Allison Bishop History 1500s L.

Blake October 25, 2013 Document Analysis Essay The Iliad, written by Homer, is the subject of my essay. Homer seems to be an intelligent man and his descriptions and actions of the gods are like other Greek mythologies. The Iliad has been a book that is widely discussed, especially by those in learning institutions. Homer is a poet, and we only catch a glimpse of him through his writings, like this book, and other works that he has created. Not much is actually known of him, however, and no one is sure who he really is or where he came from. Scholars guess he was a native of Ionia, which is in the eastern Aegean. The time frame for which the book was written was decided by a majority of modernday scholars, who concluded it to be in the late 8th or early 7th century B.C. The Iliad is a fictitious poem that is centered on the Greek demigod, Achilles. The book takes place in Troy, also known as Ilium, when the war was in its tenth and final year of carnage. The battle is between the Achaeans of Argos and, of course, the Trojans. The whole premise of the book is based on the rage of Achilles, which the first chapter is titled. He was cheated and disgraced by the king of the Achaeans, Lord Agamemnon. This rage brought on by Agamemnon produced a cascading chain of disastrous effects upon the army of the Achaeans and their allying forces, one that would not have taken place if this feud had never happened. Though this affair did take place, it resulted in the glory that Achilles had always been promised. Just like any other story, there are a chain of events that need to be followed. This book leads off with that great argument between Lord Agamemnon and the godlike warrior. Just as the cause of the Trojan War had been about a woman, so, too, was this. On orders from Phoebus

Apollo, lord of the silver bow, Agamemnon was ordered to return his prize, Chryseis, to her father. She was the daughter of a faithful priest to Apollo, who had prayed that she would be reunited with him. Upon her return, the feud between Achilles and the king had begun. The dispute was over the girl, Briseis, Achilles prize from one of the villages previously ransacked by the Achaean army. Now that the king was left without his prize, he wanted someone elses, and his eyes had settled on Achilles. Go to Achilles lodge. Take Briseis at once, his beauty Briseis by the hand and bring her here. But if he will not surrender her, Ill go myself, Ill seize her myself, with an army at my back- and all the worse for him! (Agamemnon. The Iliad, Homer, Penguin Classic PG. 88.) The spurned Achilles sat and watched as the war became more intense and the bodies of the Achaeans began to accumulate. On the battlefield, there was a mutual agreement between the two warring nations. Each man fighting for the hand of Helen would fight to the death. Whoever was the victor would receive Helen and her dowry and the war would end, however, if there was any treachery on either side, the war would begin again seven fold. The one-on-one battle had begun and the Greek Menelaus had Paris by the throat, but before Menelaus could finish the job, the goddess of love, Aphrodite, whisked him away to spare his life. By the standards of the agreement Menelaus had won, but the fight was not over. While the armies awaited new instructions, the Goddess Athena, who was in favor of the Greeks, tricked a Trojan warrior into murdering Menelaus. The bowman released, watching his arrow as it barricaded itself inside his shoulder. Athena had blocked his shot, saving the kings brother from any fatal wound. A commotion stirred among the Achaeans and there was a realization that the oath had been broken by the Trojans. With the battle commencing, Zeus, much to the dismay of Poseidon, Hera, and Athena, had decided to tip the scale in favor of the Trojans. He did so to honor his promise to Thetis, mother of Achilles, to

make Agamemnon realize his mistake and beg Achilles for his forgiveness. With the battle raging and all the gods now restrained by the command of Zeus, the Trojans, led by Hector, slaughtered the people of Argos. With such great losses to the Achaean armies, Hera and Athena rushed for their battle armor and war chariots. As they sped to the aid of their warriors, Zeus halted their approach with the reminder of the fate that awaited any god or goddess who dared defy him. With the help of Zeus, the great Hector had led his troops to a victory that day, smashing the hopes and prayers of any and all the Greeks. With Zeuss plan in motion and the Achaeans having nowhere else to turn, Lord Agamemnon sent a royal embassy to Achilles, asking for his forgiveness. In return for his outrage, the king offered many great and precious gifts to appease the scorned warrior. Achilles refused the kings offer with even more hatred flowing through his icy veins, and without the strength of Achilles, this war would undoubtedly be a victory for the Trojans. With the absence of Achilles, making death great among the Achaeans, Poseidon took his position, unable to be restrained by his brothers threats any longer. He rushed to the aid of the Greeks, who had been pushed all the way back to their own ships. Hera, also trying to help the Greeks claw their way out from underneath the thumbs of the Trojans, seduced her husband, and with help from the god of Sleep, held him in a dreaming state. Poseidon held no force back with his brother out of the way, helping the Achaeans to reclaim their lost ground. With Zeus asleep and Poseidons forces behind the Greeks, Hector had taken a devastating blow that had left him severely wounded. Friends and comrades came to his rescue and carried him back towards the wall of Troy. Awakening, the God of Thunder ordered Hera to send Iris and Apollo to him for his disposal. He instructed Iris to call off Poseidon and he had sent Apollo to heal Hector from his infirmities. Poseidon gave in to his brothers demands, but not without his own threats. As Apollo reached

Hector, he obeyed the high kings commands and healed him at once. Hector, with new life surging through his core, continued on his way to the frontlines of battle to command his troops. In the sky above, Apollo was soaring over them with the shield of Zeus, bringing a new fighting spirit over the entire Trojan army. Hector, at the head of his army, had once again succeeded in pushing the Greeks back to the shoreline, pitting them against the hulls of their ships. Achilles sat by and did nothing, as pittance for his wounded pride, and by doing so, he had lost a beloved comrade to the mighty Hector. Now, beside himself over the death of his friend, Achilles stormed along the beach, making his way to the chambers of Agamemnon. He announced his rejoining of the army and took his position as a commander to receive vengeance for his friend, Patroclus, giving hope and courage to all who were with him. He dawned his armor, a gift received from the god of fire, and drove his chariot pulling stallions out into the front ranks. As Achilles approached, Priam, king of all Troy, saw the hatred in his eyes as he came for Hector. He watched in horror as his favorite son was being hunted down by a mad man. During the chase, Athena had come to Hector disguised as his brother, Deiphobus, and convinced the Trojan to battle it out face-to-face with Achilles. Blows were given and received, and finally, after ten years of grueling war, the mighty Hector had joined his brothers in death, giving Achilles the vengeance he was after. Dragging the lifeless body behind his chariot, Achilles led the way back to the ships. With Hector taken by death, Priam and his wife were stricken with grief for the loss of their son, but the thought of not being able to bury him was far too much to endure. Zeus, seeing their grief and having sorrow of his own, ordered Achilles to return Hectors beaten, lifeless body back to his father. Following Priams return with his son, Hector had, at long last, received his royal burial ceremonies. Reaching his end, Hector had been honored this one final time, thanks only to the will of Zeus.

This book is a telling story for almost any age, it is about love, loss, life, death, and the great lengths that people will go to too get what they want. I think it was written for the joys of entertainment, as most fantasies are. It seems that this era is portrayed as if war is the way you solve your problems, if you have the power and means to do so. It also seems like nothing is really yours, and that things can be taken from you just as easily as they have been given. This society seems dominant on male figures and the powers they have under their control, while the woman seem content with supporting their men in whatever decisions they make. The whole bases of this story is dependent on the feud between Achilles and Agamemnon. Without it, none of these events would likely have taken place. We know that there would still have been a war, and that, because of the prophesy, Achilles would still die, but the many deaths that had taken place on behalf of Achilles wounded pride would not have happened. Zeus might not have tipped the scale in favor of the Trojans, and Patroclus might not have died, causing the immense rage Achilles felt towards Hector. Many on both sides would still have died, but that is a price we must pay with any war. Remind him of that, now, go and sit beside him, grasp his knees persuade him, somehow, to help the Trojan cause, to pin the Achaeans back against their ships, trap them round the bay and mow them down. So all can reap the benefits of their king- so even mighty Atrides can see how mad he was to disgrace Achilles, the best of the Achaeans! (Achilles. The Iliad, Homer, Penguin Classic PG. 91.) As you read through the story, you can, in fact, see that all of Achilles desires, had become a reality. You are able to see that the Trojans did drive back the Achaeans to their ships, more than once, and, being trapped between the Trojans and their own ships, the Trojans were able to, trap them round the bay and mow them down. The Achaean army did see what Agamemnons mistake had done, to all of his soldiers, giving them reason to return to their homeland. Seeing his

soldiers bravery shrinking, and wanting to retreat, Atrides realized his mistake hed made towards Achilles, giving Achilles last desire recognition as, the best of the Achaeans, because without him, the war would have been a victory for the Trojans. Consequently, if not for the betrayal of Agamemnon, this would have been an entirely different story. Bibliography: The Iliad by Homer, Published by the Penguin Group in 1990 Penguin Books Inc. 375 Hudson Street, New York, New York 10014. U.S.A.