Questions and Notes:

• Why and how does Pandarus break the truce? What is Homer's point?
• What does Agamemnon say to Diomedes?

Agamemnon begins a minor aristeia. What do think an aristeia is? Every major hero will have one, though Agamemnon’s comes later. Look for a pattern of action after a couple of instances; because the traditional nature of Homeric poetry tends to use such patterns, these moments are called typical scenes.

A simile is a comparison of two unlike things introduced by "like" or "as". For example, Menelaos is compared to a wild beast because of his eagerness to find Paris, who had been rescued by Aphrodite: "Menelaos was wandering through the throng like a wild beast..." (3.449). The basic purpose of this or any simile is to present a word-picture which will make the reader experience in a more vivid way what is being described. In the above example Menelaos's movement in search of Paris is brought to life by the picture of a wild beast, which suggests the frantic agitation of a man who has been frustrated in his desire for revenge. The simile is an important feature of Homer's style. He uses both short similes like the one above and extended ones which became a standard feature of the epic tradition after Homer.

Look for similes as you listen because they are quite common.

Akin to the simile is a figure of speech called a metaphor, a comparison between two different things without the use of "like" or "as". The simile describing Menelaos stated that he was "like a wild beast". That simile could be stated as a metaphor: "Menelaos is a wild beast".

Iliad Book III

Listen to Book III of the Iliad

You can follow along here

Look at this definition of a literary epic. The Iliad is arguably one of the first epics.

As you listen, consider why Menelaus and Paris haven't dueled before even though the war has been going on for 10 years.

Also, consider the characters of Helen and Paris. What type of people do they seem to be? Why is Aphrodite helping Paris?

Iliad: Book II

Listen to Book II of the Iliad

(You can follow along on the screen here )

The Iliad started in the middle of things, as you probably noticed.

Read this Of How the War Began for the background.

The phrase for "starting in the middle" is in medias res. Take a look at the linked definition.

The Iliad

Listen to the Iliad

Try to listen to a book at a time. Leave a comment below whenever you finish a book (KTR-1, KTR-2, etc)

Podcast of the Iliad by Homer (Librivox)
(scroll down on the page and load up the -- let me know if your computer has any problems with the MP3 format that you can't solve on your own)

You can follow along on the screen: The Iliad

Book I [47k] Book II [63k] Book III [36k] Book IV [42k] Book V [66k] Book VI [42k] Book VII [38k] Book VIII [44k]

Book IX [53k] Book X [45k] Book XI [65k] Book XII [40k] Book XIII [65k] Book XIV [43k] Book XV [57k] Book XVI [68k]

Book XVII [57k] Book XVIII [48k] Book XIX [35k] Book XX [42k] Book XXI [49k] Book XXII [44k] Book XXIII [68k] Book XXIV [62k]

Other Resources (just for reference right now)

• Some questions to discuss as we read the epic.
• Listen to the epic in ancient Greek.

The Iliad

A Nice Study Guide
Study Guide

Another Study Guide

1. I Summary.
   Supplication. Plague. Quarrel.
   Major Characters of the Book.
   English Translation.
   Cultural Notes on Iliad Book I
2. II Summary.
   Greeks and Trojans get ready for battle.
   Major Characters of the Book.
   English Translation.
   Cultural Notes on Iliad Book II
3. III Summary.
   Paris single combat with Menelaus.
   Major Characters of the Book.
   English Translation.
   Cultural Notes on Iliad Book III
4. IV Summary.
   Quarrel among the gods.
   Major Characters of the Book.
   English Translation.
   Cultural Notes on Iliad Book IV
5. V Summary.
   Athena helps Diomedes. He injures Aphrodite and Ares.
   Major Characters of the Book.
   English Translation.
6. VI Summary.
   Andromache begs Hector not to fight.
   Major Characters of the Book.
   English Translation.
7. VII Summary.
   Ajax and Hector fight, but neither wins. Paris refuses to give up Helen.
   Major Characters of the Book.
   English Translation.
8. VIII Summary.
   2nd battle; Greeks beaten back.
   Major Characters of the Book.
   English Translation.
9. IX Summary.
   Agamemnon returns Briseis to Achilles.
   Major Characters of the Book.
   English Translation.
10. X Summary.
    Odysseus and Diomedes capture a Trojan spy.
    Major Characters of the Book.
    English Translation.
11. XI Summary.
    Nestor urges Patroclus to persuade Achilles to lend him his armor and his men.
    Major Characters of the Book.
    English Translation.
12. XII Summary.
    Trojans get through Greek walls.
    Major Characters of the Book.
    English Translation.
13. XIII Summary.
    Poseidon helps the Greeks.
    Major Characters of the Book.
    English Translation.
14. XIV Summary.
    Largely through the shenanigans of the gods, the Trojans are driven back. Hector is wounded.
    Major Characters of the Book.
    English Translation.
15. XV Summary.
    Apollo sent to heal Hector. Hector burns Greek ships.
    Major Characters of the Book.
    English Translation.
16. XVI Summary.
    Achilles lets Patroclus wear his armor and lead his Myrmidons. Hector kills Patroclus.
    Major Characters of the Book.
    English Translation.
17. XVII Summary.
    Achilles learns Patroclus is dead.
    Major Characters of the Book.
    English Translation.
18. XVIII Summary.
    Achilles mourns. Shield of Achilles.
    Major Characters of the Book.
    English Translation.
19. XIX Summary.
    Reconciled with Agamemnon, Achilles agrees to lead the Greeks.
    Major Characters of the Book.
    English Translation.
20. XX Summary.
    Gods join the battle. Hera, Athena, Poseidon, Hermes, and Hephaestus for the Greeks. Apollo, Artemis, Ares, and Aphrodite for the Trojans.
    Major Characters of the Book.
    English Translation.
21. XXI Summary.
    Achilles winning. Trojans retreat.
    Major Characters of the Book.
    English Translation.
22. XXII Summary.
    Hector and Achilles meet in single combat. Death of Hector.
    Major Characters of the Book.
    English Translation.
23. XXIII Summary.
    Funeral Games for Patroclus.
    Major Characters of the Book.
    English Translation.
24. XXIV Summary.
    Hector desecration, return, and burial.
    Major Characters of the Book.
    English Translation.