The wall is the focus of the entire bookwill hector breach it. Two winged figures who represent sleep and death gently lift the stillbleeding sarpedon off the battlefield. Achilles watches the retreat from afar and worries about the fate of patroclus. Agamemnon, splendidly armed, cuts down man after man and beats the trojans back to the citys gates. Without sarpedons speech in iliad 12, we would be left with the. In the first part of sarpedons speech, he explains how subjects look up to their leaders, and the leaders. Sarpedon to glaucus, allies of troy, book 12 susan bertolinothe iliadmosaic 2 14 15. What are some life lessons learned by reading the iliad. Follow this link for a detailed summary of the iliad. Without sarpedons speech in iliad 12, we would be left with the impression that it was customary, and therefore fine, that leaders treated their subjects callously. Check out our revolutionary sidebyside summary and analysis. Sarpedon in iliad 5 and 16 northwestern university. Battles over fallen comrades become more significant in book 16.
Read the commentaries on book nine readings wednesday class, sept. The death of sarpedon and the question of homeric uniqueness, pp. Fateful choicesthe price of glory readings monday class, sept. Sarpedon, in greek legend, son of zeus, the king of the gods, and laodameia, the daughter of bellerophon. According to scholia to iliad book 12, citing hesiod and bacchylides, europa bore zeus three sons on crete, minos, sarpedon, and rhadamanthus. Book tenlike book nine, book ten opens with a simile describing agamemnon 10. The next morning, zeus rains blood upon the achaean lines, filling them with panic. The vein referenced in this passage is an example of literary conceit. Hector responds, promising to kill ajax and the achaeans.
Eventually comes across a trojan soldier, sarpedon, who is the mortal son of zeus. Homer, iliad book 12 theoi classical texts library. The book begins with a magnificent look at the achaean wall and trench, wounds made by the invaders in the earth. The foray of diomedes and odysseus is a foray behind enemy lines by men without scruples. Sarpedon fell back from the battlement, yet still anxious to win glory he turned and shouted to. Dolon passes by the hiding diomedes and odysseus, and the pair spring upon him, chasing him down. The repetitions can be tiring, at times, like agamemnon repeating zeus speech, but its easier to get through. Note the symmetry in hectors last soliloquy and achilles speech here. The vivid and gory descriptions of battle contrast with moments of kind and loving behavior, which humanizes many of the fiercest warriors in the iliad. Set during the trojan war, the tenyear siege of the city of troy ilium by a coalition of. So the son of menoetius was attending to the hurt of eurypyluswithin the tent but the argives and trojans still fought desperatelynor were the trench. Nestors words are echoed a few hundred years later when creon in sophocles antigone says that a good king will heed advice, which he immediately fails to do and so is brought low. Notice this plea from nestor is an almost exact repetition of ajaxs plea in book viii, supporting the idea that repetition is a powerful motif in the iliad.
Book 8 of homers the iliad opens with zeus having a bit of a tantrum. Athena, seeing ares, the god of war in the battle, takes him by the hand and leads him away. The selfish unwillingness of talented individuals to contribute to their communities was looked on as particularly irresponsible in ancient greece, e. T hus the trojans in the city, scared like fawns, wiped the sweat from off them and drank to quench their thirst, leaning against the goodly battlements, while the achaeans with their shields laid upon their shoulders drew close up to the walls. The poet tells us how, one day, the gods will destroy the wallfor it was built without the proper sacrifices.
Sarpedon withdrew a little from the parapet, but did not retreat completely, for his heart 450 was set on seizing glory. Dolon tells the two all about the trojan position, letting them know the best place to attack. Hector loves and cares deeply for his family while achilles shares a bond of brotherly love with patroclus. After he kills hectors chariot driver and many others, apollo strikes him in the back, knocking his armor and weapons away. In homers iliad, the epic poets heroes are often motivated by kleos, a greek word which can carry meanings such good reputation, fame, and glory. Pelagon, his friend and comrade, drew the spear out of his thigh, but sarpedon fainted and a mist came over his eyes. Sarpedons speech to glaucus about their warrior code. Set during the trojan war, the tenyear siege of the city of troy ilium by a coalition of greek states, it tells of the battles and events during the.
Sarpedon in iliad 5 and 16 well over half of shared nonce repetitions in iliad 5 and 16 occur in the scenes that lead up to and follow from the encounter of sarpedon and patroklos. Zeus contemplates whether to save his son from being killed or not. He seems to be irritated that so many other gods have played a role in the battle between the greeks and the trojans. Patroclus chases the trojan army to the walls of troy, but apollo holds him off. Zeus, pleased with the trojan dominance, takes his eyes off of the battlefield, not suspecting than other gods might interfere with his plan. The first scene of the iliad finds chryses, the priest of apollo god of the sun and a whole lot of other stuff, approaching the. At the start of book 12 of the iliad, the trojans decide to charge the achaean walls and defenses. Sarpedon away and laid him beneath joves spreading oak tree.
The achaeans get sarpedon s armor, but zeus sends apollo to take his body home for burial. The city is wellprotected, and the achaeans, who are really the greeks, even dug a. This translation is available in the form of a published book from richer. Great ajax is not intimidated, making a brave speech. Its probably the most hard do read part of the iliad, in some way.
It is a curious fact about the iliad that, for all its focus on the theme of death, it rarely shows characters longing for immortality. Find a summary of this and each chapter of the iliad. There is a loose but unmistakeable cluster of repetitions that tie the sarpedon scenes in iliad 16 to the scenes that describe or surround the presence of sarpedon. Book 5 continues the graphic warfare that ends book 4. Get an answer for in the iliad, book 22, in what way is hectors decision to flee from achilles consistent with hectors character. From sarpedon s speech to glaucus discussed above, it may appear that the characters of the homeric poems value most highly those who are most effective in attaining the goals of the society. Sarpedon, according to the myth, was the son of zeus and laodamia, which made. This one statement, made by the godlike achilles to king priam in the last chapter of the book, provides the reader a contextual summary of what the greeks believed was their role in the universe. First, the priest chryses comes to ask their leader, king agamemnon, to release his daughter, whom agamemnon was holding captive. The desire to protect sarpedons body motivates hector to return to battle where hector and patroclus face off in a literal tugofwar over. Sarpedons speech to glaucus, in the twelfth book of homer by john denham. This is one of the few times when this happens, and it is interesting that hektor says it out of excitement wanting the moment to last forever instead of despair at a moment passing.
He forces him upon the observation of the reader by the greatness of the description, and raises our expectations of him, intending to make him perform many remarkable actions in the sequel of the poem, and become worthy to fall by the hand of patroclus. Learn the iliad books with free interactive flashcards. Chapter summary for homers the iliad, book 16 summary. Dolon asks to be taken alive, and the achaeans use the opportunity to gather information from him. The events in book x are still violent, but there is no honor or nobility to offset the brutality. Sarpedons speech to glaucus, in the twelfth book of homer. This book begins with the exploits of the greek captain diomedes whom the goddess athena inspires with strength and daring. From sarpedons speech to glaucus discussed above, it may appear that the characters of the homeric poems value most highly those who are most effective in attaining the goals of the society. While patroklos assists eurypylos, the battle continues. Grief overcomes achilles as he falls to the ground weeping.
The category names at the left side of the chartreply position, initial position, single speech, and successive speechindicate the type of speech as described in the introduction. Patroclus kills sarpedon, zeus son, but not before a famous deliberation between zeus and hera as to whether zeus can intervene and save his son from his fate very important. A struggle took place for the possession of his body until apollo rescued it from the. Therefore, my son, i will not stay here without youno, not. Book nine, a crucial turning point in the poem all quotations from the iliad are from the translation of richmond lattimore, university of chicago press, 1951 the assembly when book nine opens, the greeks have suffered serious reverses. This particular passage also reflects the idea that speech can be an extremely strong rallying tool. So shouted forth the twain, and aroused the battle of the achaeans. May 14, 2012 sarpedon to glaucus, allies of troy, book 12 susan bertolinothe iliadmosaic 2 14 15. Taking the form of calchas, poseidon gives courage to the two aeantes, telling them that if they hold fast, their men will follow suit. He inspires great ajax, little ajax, and the troops around them to hold back hector.
Battle rages on around the wall, and zeus inspires his son sarpedon to lead the charge against one of the gates. Later in the middle ages, dante noted this aspect of the passage and placed diomedes and odysseus in the 8th circle of hell, bolgia, the evil counselors. In book seven, they had to fortify their camp with a wall. Stephen holliday hectors death in achilles while worn by patroclus armor is a good example of symmetry and irony. Book xii of a new complete english translation with hyperlinked index. Sarpedon does not appear often, but his portrayal is consistent to the ideas he espouses in iliad 12. I get that the catalogue can be too much for readers, its tiresome. As recounted in homers iliad, book xvi, sarpedon fought with distinction on the side of the trojans but was slain by the greek warrior patroclus. Jul 15, 2018 without sarpedons speech in iliad 12, we would be left with the impression that it was customary, and therefore fine, that leaders treated their subjects callously. How have achilleus quarrel and his anger changed as a result of book nine. Six studies of sacral vocabulary relating to the fireplace, pp. Led by sarpedon, the lykians attack the gates, but telamonian aias comes over to help defend it and the lykians cannot break through. The following two tables categorize and total i the speeches and ii the speech introductions in the iliad and the odyssey book by book.
Poseidon notices his inattention and decides to assist the achaeans. The lycians sarpedon and glaucus attack the ramparts. The category names at the left side of the chartreply position, initial position, single speech, and successive speechindicate. This lesson will focus on the role of sarpedon, son of the king of the gods zeus and the mortal woman laodamia, in the iliad. Standing stoically behind sleep and death, are laodamas and hippolochos, two trojan warriors who were killed in battle prior to sarpedon. So in the same moment he tugged out the spear point and took sarpedon s life. One persons rage can have a profoundly negative impact on that persons friends and loved ones. Robert fitzgerald translated the iliad, composed orally by homer three thousand years ago. The trojans glaucus and sarpedon now charge the ramparts, and menestheus, aided by great ajax and. Polydamas advises retreat to the city and is ignored see book 12 thetis asks hephaestus to make armor for achilles a description of the shield of achilles. But stern fate bade hector stay where he was before ilius and the scaean gates. Note now that polydamas, whom we saw in book 12, is a minor but pivotal figure. Then patroclus set his foot upon sarpedons chest, pulled his spear out of the body.
Murray 1 so then amid the huts the valiant son of menoetius was tending the wounded eurypylus, but the others, argives and trojans, fought on in throngs, nor were the ditch of the danaans and their wide wall above long to protect them, the wall that they had builded as a defence for their ships and had drawn a trench about ityet they gave not. I was then flying the anger of father amyntor, son of. Choose from 500 different sets of the iliad books flashcards on quizlet. With the trojans through the achaean wall, zeus takes his eyes off the fighting, and the seagod poseidon takes advantage. In homers the iliad, even the children of the gods are not immune to their fate. Iliad book 1 ancient greek by david chamberlain, homer. The point is, now that you know what the things are, its high time we jumped into the middle of them. Thus to glaucus spakedivine sarpedon since he did not findothers as great in place as great in mind. Book 12 book book 14 book 15 book 16 book 17 book 18 book 19 book 20 book 21 book 22 book 23 book 24 postscript. In the tenth year of the trojan war, tensions are running high among the achaians a superancient name for the ancient greeks. This action continues the practice of divine intervention begun with zeus dream for agamemnon in book 2. Homer, iliad, book 5, line 1 perseus digital library. He lets out a terrible cry and all the sea nymphs gather. But, by afternoon, they have begun to make progress.
Sarpedons speech to glaucus, in the twelfth book of homer poem by john denham. This is never more striking than sarpedons noblesse oblidge in book 12. Book xii of a new complete english translation with. And as flakes of snow fall thick on a winters day, when zeus, the counsellor, 280 bestirreth. War and character in the iliad preyanka gothanayagi college. Then patroclus set his foot upon sarpedon s chest, pulled his spear out of the body. With many war cries, the armies clash again before the ships. A reading of homers iliad, book 1, in ancient greek. Finally, in nestors speech to agamemnon early in book ix, the old soldier argues that while a king must make decisions, he also must listen to advice. So in the same moment he tugged out the spear point and took sarpedons life.
732 1075 665 1151 1373 735 790 68 945 898 523 1282 1253 1208 1542 1191 155 36 136 76 1295 393 345 1165 207 217 529 507 53 694 3 1072 1469 54 1016 1273 695 115 1306 403