Another layered read! As only an enthusiastic amateur, you bring Book 21 to life with nuance, urgency, and modern resonance. This is especially true of environmental and emotional insights. I’ll never read Achilles’ fury or Hephaestus’ fire the same way again.
Stewardship of our environment. What’s our responsibility and what happens when we don’t take that seriously?
The environment always gets a vote. This actually aligns with the broader theme of outcomes being out of our hands that’s been screaming at me throughout the book.
Matthew, I have not been closely following these posts since I am not currently reading the Illiad, but I'm planning to embark on it in the not too distant future, and I look forward to revisiting your work on the epic poem! I have been impressed with how thoroughly you've engaged with Homer!
This is my favorite book so far. I can't help but think the depth of Achilles rage is at least party the result of his knowledge of his own impending doom. But his refusal to show any mercy and the degree of his ruthlessness are disturbing and he seems to be someone who has become unhinged, something that can definitely happens in the midst of war when soldiers savagely kill, rape and pillage civilian populations. Barbaric behavior, unfortunately, appears to be part of the human condition.
Your dive into Hephaestus was particularly illuminating and thought-provoking. It triggered in my mind the question of why the Greeks (and other ancient cultures) needed a god like him in their pantheon. Shouldn't all gods be perfect, at least in body if not by character? In pondering this, a thought occurred to me that has probably been obvious and well-understood by everyone else. Ancient cultures had gods that reflected all facets of humanity. We've all known folks who lack formal education, perhaps rough in appearance or with some physical impairments, but who are masters with their hands, who can figure out how everything works, and who can fix or build anything. The Greeks needed Hephaestus in their pantheon to be representative of people like this.
Scamander's reaction to being defiled with corpses is wonderfully told and inspiring. My favorite outside activity is a day in my solo canoe on a river. While the river and its environs will always enchant, it is disturbing to see trash along the river, much of it plastic that will last millennia. Nature will have her revenge, probably not in the form that Scamander takes, although I would love to see that!
Powerful, thank you. Am adding, in case of interest, a link to a YouTube recording of WH Auden reading his harrowing poem “The Shield of Achilles”: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=hpblaBb93fo
Thanks, Matthew! I would never have made it this far without your guidance. I'm looking forward to Book 22, especially when I never thought I would make it this far. Mom
Another layered read! As only an enthusiastic amateur, you bring Book 21 to life with nuance, urgency, and modern resonance. This is especially true of environmental and emotional insights. I’ll never read Achilles’ fury or Hephaestus’ fire the same way again.
I agree - fabulous analysis this week Matthew 👏🏼
Stewardship of our environment. What’s our responsibility and what happens when we don’t take that seriously?
The environment always gets a vote. This actually aligns with the broader theme of outcomes being out of our hands that’s been screaming at me throughout the book.
Matthew, I have not been closely following these posts since I am not currently reading the Illiad, but I'm planning to embark on it in the not too distant future, and I look forward to revisiting your work on the epic poem! I have been impressed with how thoroughly you've engaged with Homer!
This is my favorite book so far. I can't help but think the depth of Achilles rage is at least party the result of his knowledge of his own impending doom. But his refusal to show any mercy and the degree of his ruthlessness are disturbing and he seems to be someone who has become unhinged, something that can definitely happens in the midst of war when soldiers savagely kill, rape and pillage civilian populations. Barbaric behavior, unfortunately, appears to be part of the human condition.
Your dive into Hephaestus was particularly illuminating and thought-provoking. It triggered in my mind the question of why the Greeks (and other ancient cultures) needed a god like him in their pantheon. Shouldn't all gods be perfect, at least in body if not by character? In pondering this, a thought occurred to me that has probably been obvious and well-understood by everyone else. Ancient cultures had gods that reflected all facets of humanity. We've all known folks who lack formal education, perhaps rough in appearance or with some physical impairments, but who are masters with their hands, who can figure out how everything works, and who can fix or build anything. The Greeks needed Hephaestus in their pantheon to be representative of people like this.
Scamander's reaction to being defiled with corpses is wonderfully told and inspiring. My favorite outside activity is a day in my solo canoe on a river. While the river and its environs will always enchant, it is disturbing to see trash along the river, much of it plastic that will last millennia. Nature will have her revenge, probably not in the form that Scamander takes, although I would love to see that!
Powerful, thank you. Am adding, in case of interest, a link to a YouTube recording of WH Auden reading his harrowing poem “The Shield of Achilles”: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=hpblaBb93fo
Thanks, Matthew! I would never have made it this far without your guidance. I'm looking forward to Book 22, especially when I never thought I would make it this far. Mom