The Iliad of Homer, Books 1-5
Note: Don't read the intro. We'll read it later. Let's read the actual thing first. You can read the translator's note if you like -- it's only two pages.
Poems:
"On First Looking Into Chapman's Homer" by John Keats
Much have I travell'd in the realms of gold,
And many goodly states and kingdoms seen;
Round many western islands have I been
Which bards in fealty to Apollo hold.
Oft of one wide expanse had I been told
That deep-brow'd Homer ruled as his demesne;
Yet did I never breathe its pure serene
Till I heard Chapman speak out loud and bold:
Then felt I like some watcher of the skies
When a new planet swims into his ken;
Or like stout Cortez when with eagle eyes
He star'd at the Pacific—and all his men
Look'd at each other with a wild surmise—
Silent, upon a peak in Darien.
ACHILLES’ baneful wrath resound, O Goddess, that impos’d
Infinite sorrows on the Greeks, and many brave souls los’d
From breasts heroic; sent them far to that invisible cave
That no light comforts; and their limbs to dogs and vultures gave:
To all which Jove’s will gave effect; from whom first strife begun
Betwixt Atrides, king of men, and Thetis’ godlike son.
What god gave Eris their command, and op’d that fighting vein?
Jove’s and Latona’s son: who fir’d against the king of men,
For contumély shown his priest, infectious sickness sent
To plague the army, and to death by troops the soldiers went.
Occasion’d thus: Chryses, the priest, came to the fleet to buy,
For presents of unvalu’d price, his daughter’s liberty;
The golden sceptre and the crown of Phœbus in his hands
Proposing; and made suit to all, but most to the commands
Of both th’ Atrides, who most rul’d. “Great Atreus’ sons,” said he,
“And all ye well-greav’d Greeks, the gods, whose habitations be
In heav’nly houses, grace your pow’rs with Priam’s razéd town,
And grant ye happy conduct home! To win which wish’d renown
Of Jove, by honouring his son, far-shooting Phœbus, deign
For these fit presents to dissolve the ransomable chain
Of my lov’d daughter’s servitude.” The Greeks entirely gave
Glad acclamatións, for sign that their desires would have
The grave priest reverenc’d, and his gifts of so much price embrac’d.
The Gen’ral yet bore no such mind, but viciously disgrac’d
With violent terms the priest, and said:— “Dotard! avoid our fleet,
Where ling’ring be not found by me; nor thy returning feet
Let ever visit us again; lest nor thy godhead’s crown,
Nor sceptre, save thee! Her thou seek’st I still will hold mine own,
Till age deflow’r her. In our court at Argos, far transferr’d
From her lov’d country, she shall ply her web, and see prepar’d
With all fit ornaments my bed. Incense me then no more,
But, if thou wilt be safe, be gone.”
Creative Assignments:
Choose one of the thunderously beautiful images in the first five books of The Iliad to sketch in pencil and then illustrate in color. Use watercolor or acrylic paint. Some options:
the lines about the army being like bees, lines 87-92
"the shadowy mountains and the echoing sea"
"the rose fingers of dawn"
the description of Athene, lines 733-747
"the dark of the deep forest"
Helen's embroidered robe, lines 125-129
"within his shaggy breast the heart was divided two ways"
OR
Choose one of Achilles' angry speeches (like the one in lines 149-171, or 225-244) and think about Achilles' frustration with Agamemnon's judgment. How is that reflected in the text? Achilles is the last person to make concessions or try to appear neutral -- in fact words like "must" and "never" and nothing" tell us how absolute is his thinking. Write a poem that expresses undiluted passion such as this using this kind of vocabulary (never, always, must, nothing, etc) to make a defiant statement. You might start with one of the following lines, taken from The Iliad:
So I must be called
You shall take nothing
Never once have you
Writing Assignments:
The Iliad begins ten years into the siege of Troy. In a succinct essay of 300 words, give the backstory up to this point. You'll want to talk about Helen, Paris, Menelaus, Agamemnon, and Achilles. You'll want to explain who the Achaians are, and the Danaans. In short, catch yourself and then your reader up on the action so far. You'll maybe need to do a bit of research for this -- at least look it up to confirm your information, even if you know. Cite one source.
OR
Compare the beginning of Chapman's translation with the beginning of Lattimore's translation. The lines quoted above correspond to lines 1-33 in the Lattimore. Write a 300 word essay in which you compare the two translations on specific points of language -- word choice, diction, meter -- and also general impressions or mood/tone. Think of an interesting intro to hook in your readers, maybe referring to the Keats poem or to the events referred to in the passage. Remember to take your reader to a new place in the conclusion -- this could be an opinion/judgment in this case.
AP Lang:
Read "Letter from Birmingham Jail" by Martin Luther King Jr., in your textbook. Then watch the above video and read the letter referenced therein, from Francois Truffaut to Jean-Luc Godard. You can read the letter here in a version that has some of the french words in parentheses.
These two letters are obviously quite different. Be prepared to discuss in class the rhetorical differences between the two letters, and connect them to the author's purpose and the author's intended audience. No writing assignment for this week -- just make sure you're ready for a robust discussion on Tuesday.
Quiz:
1. Who is the son of Atreus, and who is Atreides, and who is Agamemnon?
2. What has Agamemnon done to upset the priest of Apollo, and what did Apollo do in retaliation for this?
3. Kalchas is a "bird interpreter" who see the future, present and past by observing flights of birds. What is the name for this practice? (You'll have to look it up)
4. What are hecatombs?
5. When Achilles says that Agamemnon "has taken away my prize and keeps it," to what prize is he referring? (line 356)
6. What do you notice about line 22 and like 376?
7. What favor does Thetis ask from Zeus?
8. Why did Hera get annoyed with Zeus for talking to Thetis?
9. Who comforted Hera?
10. Who did Zeus send down to deliver a message to Agamemnon, and what was the message?
11. What hero takes up the cause of arguing for staying to fight, urged on by Athene?
12. What two metaphors are used to describe the marching army of the Achaians, after the feast in book 2?
13. What message did Iris bring to the Trojans, and what metaphors did she use?
14. What does Hektor propose to the Achaians, in lines 86-87 of book 3?
15. What is Helen's response to Paris, after the duel?
16. The gods are wondering whether to keep the peace or start up war again. Who advocates for starting up the war?
17. How do the gods get the fighting going again, and what is the result?
18. Which gods are on the Greek side and which are on the Trojan side?
19. What special help does Athene give to Diomedes in the battle, and how does he use it?
20. What is ichor?
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