The Iliad by Homer

If there ever was a classical book, I guess this is it. Attributed to Homer and considered to have been written around the 8th century BC. It took me quite some time to read it. There are a lot of descriptions of people, who they are, the son of ... from ..., and fighting scenes which I don't always find very thrilling. However, it is a great story and the writing is fine even with our modern minds. I think most of you are familiar with the theme of the Trojan war, and the story, so will not go into this here. 

In my Penguin Classics edition there is a summary of each book which helps a lot. Throughout the book I noted a few interesting quotes.

Book 9: "My mother, the silver-footed goddess Thetis, says that I have two fates that could carry me to the end of death. If I stay here and fight on round the Trojans' city, then gone is my homecoming, but my glory will never die: and if I come back to my dear native land, then gone is my great glory, but my life will stretch long and the end of death will not overtake me quickly."

Book 13: "But he did soon find godlike Alexandros, husband of lovely-haired Helen, out on the left of the ruinous fighting, urgin on his men and spurring them to battle. Hektor came close and spoke to him with insulting words: 'Paris you pest, good for nothing but looks, you woman-crazed seducer, where are Deiphobos and the mighty lord Helenos, and Asios' son Adamas, and Asios son of Hyrtakos? What have you done with them? And where is Othryoneus? Now the whole of high Ilios is utterly ruined - now your own sheer destructions is assured.'"

Book 16 (Summary): Patroklos, who had seen the crisis from the hut where he was comforting Eurypylos, now comes running to Achilleus and appeals to him with a cumulation of all the emotion that suggested, at least to allow Patroklos to lead the Myrmidons into battle, dressed in Achilleus' own armour. This is the hinge of the Iliad, turning events into a straight and tragic sequence which redirects Achilleus' anger and ensures the fall of Troy."

Book 16: "But you, Achilleus, are impossible to deal with. May I never be taken by an anger like yours, this anger you are feeding! Your pride is ruinous - what good will you do for any other man in time to come, if you do not save the Argives from shameful destruction? Cruel man!"

 The Iliad is a fascinating story, more so with the involvement of the gods. They keep different favourites in the fight, and far too often interfere to make things worse. Zeus is trying to keep them tight, but it does not always help. I love the coming and going to and from Mount Olympus, like when Thetis goes there to ask Hephaistos to make an armour for Achilleus; "She went darting down from the peaks of Olympos...". It gives a feeling of lightness, to be able to move from the dwelling of the gods, down to the people on earth, like a bird almost. 

I am happy I did read this epos. I find The Odyssey much easier to read and grasp. It also contains many different adventures that Odysseus encounter on his long journey back to his wife and son. Nevertheless, The Iliad, is a marvellous story. I imagine that if you are a historian you can find a lot of information on people, families and places during the Antiquity in this story.