Class Notes 2/1/12

New Characters & Their Sides:

Greek, Achean, Argives

• Diomedes
• Patroclus
• Athena
• Posidon
• Hera
• Zeus (Goes back and forth)

Trojans

• Aphrodite
• Ares
• Zeus (Goes back and forth because Troy is his favorite city)

Class Discussion Topics:

1. Homosexuality was not uncommon at war (Achilles & Patroclus ?)

2. To Supplicate or be a Suppliant "Placing yourself at the mercy of another"

• Suppliants use a specific position of pleading when they supplicate (Thetis appeals to Zeus a.k.a. protector of the suppliants)

3. Kleos, Kudos, & Time

• Kléos: fame, reputation, glory
• Kûdos: charisma & star quality
• tímê: honor, status, worth

4. Little Facts about Gods

• Gods have favorite cities (Zeus-Troy?)
• Gods can't die, but they can be hurt
• Gods can't kill each other even though they're both immortal
• Children of gods aren't necessarily better, but comparatively they're often more superior
• Gods use mortals to hurt each other

5. Why did the Trojans go to war for Paris if there's no respect?

To protect Troy from being destroyed by the Greeks and to honor family lineage

6. Why does Homer indent at certain points?

The Illiad is a poem and it's to keep the meter of the poem going. Homer also repeats many themes such as epithets and dreams to achieve the correct meter.