Week 3 - The Iliad

[jb]

March 27 through April 2:
Book seven through book 10: pages 214 - 295 (81 pages)

Book seven: Ajax Duels with Hector
Book eight: The Tide of Battle Turns
Book nine: The Embassy to Achilles
Book ten: Marauding Through the Night

[Renee]

I'm almost caught up! Starting this section today. :)

[Renee]

So far the chapter which stands out is Book 9 where Odysseus tells Agamemnon he has wronged Achilles, and then goes to Achilles will a host of presents and promises to tempt him back to the fight and make amends.

[Alana]

If I remember correctly, isn't Achilles less than thrilled with the attempts at essentially bribing him? I remember him sounded like a snobby child at this point.

[Renee]

Yes. He pretty much says "Thanks but no thanks." Although he makes several good points about how Agamemnon has been behaving for the last nine years. And there's the whole prophecy thing. Plus, Everyman made a pretty good point about the disrespect, loss of face and wages. And Achilles does seem to be advocating that they all just go home already.

Still, the overall impression is Prima Donna. Especially with what I remember about how he behaves later in the story.

[Lisa]

I agree with that comment, Achilles behaves like a petulant child. Mind you, so does Agamemnon.

I'm not really enjoying this very much. The ongoing misogyny is tiring.

[Everyman]

Lisa wrote: "I agree with that comment, Achilles behaves like a petulant child. Mind you, so does Agamemnon.

I'm not really enjoying this very much. The ongoing misogyny is tiring."

Understandable by modern standards. But if we look at this not simply as a tale of two men in argument, but in the wider context of what different societies throughout history have taken as their core values and how they reacted when those core values were challenged, maybe it takes on a different aspect.