Week 4 Journal

Journal week 4

9/12/20

Homer’s Iliad, Books 10–12

2:00PM- 4:45PM

Today, I decided to do something a bit different and separate my reading by time and day, instead of attempting to read 2–4 books in one sitting. I also read once fully, then I read again and took short notes. This definitely helped with my focus and retention of important information in the reading. In Book 10, Agamemnon is restless as he watches the Trojan fires. With the advice of Nestor, he makes a new plan for his soldiers. Menelaus is also unable to sleep, and comes across Agamemnon arming himself. Agamemnon tells his brother to assemble the best Achaean captains while he converses with Nestor. The Atreidae both seem to be deeply concerned with the outcome of this war and what it means for the Achaeans. Agamemnon needs victory; if the Trojans defeat him, it will be viewed as weakness. When the captains gather, Nestor inquires if anyone is willing to infiltrate Trojan lines and gain an advantage or some useful information. Diomedes immediately volunteers to lead the mission and suggests that he is accompanied by another. Many other men volunteer, but he chooses Odysseus to go with him. The war tactics of the Greek army seems to make a noticeable shift. It appears they have realized that not only combat, but intelligence and strategic moves are necessary for their victory over the Trojan forces. Diomedes only solidifies his persona of being a great Achaean hero with his immediate willingness to complete this mission. Diomedes and Odyseeus arm themselves for their mission, the latter man wears an ancient helmet lined with boar’s teeth, passed down for generations. The passing down of the helmet symbolizes how deeply ingrained war is in their society. I’ve come to the conclusion that the value of men is heavily grounded in their warrior capabilities. It was genuinely refreshing to see the cunning side of the Achaeans in the war. Diomedes and Odysseus are able to ambush Dolon- a Trojan soldier sent on a scouting mission. Dolon is captured and tells the two Achaeans about the Trojan position and letting them know the best places to attack. They are able to enter the Thracian camp-which Dolon had suggested- and while Diomedes kills the sleeping soldiers, Odysseus steals horses. When they return to the camp, Nestor praises the captured horses, but Odysseus seems to show modesty, and downplays the action.

Diomedes, Odysseus and Dolon by Bonaventura Genelli (German painter, 1798–1868). Woodcut engraving, published in 1883.

6:00PM-7:40PM

When morning time comes, Zeus sets the goddess Strife upon the greeks, which encourages them to fight. Zeus causes the sky to rain blood which makes the Greeks panic. The Trojans prepare for battle as well as the Greeks and they clash causing many men to be killed in combat. As the Achaeans make progress against the Trojan forces, Agamemnon kills numerous men-including two sons of Priam. He is described as lion-like, in the sense that he is a strong leader and powerful warrior. He is solidifying his legacy and earning his place in history amongst other Achaean champions. Zeus sends his messenger, Iris, to tell Hector to hold back until Agamemnon is wounded. After this, the Achaean forces would be weakened enough to drive them back to the ships. Once again, the gods interfere. Zeus is closely controlling the development of the war, making sure it plays out exactly to his will. It doesn’t seem fun to have a straightforward war obviously, but since Zeus is seemingly all-powerful, the other gods and goddesses can’t really undermine his efforts and make this a little more interesting. Zeus’ will seems to be somewhat synonymous with fate. Agamemnon continues his fight, but his arm is slashed by Coon, son of Antenor, who he kills immediately after. With Coon’s actions, Zeus’ will is fulfilled and the tide of the war is turned in favor of Hector. Agamemnon retreats back to the Achaean camp and takes this as a sign; he and his soldiers begin to drive the Achaeans back, killing many men. This seems to mark the end of Agamemnon’s aristeia. While trying to ease the chaos caused by the Trojan warriors, Odysseus and Diomedes are charged at by Hector. Diomedes throws his spear at Hector, hitting his helmet and putting him in a daze; Hector retreats from the front lines of the battlefield. This close brush with death definitely created a sense of suspense. This is seemingly a scene that foreshadows his impending demise. I found it very admirable that Diomedes fends off Trojan warriors alone; his courage is undoubtable. However, he does suffer from a rib wound at the hands of the Trojan soldier, Socus. He barely escapes as several of the Greeks come to aid him. Hector continues his rampage, pushing back Achaean forces. Paris wounds the healer Machaon and Nestor carries the man back to the Achaean camp. It is revealed that Achilles has been watching the battle commence from the top of his ship. He tells Patroclus to go to Nestor and ask about Greek casualties. Nestor fervently asks Patroclus to convince Achilles to return to battle. Achilles, despite his portrayal of indifference, seems to be very interested in the development of the war. His acknowledgment that they may be desperate for his help is a very arrogant move. The worse the war becomes for the Achaeans, the more revered Achilles will be if he decides to return, the more necessary he will be regarded as. But at the same time, Achilles appears to hold genuine compassion for his comrades within the Achaean army. Nestor’s alternate plan includes sending Patroclus into battle in Achilles’ armor to intimidate and instill fear into the Trojans-hopefully preventing them from advancing and taking full control of this battle. Nestor seems to be a bit manipulative as he quickly realizes that Patroclus is an important advisor to Achilles and aids in his decision making. He could easily use Patroclus to sway Achilles’ perspective. Patroclus is shown to be the compassionate one, who somewhat humanizes the warrior Achilles. His response to the wounded captain, Eurypylus, highlights his tenderness.

9/14/20

5:15PM-7:30PM

Book 12 begins with the Trojan assault of Achaean fortifications. The fortress is fated to be destroyed, but only after the city of Troy falls. The gods are regarded to be above mortality, since it is their will that will structure the way that life goes in the mortal world. They will outlast men. Zeus, not the Trojans, controls the destiny of the fortress. He has decided that Poseiden and Apollo will tear it down using the surrounding bodies of water. Hector who is leading the charge against the Achaean fortifications is described as being as strong as a wild boar. He and the other Trojan soldiers are advised by Polydamas to dismount from their chariots because they will not be able to cross the ditch dug by the Achaeans. Hector’s fighting ability is being glorified at this point. The advice of Hector’s mate is a sign that there will be more heavier and closer killing and fighting scenes. The Trojan ally Asius attempts to attack the Achaean gate, but fails. Two Greek spearmen, Polypoetes and Leonteus hold back the Trojans by hurling rocks at the advancing troops. It seems as if Zeus has decided that Asius will not be the one to receive the glory that comes with storming the defensive walls of the Greeks. When Hector and Polydamas try to storm the ramparts, they see an eagle holding a bloody serpent in its claws; the serpent bites the eagle which releases it from its hold. This is seen as a sign that the Trojans will fail by Polydamas, but Hector moves onward. The eagle holding the serpent is an example of the ambiguous signs of fate sent by the gods. Hector’s refusal to heed the sign may be seen as courageous, since the Achaean wall seems to be barely holding on, but to me it’s a matter of poor judgement on his part. It is admirable that he will fight for Troy no matter what, but sometimes you need to take a step back and assess the situation. There may have been better options that would have led them to victory. The combat between the Trojans and Achaeans highlights the constant battle for control and the harsh tension between the two opposing forces. Any one event, a mistake, one single contribution may turn the tide of war in favor of either side.

1. In what ways could Agamemnon be criticized as a leader in books 1–2 of the Iliad?

• Agamemnon doesn’t have a truly effective leadership style. He allows his personal traits and feelings to get in the way of his focus on victory. They interfere with the king’s ability to carry out his responsibilities as a king and commander of soldiers.

2. What does Agamemnon do to lead the Greek army in Books 9–11?

• In Books 9–11, Agamemnon makes a complete shift from his aggressive and rash behavior and begins to develop strategic battlefield thinking skills. Obviously he felt that something had to change in order for him to bring home a victory.

3. How would you advise him to improve his leadership?

• I would advise Agamemnon to continue with this approach. The only way to win a battle, in my opinion, is to have a proportionate balance between combat and strategic actions taken outside of the battlefield. He needs to let his emotions go; anything other than the desire to win and kill as many Trojans as possible needs to be suppressed and transformed into the will to be victorious.

In-Class on 09/15/20

We continued our discussion regarding the ethos, logos, and pathos appeals in each speech that Ajax, Phoenix, and Odysseus make in order to convince Achilles to return to the war.

Ajax

• appeal to his warrior side
• prospective regret
• if we lose its your fault
• Ashamed- it will be publicly humiliating for you to have not done anything when your people needed you the most

Phoenix

• the man who is seen as trustworthy, everything he states is delivered with good intentions
• highlights the almost father-son relationship between him and Achilles

Odysseus- the clever one

• appealing to the sense of comradery
• your dad would want you to act differently; relies on Peleus’ credibility as a father

The choice of each man was methodical. Ajax for his ability to relate to the trials and tribulations of being a warrior, Odysseus for his sense of comradery, his closeness allows him to appeal to Achilles easily, and Phoenix, who has a sort of father-like attachment to Achilles. The most interesting point brought up in class was regarding Ajax’s attempt to persuade Achilles to return to the battle. He claims that Achilles should not spoil his god-given talents based on his pride. Achilles is being offered more than that of a man whose brother is killed- who takes the compensation- but is getting worked up over one girl-Briseis. It shows that this pride that the characters hold runs deep.

It seems to me like the return of Achilles would be the turning point of the war. If he wanted to be a warrior so bad, he should accept that death may be eventual if he shall have his glory. This waiting while his people are struggling to overpower the Trojans is selfish.

Key Term(s)

Prosopopeia- the rhetorical practice of putting words or argumentation into the voice of someone the audience respects or trusts. Literal meaning is “face making”.( Prosopos- face, poeia- making); fashioning a face for yourself.

a fortiori argument: “from the stronger”

09/16/20

8:50PM-11:00PM

Homer’s Iliad, Book 13

Pleased with the dominance of the Trojans, Zeus takes his eyes off the battlefield, confident that no other gods would dare interfere with his plans. However, Zeus notices his neglect and decides to assist the Achaeans. Poseidon takes the form of Calchas, a Greek seer, and gives courage to the Aeantes(Great Ajax-Aias- and Ajax the Lesser, son of Oileus) telling them that their men will follow suit if they hold fast. They encourage the men around them and Poseiden’s guiding words reach the entire Achaean army. Here we see that Zeus is not omnipotent and is not “all-seeing” as he claims and believes himself to be. It’s good to see this dude knocked down a peg or two. Fate and destiny are proven to be forces that are outside the control of any god. As the battle goes on, the Aeantes are in a battle with Hector, who attempts to kill Teucer- Aias’s half brother- but misses and kills Amphimachus, Poseiden’s grandson. Poseiden is filled with rage and urges Idomeneus, King of Crete to revenge his grandson. The Crete king, along with his comrade Meriones, rejoin the battle. How spiteful and angry these gods have proven themselves to be despite regarding themselves as superior to mortals with the way they control their lives. But they succumb to human emotions so easily. These gods have close ties to the war in the form of both relatives and their desire for theri supported side to be victorious. There is an obvious clash of wills between Zeus and Poseiden. Zeus favors the Trojans, which would provide more glory for Achilles, but Poseiden is undermining this desire and is determined to protect the Achaeans. This conflict in desires is proving to be very dangerous for the mortals.

1. What four gods have affected the plot of the Iliad the most so far?

• Zeus, Hera, Athena, and Apollo have affected the plot of the Iliad the most so far. Especially Zeus, who believes that his will must decide the fate of the war, and actually is synonymous with it. The other gods have intervened in his plans in favor of the army that they supported.

2. What have been the motives of each god?

• Apollo is on the side of the Trojans whilst Hera and Athena are on the side of the Achaeans. Zeus constantly tips the balance of the war towards each side, but is ultimately on the side of the Achaeans, as his plan ends in their eventual victory. The “lesser” gods have been deemed as unable to overpower the will of Zeus, since he is more powerful than all of them combined, but they do tip the war in favor of their supported force as much as they can.