"...human capacity for respect and honor, even among enemies." It seems that lately, we're even struggling to find respect and honor among our friends, let alone our enemies! It is a timely and ever-needed lesson.
Also a mental note, next time I go shopping for a leather jacket, it should have 8 layers to protect from any random spearings.
The exchange of weapons or armor at the end of the duel reminds me a bit of when players meet up to shake hands and exchange jerseys after a game. I find it hard to swallow defeat, so I’ve always been impressed with athletes that can go out there immediately and put on a smile after losing a big game.
Neither side lost on this particular fight, but it’s impressive that Hector and Ajax can take such a businesslike approach to their work, and recognize the honor and worth inherent in even their enemy. The respect they show to each other is notable.
Absolutely! I'm a Celtics fan, watch every game, and I live for the hugs and chats between the opposing players at the end of most games. I'm deeply--perhaps irrationally-- disappointed when teams don't hug it out on the floor. Having a competitive nature myself, the fact that the losing team's players find a way to smile, hug, and chat is astounding to me. If we lose, my stomach is in knots and I feel like crying while on the comfort of my couch!
Your comment reminded me that certain basketball players were brought to mind in Homer's description of Diomedes in Book Five: "She set the man ablaze, his shield and helmet flaming with tireless fire like the star that flames at harvest, bathed in the Ocean, rising up to outshine all other stars. Such fire Athena blazed from Tydides' head and shoulders, drove him into the center where the masses struggled on." Not to be dramatic, but I have definitely seen that otherworldly fire in Tatum and Brown plowing through defenders to make an impossible lay up, and I saw it in Luke Kornet against the 76ers last week in his surprising steamrolling dunk. Flashes of competitive athletic brillance!
I was struck by the swapping of gifts at the end of the duel and then the agreement between both sides to pause so each could gather and honour their dead. Whilst war is always filled with horror this way of dealing with it makes it feel more noble. I can’t imagine this happening now
The exchange reminded me of the Aubrey/Maturin series which is set in the Napoleonic wars. They had fairly strict rules of when bodily harm was allowed and captured commanders were treated as guests and invited to dine together. (Taking on faith that that part of the historical fiction was more historical than fiction).
I was also baffled by the timeline around gathering the dead, building a pyre, then building tall walls and towers, including gates, all in a morning! Is this to demonstrate how many men there were?
There is no doubt that Ajax is the quintessential Greek hero when it comes to battle, and without a doubt the person you would choose to defend you in a fair fight. Being somewhat familiar with the aftermath of the war, I'm always reminded of what Don McLean wrote about Vincent van Gogh - that the world was never meant for one as beautiful as Ajax.
This book has (I think) the first apostrophe of the Iliad, in the section where Homer addresses Menelaus in the second person. Coincidentally this other substack posted about apostrophes in the Iliad today https://open.substack.com/pub/joelchristensen/p/yo-achilles
This book reminded me a lot of the previous duels that came to nought all the way back to Menelaus v Paris. Both sides would like the war to end (so much so that the Greeks sprinted to the ships when Agamemnon pranked them in book 2(?)). Then every duel they set up to end the war in mutually agreeable ways gets sabotaged by the gods. I guess the moral we can take is that sometimes even the most reasonable plans fails for reasons outside of your control (interventions from the gods in this case).
First off, thoughts are with your family Matthew.
"...human capacity for respect and honor, even among enemies." It seems that lately, we're even struggling to find respect and honor among our friends, let alone our enemies! It is a timely and ever-needed lesson.
Also a mental note, next time I go shopping for a leather jacket, it should have 8 layers to protect from any random spearings.
😂
The exchange of weapons or armor at the end of the duel reminds me a bit of when players meet up to shake hands and exchange jerseys after a game. I find it hard to swallow defeat, so I’ve always been impressed with athletes that can go out there immediately and put on a smile after losing a big game.
Neither side lost on this particular fight, but it’s impressive that Hector and Ajax can take such a businesslike approach to their work, and recognize the honor and worth inherent in even their enemy. The respect they show to each other is notable.
Absolutely! I'm a Celtics fan, watch every game, and I live for the hugs and chats between the opposing players at the end of most games. I'm deeply--perhaps irrationally-- disappointed when teams don't hug it out on the floor. Having a competitive nature myself, the fact that the losing team's players find a way to smile, hug, and chat is astounding to me. If we lose, my stomach is in knots and I feel like crying while on the comfort of my couch!
Your comment reminded me that certain basketball players were brought to mind in Homer's description of Diomedes in Book Five: "She set the man ablaze, his shield and helmet flaming with tireless fire like the star that flames at harvest, bathed in the Ocean, rising up to outshine all other stars. Such fire Athena blazed from Tydides' head and shoulders, drove him into the center where the masses struggled on." Not to be dramatic, but I have definitely seen that otherworldly fire in Tatum and Brown plowing through defenders to make an impossible lay up, and I saw it in Luke Kornet against the 76ers last week in his surprising steamrolling dunk. Flashes of competitive athletic brillance!
I was struck by the swapping of gifts at the end of the duel and then the agreement between both sides to pause so each could gather and honour their dead. Whilst war is always filled with horror this way of dealing with it makes it feel more noble. I can’t imagine this happening now
It reminds me of World War I, opposing troops sometimes agreed to brief truces to collect and bury the dead.
The exchange reminded me of the Aubrey/Maturin series which is set in the Napoleonic wars. They had fairly strict rules of when bodily harm was allowed and captured commanders were treated as guests and invited to dine together. (Taking on faith that that part of the historical fiction was more historical than fiction).
I was also baffled by the timeline around gathering the dead, building a pyre, then building tall walls and towers, including gates, all in a morning! Is this to demonstrate how many men there were?
Me too. I wondered if one day might equal one month, moon cycle or whatever.
There is no doubt that Ajax is the quintessential Greek hero when it comes to battle, and without a doubt the person you would choose to defend you in a fair fight. Being somewhat familiar with the aftermath of the war, I'm always reminded of what Don McLean wrote about Vincent van Gogh - that the world was never meant for one as beautiful as Ajax.
That song has maybe the most beautiful bridge of all time.
This book has (I think) the first apostrophe of the Iliad, in the section where Homer addresses Menelaus in the second person. Coincidentally this other substack posted about apostrophes in the Iliad today https://open.substack.com/pub/joelchristensen/p/yo-achilles
This book reminded me a lot of the previous duels that came to nought all the way back to Menelaus v Paris. Both sides would like the war to end (so much so that the Greeks sprinted to the ships when Agamemnon pranked them in book 2(?)). Then every duel they set up to end the war in mutually agreeable ways gets sabotaged by the gods. I guess the moral we can take is that sometimes even the most reasonable plans fails for reasons outside of your control (interventions from the gods in this case).