Table of Contents

The Iliad Questions and Answers

Essay Type Questions with Answers

Q.1.Write a short note on Homer as the author’ of The Iliad.

Ans. Ancient Greek tradition, as well as a study of the language and style of the poems, indicates that he probably lived and wrote sometime in the eighth or ninth centuries B.C., but no more definite date can be determined. In ancient times, seven different cities claimed the honour of having been his birthplace. None of these assertions can be validated. However, Homer may have come from the island of Chios, on the western coast of Asia Minor – in earlier times, a family of the same name lived there and claimed him as an ancestor, and devoted themselves to the recitation of his works Whether he came from Chios or not, it is highly probable that Homer was a native and resident of some part of Eastern Greece or Asia Minor, for the dialect he used in his works is that of the Asian Greeks.

Tradition has it that Homer was blind, but the evidence for this idea is unreliable This evidence is based on the portrayal in the Odyssey of a blind minstrel who sings a poem about the fall of Troy. But there is no reason to believe that the poet was describing himself in this scene. Throughout the two epics, no consistent autobiographical information exists, and no other literature of the period survives that describes the author. Like all major primary epics, The Iliad (Book I and II) is written in omniscient narrative. Here Homer deals with Agamemnon’s demand for Achilles’ war prize, the maiden Briseis, wounds Achilles’ pride; Achilles’ consequent refusal to fight causes the Achaeans to suffer greatly in their battle against the Trojans. The poet constantly refers to events that have yet to occur and to fated outcomes. Patroclus’s return to battle foreshadows Achilles’ return to battle, for example, and Hector’s taunting of the dead Patroclus foreshadows the desecration of his own corpse by Achilles. Also, Achilles and Hector themselves make references to their own fates-about which they have been informed; technically, only Hector’s references foreshadow any event in the poem itself, however, as Achilles dies after the close of the epic.

Q. 2.Comment on The Iliad as an epic.

Or, Identify and discuss the conventions of the Greek epic with particular reference to Books I and II of The Iliad.

Ans. An epic is a poem comprising of fictional characters usually involved in huge war. An epic is usually of great length. We can often find a lot of political intrigues. An epic has a very large scale in which things operate. This large scale includes grand clothes worn by characters, long passages of descriptions generally using epic similes, extended metaphors and other figures of speech. We also have the device of ‘dues-exmachina’. They often help or hinder the characters in the epic. In western literature, epics are composed in different genres. Homer’s The Iliad, The Odyssey, Virgil’s the Aeneid, Spenser’s Fairy Queene, Milton’s Paradise Lostare celebrated pieces of epic poetry.

Many epics are often about a single hero who conquers many problems during the span of the epic concerned. We have examples like Odyssey, Beowulf and Ramayana etc. an epic usually considers to be giving us a picture of the society in which it was created since war is a primary theme of an epic, we often find heroic boasts which adds the element of hyperbole. In epics we often find many digressions. These digressions are but a natural result of the lengthiness of the epic When an epic begins, the poet generally begins with an invocation.

The Iliad was written in a poetic format. Of course, all the characters of this epic are sctional They are involved in war with each other. Sometimes, the wars are local and sometimes they are fought on a huge scale For example, the entire epic describes the between Greece and Troy. Yet we often find in Book I and II, small battles between as well as between tribes. For example, we find that Achilles fights with idividuals Agamemnon’s men.

The Iliad is also of a huge length. It runs into thousands of lines. However, Book I and Il taken separately is not of such a huge length Iliad as early as in Book I we find that there are a number of political intrigues. In fact, Helen was only an excuse used by Agamemnon to attack Troy. Agamemnon had always wanted to conquer Troy. All through the two Books we find Agamemnon involving himself in various deceits We und him thinking of abetting Achilles to serve him his purpose.

All the descriptions in the poem are of large magnitude. From the description of the huge number of Greek ships to the description of the city of Troy and its huge walls We also find that the great warriors, kings and the queens wear magnificent armours and dresses.

the prayer From the very beginning of The Iliad, we find that Apollo hearing Chryse, becomes angry at the Greek and kills them with his arrows. Again, when Achilles prays to his mother then she promises that she will help him in fact Achilles himself is half god and half human. In these two Books we often find various gods and goddesses interfere in human activities.

Though Thelliad talks a number of heroes. There is no single hero who prays to his mother to help him against Agamemnon. Even the first two Books we portrayed as the all-powerful or ideal hero so much so that even the mighty Achilles, we find many heroic acts of the heroes, find our attention divided among Achilles, Hector, Agamemnon and Odysseus.

Though like all epics it also gives us a picture of the society in which it was written to know about the condition of the women who were not considered anything better it shows the petty ribaldries among the various, small tribes and nation also come than commodities. We also come to know as to how the various policies maintained by the various countries for war and diplomacy.

Digressions are common in the first two Books of Iliad. We are often reading about the story of the heroes as they were in their childhood. We often find the stories of the gods and goddesses which do not have anything to do with the main story of the epic These digressions were not aided in the first draft of the epic but rather with the progress of time, various authors added various stories for the main text.

Thus we find that Iliad has almost all the qualities that an epic has Like all other epics Iliad was also composed as a poem. We can safely say that Iliad is an epic.

3 ,Comment on the plague upon the Greek camp in Book of Homer’s The Iliad.

Ans. The Iliad is one of the most famous epics written by Homer who is called ‘blind poet’. The Iliad is divided into twenty-four books. Likewise, Book I is entitled as ‘Plague and Wrath’. The theme of the poem is especially about the fury of Achilles, who is mentioned as the great warrior of Greek in this particular poem for snatching his girl him by Agamemnon, another warrior of Greek and lord of the men.

or beloved from

Paris, son of Priam loved Helen, wife of Menelaus, younger brother of Agamemnon. Paris became able to escape with Helen in support of the goddess, Aphrodite, daughter of Zeus.

On the basis of this incident Agamemnon became so angry and started booty to take revenge. The Greeks carry out raids on local town of Troy. Human captives are kept as slave and sold for ransom. After such a raid, Chryseis was selected as a perfect prize for Agamemnon. She was the daughter of Chryses, a local priest of Apollo.

When Chryses went to Agamemnon to release his daughter with immense ransom, Agamemnon did not release Chryseis rather insulted Chryses and told him to go out.

After facing such insult, Chryses was justifying his deeds to the Archer god, Apollo. The God became sympathetic to the priest and inflected deadly plague to the Greeks as punishment. He attacked the mules first and swift gods then he aimed sharp arrows at the men and struck again and again. For nine days the god’s arrows rained down on the camp. ‘The men fell thick and fast.’ Being witnessed of this situation, Achilles said, “Come, let us consult some prophet or priest or some interpreter of dreams and find out from him why Phoebus Apollo is so angry with us.” After understanding the god’s will, a prophet, Calchas by name explained the matter to them. Achilles was the first to rise and advise the rest to appease the god by giving fair-cheeked Chryseis back to her father. This made Agamemnon angry or rather furious would be better to say to express the extreme rage. To get rid of such situation, the dark eyed Greeks were taking Chryseis to Chryses with offerings for the god.

As soon as Chryseis went to her father back, the Greeks got relief from the inflected disease, plague. But the result of giving back the girl had to suffer Achilles as the heralds of Agamemnon took his beloved, Briseis away in return.

Q. 4.Write a note on the significance of Book II of The Iliad.

Ans. By the end of Book 2, Homer has introduced all of The Iliad’s major characters on the Greek side-his catalogue of the Trojan troops at the end of Book 2 leads naturally into an introduction of the Trojan leadership in Book 3. The poem has already established the characters of Agamemnon, proud and headstrong, and Achilles, mighty but temperamental, whose quarrel dominates the epic. Now the poet provides description of two supporting actors, Odysseus and Nestor. Though both of these figures appear in Book 1, the army’s flight to its ships in Book 2 motivates their first important speeches and thus establishes a crucial component of their role in the epic: they are the wise, foresighted advisors whose shrewdness and clarity of mind will keep the Achaeans on their course. Furthermore, in successfully restoring the troops’ morale, Odysseus and Nestor confirm their reputation as the Achaeans’ most talented rhetoricians.

In addition to prompting the speeches of Odysseus and Nestor, the Achaeans’ flight to the ships serves three other important purposes in the narrative. First, it chows just how dire the Greek situation has become: even the army’s foremost leader, Agamemnon, has failed to recognize the low morale of the troops; he is wholly blindsided by his men’s willingness to give up the war. The eagerness with which the troops flee back to the harbour not only testifies to the suffering that they must have already endured but also bodes ill for their future efforts, which will prove much harder given the soldiers’ homesickness and lack of motivation. But second, and on the other hand, by pointing out the intensity of the Greeks’ suffering, the episode emphasizes the glory of the Greeks’ eventual victory. Homer’s audience knew well that the war between the Greeks and Trojans ended in Troy’s defeat. This episode indicates just how close the Greek army came to abandoning the effort entirely and returning to Greece in disgrace. That the troops prove able to rise from the depths of despair to the heights of military triumph conveys the immensity of the Greek achievement.

Third, the flight to the ships indirectly results in the famous catalogue of the Achaean forces. Nestor’s advice that the troops be arranged by city ensures that the soldiers will be motivated: by fighting side by side with their closest friends, they will have an emotional investment in the army’s success, and their leaders will more easily be able to identify them as either cowardly or courageous. While the catalogue of forces may seem rather tedious to modern readers-though it does build tension by setting up an all-out conflict-it would have greatly inspired Homeric audiences. Even the effort seemingly necessary to recount the catalogue is epic and grandiose. The poet seems to invoke all nine Muses as he proclaims, “The mass of troops I could never tally … / not even if I had ten tongues and ten mouths” (2.577-578). The sack of Troy was a Panhellenic effort, and even the smallest cities played a part. Each Greek who heard the tale could take pride in hearing the name of his city and its ancient, mythic leaders mentioned as participants in this heroic achievement. By calling these men to mind, Homer doesn’t bore his audience but rather stirs them, evoking their honourable heritage.

Q. 5. Discuss Homer’s portrayal of Achilles with reference to Books I and II of The lliad.

Ans. Achilles was the son of Peleus, a mortal and Thetis, a goddess. Thus, Achilles is demigod. Achilles perhaps is the most important character in Iliad. It is with him that the epic begins. In the first Book Achilles gets the most importance. Achilles is presented as the most valiant and sought after warrior in the epic. Yet Agamemnon says that he was great warrior because, “…… God made you so.”

He could be regarded as the foil on one hand of Hector and on another hand of Agamemnon. While Agamemnon is blinded by his intense desire for material prosperity, Achilles always maintains a balance between his material desire and his war like attitude Agamemnon was always after wealth and other avenues of fame. Achilles according to the epic always took whatever was due to him. Since Hector’s role and character is not mentioned in the first two Books we will not deal with his character much. However, unlike Hector who fought to protect his home, Achilles was a mercenary. Thus while Hector is a true prince, Achilles is more of a tribal chief.

Through the behaviour of Achilles we can understand a number of things about ancient Greece and their politics. For example, after being insulted by Agamemnon in Book I, Achilles could have had attacked Agamemnon. But if he had done so, then Agamemnon’s forces would have had attacked Achilles’ home. Thus Achilles just like an intelligent chief protected his people at the cost of his own insult. Not only is Achilles a great warrior who had a strength of a hundred men but he is also a very intelligent person who tries to reason with Agamemnon’s greed. Through Achilles Homer tries to show the heroes of the lore. He can be compared with Mahabharata’s Arjun.

Adding to the multi-dimensional figure of Achilles, his erring and appealing to his mother to punish Agamemnon, he is presented as a common human being who cries and laments. Thus, through Achilles we can find a marvellous creation of a character who is multi-dimensional. An important aspect of the lives of the Greeks comes to the fore through the clash between the two Achaeans-Agamemnon and Achilles and that are some values of the Greeks- the sense of honour and pride. For Agamemnon, his individual glories proved to be more important than the well-being of the whole Achaean army through his act of taking away Briseis from Achilles. On the other hand, Achilles told his mother to punish the Achaeans because of Agamemnon’s wrong behaviour. Both these great heroes engage themselves in a bitter quarrel with each other for the captive women. Both of them thought about their individual pride and honour: Agamemnon took Achilles’ “prize” and Achilles withdrew himself from the battle to teach Agamemnon a lesson by bringing problem to the Greek army. That overweening pride is ‘hubris’ which enforced the hero to behave in thoughtless ways.

Q.6.Discuss Homer’s portrayal of Agamemnon in Book I of The Iliad.

Ans. Agamemnon, king of Mycenae and commander-in-chief of the Achaean army, resembles Achilles in some respects. Though not nearly as strong, he has a similarly hot temper and prideful streak. When Agamemnon’s insulting demand that Achilles relinquish his war prize, Briseis, causes Achilles to withdraw angrily from battle, the suffering that results for the Greek army owes as much to Agamemnon’s stubbornness as to that of Achilles. But Agamemnon’s pride makes him more arrogant than Achilles. While Achilles’ pride flares up after it is injured, Agamemnon uses every opportunity to make others feel the effects of his. He always expects the largest portions of the plunder, even though he takes the fewest risks in battle. Additionally, he insists upon leading the army, even though his younger brother Menelaus, whose wife, Helen, was stolen by Paris, possesses the real grievance against the Trojans. He never allows the Achaeans to forget his kingly status.

Agamemnon also differs from Achilles in his appreciation of subtlety. Achilles remains fiercely devoted to those who love him but devotedly vicious to those who do him harm; he sees no shades of grey. Agamemnon, however, remains fundamentally concerned with himself, and he has the cunning to manipulate people and situations for his own benefit. He does not trust his troops blindly, but tests their loyalty, as in Book II. Although he reconciles with Achilles in Book IX, he shirks personal responsibility with a forked-tongued indictment of Fate, Ruin, and the gods. Whereas Achilles is wholly consumed by his emotions, Agamemnon demonstrates a deft ability to keep

himself-and others-under control. When he commits wrongs, he does so not out of blind rage and frustration like Achilles, but out of amoral, self-serving cunning. For this reason, Homer’s portrait of Agamemnon ultimately proves unkind, and the reader never feels the same sympathy for him as for Achilles.

The Homeric hero lived by strict social and cultural norms that would guide his life at home and on the battlefield. His position as a hero depended upon understanding his place in society and performing in accordance with society’s expectations. He accepted the pattern of a hero, which included a hero’s suffering and a hero’s death. When the hero expressed himself in words, he believed that his thoughts were derived from either society or a god. In fact, neither Achilles nor Agamemnon recognizes a personal responsibility for their emotional and physical responses, even though both men are on the edge of violence. To the Homeric hero, an outside force initiates action and thought – hence, personal responsibility is not an issue for a hero’s decision to follow the dictates of an outside force.

Q. 7. Analyse the role of gods and goddesses in the Iliad.

Or, Write a critical note on the idea of divine intervention with reference to Book I and II of The Iliad.

Ans. The gods and goddesses love to manipulate, plot and ploy against the humans they detest, so pay close attention, because their influence drives battles that ensue throughout the poem. The Iliad would be nothing if it were not for the gods, as the ultimately decide the fate, or outcome, of the humans. From the very beginning of The Iliad, it is clear that when the gods are offended by the actions of the humans, or when the gods favour one human over another, the humans’ fates are sealed.

For example, in Book I, when Agamemnon takes Chryses’ daughter as a prize, Apollo puts a plague upon the Achaean camp until Agamemnon agrees to return the daughter to her father. These gods are not playing around, and have no problem using human sufferings as a form of entertainment.

While every instance of divine intervention cannot be listed here, below are some important moments that identify when, and why, the gods stepped in. It is important to note the gods were not necessarily intervening for the benefit of the humans but more for their own interests or tastes. Disagreement, compromise, or spite between the gods often became motivation for intervention. Take a look at the roles of the gods in The Iliad and try to decide the justification for their intervention.

Here are some examples of the gods or goddesses stepping in to help the Trojans by giving compassion, strength or even life:

Before The Iliad, Paris was given a golden apple from Zeus, a token to signify the fairest goddess; he chose to give it to Aphrodite, goddess of love. She has shown favour to him, and even had Helen fall in love with him. This is why, during his battle with Menelaus, Aphrodite rescues Paris by concealing him in a thick mist, and then brings Helen to him in his chambers. Zeus, king of all the gods, men, and universe, claims to stay neutral in this battle; however, he does give more favor to the Trojans by helping Hector more than he initially set out to in his promise to Thetis. He gives Hector strength, symbols from the sky, and protection during battle

Q. 8. What purpose does Aegean’s flight to the ships signify in Book II in Homer’s The Iliad?

Ans. To help the Trojans, as promised, Zeus sends a false dream to Agamemnon ancient, mythic leaders mentioned as participants in this heroic achievement. By calling these men to mind, Homer doesn’t bore his audience but rather stirs them, in which a figure in the form of Nestor persuades Agamemnon that he can take Troy if he launches a full-scale assault on the city’s walls. The next day, Agamemnon gathers his troops for attack, but, to test their courage, he lies and tells them that he has decided to give up the war and return to Greece. To his dismay, they eagerly run to their ships.

When Hera sees the Achaeans fleeing, she alerts Athena, who inspires Odysseus, the most eloquent of the Achaeans, to call the men back. He shouts words of encouragement and insult to goad their pride and restore their confidence. He reminds them of the prophecy that the soothsayer Calchas gave when the Achaeans were first mustering their soldiers back in Greece: a water snake had slithered to shone and devoured a nest of nine sparrows, and Calchas interpreted the sign to mean that nine years would pass before the Achaeans would finally take Troy. As Odysseus reminds them, they vowed at that time that they would not abandon their struggle until the city fell.

Nestor now encourages Agamemnon to arrange his troops by city and clan so that they can fight side by side with their friends and kin. The poet takes this opportunity to enter into a catalog of the army. After invoking the muses to aid his memory, he details the cities that have contributed troops to the Greek cause, the number of troops that each has contributed, and who leads each contingent. At the end of the list, the poet singles out the bravest of the Achaeans, Achilles and Ajax among them. When Zeus sends a messenger to the Trojan court, telling them of the Greeks’ awesome formation, the Trojans muster their own troops under the command of Priam’s son Hector. The poet then catalogs the Trojan forces.

Third, the flight to the ships indirectly results in the famous catalog of the Achaean forces. Nestor’s advice that the troops be arranged by city ensures that the soldiers will be motivated by fighting side by side with their closest friends, they will have an emotional investment in the army’s success, and their leaders will more easily be able to identify them as either cowardly or courageous.

Zeus, king of all the gods, men, and universe, claims to stay neutral in this battle; however, he does give more favor to the Trojans by helping Hector more than he initially set out to in his promise to Thetis. He gives Hector strength, symbols from the sky and protection during battle.

Q. 9. What is an epic simile? Comment on Homer’s use of epic similes with reference to the books of The lliad you have read.

Ans. According to Encyclopaedia Britannica, an epic simile, also called Homeric simile, an extended simile often running to several lines, used typically in epic poetry to intensify the heroic stature of the subject and to serve as decoration.

All the similes used in the text are not homogenous. Some of the epic similes were meant to be a relief from the narrative. Most of the similes are drawn from the world of nature Here the scale of events and heroes have been brought into the relief. Most of them occur whenever there is a battle scene or an impending battle. The similes are used to help digressions occur. Initially, short similes are used and then the epic similes seem to be a later development. Similes could also be used to reiterate whatever has happened earlier. They are also the necessary ornaments that a narrative essentially , often

has Similes tend to occur at moments of high emotion, drama and tensionintroducing a change of perspective and they are especially prevalent in battle-scenes. The most common points of comparison with human life and action are lions, birds, fire, cattle, wind, and water, and boars, thirty one subjects occur once only, these include mule, ass, worm, rainbow, bean and horse-trainer. poem,

As for their function, these similes introduce a world of peace in a martial they impose the unchanging world of nature on temporary, fleeting human existence of all listeners they give contemporary vividness to the world of the heroic past; and they often create deep pathos, for example the dying warrior likened to a poppy heavy with spring rain. In the similes, perhaps more than elsewhere, Homer speaks most directly to us.

Q. 10. Comment on the narrative technique of The Iliad.

Ans. Like all major primary epics Iliad (Book I and II) is written in omniscient narrative. An omniscient narrator is one who knows everything about the events of aa story and the characters involved in the same. When the epic was composed all literature was basically oral. In an oral story, there cannot be but an omniscient narrator who will be telling the story. If the narrator is not, all knowing, then he/she won’t be able to tell the story freely.

The narrative as usual begins with an invocation to the gods trying to find the reason as to why Achilles is angry on the Greeks? The narrator requires a heavenly intervention to illuminate him. This was in line with the narrative tradition and convention of the heroic era.

This kind of narration that is used in The Iliad has a number of advantages and disadvantages. The advantage is that there hardly remains any doubt about the authenticity of his or her narration. This authenticity is reinforced by the fact that the narrative and the narrator are informed by a divine source i. e., a muse. After all the epic deals with god like men and real gods often impinge upon the action of the epic so it is but obvious that the help of the muse will be needed.

The narrator seems to take it for granted that the listeners are already aware of whatever is going on already in the two Books. The narration begins in media res. We find that epic begins with Homer telling us as to why Achilles is angry at the Greeks. Further, we come to know that nine years of war has already been perished between the Greeks and the Trojans.

Unlike Mahabharata where we find the heroes growing up slowly, in Iliad we find that the heroes have actually grown old. As soon as we enter into the action of the epic we find that the narrator has already taken a back seat and the action takes over However, often breaking the monotony of the narration there are passages of description, dialogues and monologues. In the first Book we find a quarrel between Achilles and Agamemnon.

Again towards the end of the second Book we find a kind of the roll call of the various people who has come to participate in the war. The story interestingly proceeds from the interaction between the characters. This form veers off from the diegetic to the mimetic. The narrative impulses gives place to the dramatic activities on the pages

We are not sure if Homer had a set of pattern in his mind for the epic narrative. This epic like most primary epics are not a single set of incidents that follow each other in close succession. This epic like any other primary epic is more of a coagulation of a number of incidents compiled over a very long period of time. Since we are here dealing with only two Books here the narrative statements could more or less be following a linear and well woven pattern. The same might not be true for the whole of the epic

One of the drawbacks of the narrative is its repetitiveness. First, Homer knew that if you have an ordinary human audience it is well to state the main points of your story at least twice, and if you can contrive to state them three times without wearying the listener, so much the better. Homer knew, then, that a phrase or incident can gain by repetition. He also knew that, unless the expression be varied, there is a risk of weariness.

Also Homer knew that they, like us, were touched by reminiscences and repetitions, even when they were least conscious of the cause. We can enjoy the composition without even seeing that it has a scheme. But the scheme is there, and is one cause of our enjoyment. Both repetition and a pattern are an aid to the memory. In a work of this length memory has to be there.

Break it up into a number of distinctly articulated groups or episodes: let each episode have a pattern of its own, akin to the main scheme, but also individual: one will find one can remember the composition. He likes to throw his material into a shape that is simple and quite easily recognizable. If the scheme involves repetitions, he does not object, but regards the fact as a positive advantage. The several patterns play on one another and contribute to the beauty of the whole like the designs in some elaborate tapestry.

Q. 11. Comment on the catalogue of ships in Book II of Homer’s The Iliad.

Ans. Homer is traditionally held to be the author of the ancient Greek epic poems The Iliad and The Odyssey widely thought to be the first extant works of Western literature. He is considered by many to be the earliest and most important of all the Greek writers, and the progenitor of the whole Western literary tradition.

He was a poetic pioneer who stood at a pivotal point in the evolution of Greek Society from pre-literate to literate, from a century old bardic tradition of oral verse to the then new technique of alphabetic writing.Some maintain that the Homeric poems

dependent on an oral tradition, a generations old technique that was the collective inheritance of many singer-poets. The Greek alphabet was introduced (adapted from a Phoenician syllabary) in the early 8th Century BCE, so it is possible that Homer himself of indeed he was a single, real person) was one of the first generation of authors who also literate. At any rate, it seems likely that Homer’s poems were recorded shortly after the invention of the Greek alphabet, and third-party references to the ad appear as early as about 740 BCE.Like all major primary epics Iliad (Book I and II) is written in omniscient narrative technique. were are

a The catalogue of the ships (II. 2.494-760) lists the contingents of the Achaean army mustered for the expedition against Troy. It identifies the leaders and their followers, and the districts and places from which they come, and gives the numbers of the ships in each contingent. When Paris, son of King Priam of Troy, carried off Helen, Agamemnon called on the princes of the country to unite in a war of revenge against the Trojans He himself furnished 100 ships and was chosen commander in chief of the combined forces. The list naturally begins with the Boeotians, followed with the rest of Central Greece in logical order, ending with Salamis. There is then an abrupt ‘leap’, directly to the Kingdom of Diomedes, and bypassing that of Agamemnon. The order which follows for the rest of the Peloponnese is logical, as is the succession to the Ionian Islands and Aetolia. After this a modern audience, accustomed to maps, might expect the Thessalian Kingdoms. But in the ancient world Mt. Pindus would have been a formidable barrier between Aetolia and Thessaly. Instead, Crete and the Dodecanese follow after Aetolia. There may have been a former separate traditional list of the Thessalian Kingdoms, in connection with the legends of the Lapiths and Centaurs and/or of loikos and the Argonauts. Achaean

The flight to the ships indirectly results in the famous catalogue of the forces. Nestor’s advice that the troops be arranged by city ensures that the soldiers will be motivated: by fighting side by side with their closest friends, they will have an emotional investment in the army’s success, and their leaders will more easily be able to identify them as either cowardly or courageous. While the catalogue of forces may seem rather tedious to modern readers-though it does build tension by setting up an all-out conflict-it would have greatly inspired Homeric audiences. Even the effort seemingly necessary to recount the catalogue is epic and grandiose. The poet seems to invoke all nine Muses as he proclaims, “The mass of troops I could never tally even if I had ten tongues and ten mouths” (2.577-578). The sack of Troy was a Panhellenic effort, and even the smallest cities played a part. Each Greek who heard the tale could take pride in hearing the name of his city and its ancient, mythic leaders mentioned as participants in this heroic achievement. By calling these men to mind, Homer doesn’t bore his audience but rather stirs them, evoking their honourable heritage. /not

Q. 12. Comment on the Invocation to Homer’s The Iliad with reference to Book I and II.

The invocation in The Iliad begins with the poet praying of poetic inspiration, “Begin, Muse, when the two first broke and clashed, / Agamemnon lord of men and brilliant Achilles” (1.8-9). In other words, the poet wants the Muse to tell him about the rage of Achilleus, and how it hurt the Achaians. Homer declaring his theme through the invocation carries the reader to where the trouble originally started, which is where the story of The Iliad begins (during the middle of war). Furthermore, an epic poem must be constructed almost flawlessly due to its length; its subject must be original but have aims towards nobility and heroism. In other words, Milton believes that his story Paradise Lost will be the most original story ever created because it’s the story of the creation of the new world and the tragic journey of mans fall of disobedience to God. Milton wants to justify Gods greater plan, and why theodicy must occur ” may assert Eternal Providence / And justify the ways of God to men” (1.25-26) The Hind “is a Greek epic poem in dactylic hexameter, attributed to Homer. Set during the Trojan War, the sieging of the city of Troy by a combination of Greek states”. In The Odyssey the narrator begins with the invocation of the Muse: , the man of twists and turns…

to the Muse, the goddess

“Sing to me of the man, Muse

driven time and again off course, once he had plundered

the hallowed heights of Troy

Many cities of men he saw and learned their minds,

many pains he suffered, heartsick on the open sea, fighting to save

his life and bring his comrades home” (1.1-6).

In other words, the narrator is asking for inspiration to tell the story of Odysseus, which begins 10 years after the Trojan War (The Iliad). Athena then goes to Ithaca disguised as Mentes giving advice how to deal with Telemachus’ mother and the suitors to encourage Telemachus to go on a trip to Pylos and Sparta. The narrator imagines the Muse singing through him for inspiration. This is comparable to the invocations in both Paradise Lost and The Iliad because both begin with a form of inspiration.

Virgil’s begins The Aeneid with the words “I sing” (1.1) comparable to The Odyssey “Sing to me” (1.1) and waits a few lines before beginning his invocation. In other words, “it seems as Virgil is invoking his Muse out of obligation rather than through his genuine belief of divine inspiration” (Gregory, 1989). In Virgil’s time, the invocation was only used because it was a “tradition in epic poetry” (Gregory, 1989). The change in Virgil’s invocation reveals his different style to this epic. However, Virgil and Homer’s invocation are comparable at the opening of his poem:

“O Muse! The causes and the crimes relate; / What goddess was provok’d, and whence her hate; / For what offense the Queen of Heav’n began / To persecute so brave, so just a man; /Involv’d his anxious life in endless cares, / Expos’d to wants, and hurried into war! / Can heavn’ly minds such high resentment show, / Or exercise their spite in human woe?” (1.11-18).

In particular, The Thad and The Odyssey stand as a model for Virgil’s epic, for example, Virgil picks up where Homer’s poem finished. Also the events that occurred in the The tened construct a sequel to Homer’s The Iliad and are coexistent with Ulysses in The dyssey However, even though Virgil emulates Homer’s epic, he also wants to surpass Homer this is comparable to Milton with his epic Paradise Lost wanting his poem to surpass other epic poets works such as Homer and Virgil.

The invocations in Paradise Lost, The Iliad, The Odyssey and The Aeneid all have their own strengths and epic importance. However, Milton views his invocation as superior to other great poets invocations. Since his invocation leads to the most original story known to man, as it is the first story of the world and of the first human beings. Also, while Homer and Virgil only chronicled the journey of heroic men, like Achilles or Aeneas, Milton chronicles the tragic journey of humankind and its disobedience. Despite Milton’s well-deserved egotistical view, I believe Milton, Homer and Virgil, all used their invocations as a source of knowledge and therefore inspiring all of them to create epic literary poems.

The Odyssey is one of two ancient Greek epic poems attributed to Homer. “It , part, a sequel to The Iliad, the other work ascribed to Homer”. This text was used for a link to Milton’s invocation at the beginning of Paradise Lost: Book 1.

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According to classical mythology, the Muses are traditionally nine goddesses who preside over the arts and sciences. However, a Muse can also be defined as a writer’s poetic inspiration. Milton beginning Paradise Lost with the invocation to a muse serves a couple purposes. To begin with, Milton sets out to write Paradise Lost as an epic poem and then follows the traditions of epic poetry, one of which is invocation of the muse. In particular, Milton invokes the Muses because he wasn’t present during the war between God and Satan or even the creation of earth. Milton’s Muse is different compared to the other Muses who inspired other memorable poets; Milton’s Muse is the Holy Spirit. Including the invocation in Paradise Lost is clearly a stylistic nod to other great epic poems such as The Iliad, The Odyssey and The Aeneid. In some ways Milton’s invocation can be seen as a conscious act of rebellion, even in its imitation of previous conventions: Milton not only goes against the classical tradition but also, in invoking Christian divinity. The invocation uses fragments of other work to fit a conventional shape to make a picture that is to an extent new. It is here that we find the answer to the of Milton’s revolution in being reactionary, the first Christian epic. world

paradox Milton invokes the Muse asking to be granted knowledge of how the originated because The Holy Spirit had a hand in the creation of the world. The narrator wants this knowledge because he wants to show mankind that Adam and Eve’s fall was all part of a greater plan constructed by God: “I may assert Eternal Providence / And justify the ways of God to men” (1.25-26). In other words, he wants to explain why a good God allows evil in the world.

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