| Background
| Cycle |
| Study
Guide1 | Study Guide 2 |
| Study
Guide 3 | Study Guide 4 |
| Home
|
© David Claudon, 2001.
Part One: Books 1-6
The power of Homer is his ability to tell a story and create powerful visual images... rather than just trying to read him, try to see what he describes. It would make an outstanding movie.
 |
Where did the main Achean champions come from? According to Peter Levi's Atlas of the Greek World (52), the main heroes realms were as shown at left. (Click on map to see a larger image) |
Book 1: The Rage of Achilles
Overview
This book introduces the problem which will create "the rage of Achilles." Note the power wielded by Agamemnon, Achilles, Apollo, Hera, and Zeus. Although Apollo is appeased, the problem is still unresolved and Achilles refuses to participate in the war until he has his revenge.
New Characters and Names Introduced
- Achaea (Greece)
- Achilles
- Agamemnon (also called son of Atreus and Atrides)
- Argives (the Greeks)
- BriseisCalchas (a seer)
- Chryseis
- Chryses (a priest of Apollo)
- Hephaestus the Master Craftsman
- Hera
- Nestor
- Odysseus
- Pallas Athena
- Patroclus
- Phoebus Apollo
- Thetis
- Troy
- Zeus
Thought
Questions:
- What does Agamemnon do to create the problem?
- Why is Achilles so angry at Agamemnon?
- What do the Achaeans do to appease Apollo?
- What kind of relationship do Thetis and Achilles have?
- What's Hera's reaction to Zeus' agreement with Thetis?
- The book introduces us to most of the main characters. What kind of initial reaction do you have to each?
Quiz on the Book:
- What character is known as the "swift runner"?
- What incident causes Apollo to send a plague to kill the Achaeans?
- Why does Agamemnon not want to give back Chryseis?
- What kind of relationship do Achilles and Agamemnon have?
- What does Agamemnon want in return for returning Chryseis?
- What do the Achaeans do to appease Apollo?
- How is Achilles' housing described?
- Why can't Thetis go immediately to ask Zeus for help?
- What
does Thetis ask of Zeus?
- What kind of pose does one have to do when begging Zeus something?
- What gesture does Zeus give which shows he will help?
- Why
did Achilles believe that Zeus would help?
Book 2: The Great Gathering of Armies
Overview
This book is known as the "catalogue of ships" because it lists all the Achean troops that are at the war and later lists all the Trojans.
The men are ready to leave until they are inspired to fight. As the troops march toward Troy, the bard lists the ships that came... just skim that section (lines 584-886). What true cinematic moment Homer creates as the two armies surge to face off each other, "like piling leaves or sand, and on and on they came..." Homer's description of Trojan troops only runs lines 927-989.
New Characters and Names Introduced
- Aeneas
- Hector
- Iris
- Menelaus
- Polites
- Priam
- Sarpedon
- Scamander (a river between the ships and Troy)
- Thersites (the ugliest man who ever came to Troy)
Thought
Questions:
- What view of Zeus' attitude toward both Achaeans and Trojans is given around line 45?
- How does Agamemnon's plan almost backfire, but how is everything turned around?
- What view of social class is suggested by the incident between Thersites and Odysseus?
- What view of revenge is given around line 420?
- What imagery does Homer create of the armies moving toward Troy?
- What do these geographic details tell us about the terrain of the land?: The ships>Scamander (the river) plain>Scamander meadow>Thicket Ridge>Troy
Quiz on the Book:
- What dream does Zeus send Agamemnon?
- What human form does the dream take?
- How does Agamemnon test the men?
- Who does Athena go to to convince everyone that they should fight?
- How long have the men been there, according to Odysseus?
- What did the omen with the snake and the sparrows mean, according to Calchas?
- What leader joins in inspiring the men?
- How are the Trojans warned about the advancing Greek armies?
Book 3: Helen Reviews the Champions
Overview
The two armies meet and Paris suggests that a truce be called and he and Menelaus fight for Helen. Priam at the tower asks Helen to name to champions. Menealus and Paris have their face-off.
"If
Paris brings Menelaus down in blood,
he keeps Helen himself and all her wealth
and we sail home in our racing deep-sea ships.
But if red-haired Menelaus brings down Paris,
the Trojans surrender Helen and all her treasures.
And they pay us reparations fair and fitting,
a price to inspire generations still to come."
New Characters and Names Introduced
- Antenor
- Great Ajax
- Helen
- Idomeneus
- Paris
- the Scaean Gates (the gate-tower of Troy)
Thought
Questions:
- What opinion does Hector have of his brother Paris?
- What significance is Paris' line, "Not to be tossed aside,/the gifts of the gods, those glories.../whatever the gods give of their own free will--/how could we ever choose them for ourselves"?
- How would you contrast the two brothers, Hector and Paris?
- What does Antenor tell us about the original negotiations to get Helen back?
- Is Helen a sympathetic character?
- What is Homer suggesting about the power of lust over humans when Aphrodite sends Helen to the bedroom to comfort Paris?
Quiz on the Book:
- How are the two forces described as they come together?
- What makes Paris shrink back into the ranks, "as one who trips on a snake in a hilltop hollow recoils..."?
- What had to be done first before an agreement could be made?
- What is Helen doing when we first see her?
- What does Iris fill Helen's heart with?
- What happens in the fight between Paris and Menelaus?
- How is Paris saved?
- What reaction does Helen have regarding Paris?
- At end of the book, where are Paris and Helen?
- What decision does Agamemnon make at the end?
Book 4: The Truce Erupts in War
Overview
The moment we have waited for finally comes. The truce is broken and after Agamemnon spurs on his troops, the war resumes in earnest. Note the graphic descriptions of death and dying, beginning line 529.
"That
day ranks of Trojans, ranks of Achaean fighters
sprawled there side-by-side, facedown in the dust."
New Characters and Names Introduced
-
Diomedes
-
Pandarus
Thought
Questions:
- What city does Zeus say he loves best? What cities does Hera praise?
- In what way does the book suggest that men are truly the pawns of the gods?
- How effective is Homer's first description of blood in the book...Menelaus' wound (lines 160-167)?
- How does Homer help his listener/reader know the main leaders?
- How does the ancestor worship of the Achaeans show itself?
Quiz on the Book:
- What arguement begins the book?
- How is the truce broken?
- What is Athena's role in the breaking of the truce?
- Whose final rush into battle "sprang from his chariot fully armed and hit the ground," and begins the description of the fight?
- What immortal being spurs on the Trojans from far on the city's heights?
- What immortal being spurs on the Achaeans from in the battle?
Book 5: Diomedes Fights the Gods
Overview
At the beginning all the Achean heroes kill Trojans. Then the book concentrates on Diomedes who shows superhuman capabilities, aided by Athena. He even confronts 3 of the gods, inspiring Athena and Hera to join in the fray.
"Doesn't
the son of Tydeus know, down deep,
the man who fights the gods does not live long?"
This vision of Athena, created by David Claudon, comes from an ancient Greek pottery painting. Note the description of Athena and her armor, lines 841-857.
Called The Diomedeia, this book covers the exploits of Diomedes, one of the Achaeans' greatest warriors.
New Characters and Names Introduced
-
Dione
-
Tlepolemus
-
Hebe
Thought
Questions:
- How would you visually portray Diomedes from the beginning descriptions of the book?
- The Greek gods cannot die, but what limitation do they have regarding suffering and pain?
- Which side are the following gods on? Aphrodite, Apollo, Ares, Athena
- Why do you think Homer gives the background of many of the people killed?
- What is the importance of taunting the enemy such as what we see in the encounter with Tlepolemus and Sarpedon?
Quiz on the Book:
- What physical change does Athena give Diomedes at the beginning of the book?
- What ability does Athena give Diomedes regarding the gods?
- What of Aeneas' does Diomedes want?
- How is Pandarus killed?
- How is Aeneas saved?
- How does Aphrodite get to Mt. Olympus?
- What does Dione describe in great detail to Aphrodite?
- What is ichor?
- What god protects Aeneas against Diomedes, shouting, "Think, Diomedes, shrink back now!...We are not of the same breed..."?
- Who treats Aeneas back to health in the Pergamus?
- How does Apollo make people think Aeneas was still there?
- What do Athena and Hera set out to do in their chariots?
- What does Ares do after being wounded by Diomedes?
Book 6: Hector Returns to Troy
Overview
Up to this point, the book has concentrated on killing. A new theme appears of ransom and spoils. Two incidents investigate the new theme. The last part of the book deals with the effects of war on the families. Hector visits the three women of his life, his mother, Helen, and Andromache.
...Priam's
palace, that magnificent structure
built wide with porches and colonnades
of polished stone.
And deep within its walls were fifty sleeping chambers
masoned in smooth, lustous ashlar, linked in a line
where the sons of
Priam slept beside their wedded wives,
and facing these, opening out across
the inner courtyard,
lay the twelve sleeping chambers of Priam's daughters,
masoned and roofed in lustrous ashlar, linked in a line, where the sons-in-law
of Priam slept beside their wives.
New Characters and Names Introduced
- Andromache
- Astyanax
- Glaucus
- Helenus
- Hecuba
Thought
Questions:
- The encounter between Menelaus and Adrestus begins a motif of pleading for ones life. What becomes the formula for this action and response?
- What purpose does the encounter between Glaucus and Diomedes serve?
- What view do we have of the religious beliefs of the Trojans?
- What do we learn about the effects of war from the speeches of Andromache and Hector?
- In what way does Andromache bring a sense of humanity to the entire book?
Quiz on the Book:
- Why is Adrestus killed?
- What advice does Helenus give Hector?
- What hero grandfather does Glaucus describe as having killed the Chimaera and fought the Amazons?
- How were Glaucus' wits shown "stolen away" in the deal with Diomedes?
- What instructions does Hector give Hecuba?
- How does Hector treat Helen?
- Where is Andromache when Hector has his final meeting with her?
- What is Astyanax's reaction to his father's armor?
- What does Andromache do in reaction to Hector's leaving?
- How does the book end?