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Over the break, I'd like you to read parts of Sheila Murnaghan's introduction to the Iliad. First, make sure you have this edition, translated by Stanley Lombardo. Then, read "The Iliad and the Trojan Legend" (xix-xxi), "Heroic Society" (xxi-xxv), "The Homeric Gods" (xxv-xxix), "The Historical Context" (xlviii-liv), and "The Poetic Tradition" (liv-lviii). Reread this webpage. Quiz on day one? Maybe.
Agamemnon taking Briseis - Photograph by Maria Daniels, courtesy of the Musée du Louvre, January 1992
Wednesday, January 6 (1) - Homer (whoever she was); Introduction to epic; Judgment of Paris; "Was this the face that launch'd a thousand ships?"; RAGE! (Achilles', not mine); By tomorrow, first read read Seneca, "On Anger". Then move to Iliad, Book I, lines 1-317. I'd like to start seeing more active note-taking. In your notes, write about one/a few/all of the following (I'll be checking from time to time): (1) According to the first 8 lines, what will this poem be about? (2) What accusations do Achilles and Agamemnon level at each other? Do you think these charges are just? (3) Who do you think is in the right in this quarrel? Who do the Achaeans think is in the right? Why? Why do you think Achilles and Agamemnon fail to take Nestor’s advice? (4) What kind of people do you think Agamemnon and Achilles are? (5) In what senses is Agamemnon more powerful than Achilles? (6) What do you think the heroes in the Iliad are fighting for? Do the heroes seem to like fighting? What do the gods seem to care about? How are their concerns like / unlike the heroes' concern for honor and glory?
Thursday, January 7 (2) - Homer, Iliad, Book 1, lines 1-317; Tonight, read the remainder of Book 1 (318-643). (1) Name some similarities between Zeus and Achilles (and Zeus and Agamemnon). (2) How do you react to the way women (mortal and immortal) portrayed in Book 1? (3) How do you know who has the most honor? Why do you think Zeus honors Thetis' request? What do you think of Zeus' response to her? (4) In what ways do you think the men's and gods' quarrels are like / unlike? Why do you think these quarrels have different outcomes?
Friday, January 8 (3) - Homer, Iliad, Book 1, lines 1-317
Map of Homeric Greece
Monday, January 11 (4) - Set Translation comparison assignment; Sample translation comparison; Homer, Iliad, Book 1, lines 318-643
Tuesday, January 12 (5) - Homer, Iliad, Book 1, lines 318-643; Tomorrow you'll have a vocabulary quiz on units 11-12. Also, read "Sentence Combining," pages 22-23 in your Killgallon text. Come to class having completed the following exercises: Practice 2, Number 3; Practice 4, Numbers 1-4 (pages 25, 27-29).
Wednesday, January 13 (6) - Vocabulary Quiz, units 11-12; Killgallon; Tonight you're reading the first 300 lines of Book 2. I ask each of you to come to class with one discussion question, some of which we'll use to start our conversation.
Thursday, January 14 (1) - Homer, Iliad, Book 2, lines 1-300 [Lines 301-471 are omitted. Odysseus and Nestor advance powerful arguments for continuing the war.] Tonight you're reading lines 472-521 and 873-932 in Book 2. Same procedure as last night: Come prepared to begin a discussion in case you're prompted to do so. Also, you'll have a bit of time to work in a group to talk through your selected passage for the translation assignment. Come with the materials you'll need to talk that through with your peers.
Friday, January 15 (2) - Homer, Iliad, Book 2, lines 472-521 [Lines 522-872 are omitted. In a passage known as the Catalogue of the Ships, the poet lists the contingents of the Greek army and their leaders.] AND 873-932 [The rest of Book 2 (lines 933-97) is omitted.The poet lists the contingents of the Trojan Army.] Over the long weekend you're reading the entirety of Book 3, wherein you'll be introduced to a few more players in this epic cast of characters. Continue to keep straight all the major figures; it'll be most helpful later. Consider the following as you read: (1) Why does Menelaus insist that Priam oversee the truce? (2) What is Priam's attitude towards Helen? How does Helen describe herself to Priam? (3) Why does Priam not stay to watch the duel? How does this define his personality? (4) Why does Menelaus not kill Paris in the duel? (5) What is Helen's reaction to Aphrodite's command? What is Aphrodite's attitude towards Helen? What generalization might you make about the relation between mortals and immortals based on the scene where they converse? (6) How do you account for Helen's hateful words to Paris, followed by her worry about his safety? (7) At the end of book three, what does the poet imply about the feelings of the Trojan soldiers towards Paris? How does their attitude compare with Hector's?
Tuesday, January 19 (3) - Homer, Iliad, Book 3, lines 1-487 [Books 4 and 5 are omitted. The truce is broken when the Trojan Pandarus, at Athena's urging, shoots an arrow into the Greek ranks and wounds Menelaus. Battle is joined, and the Greeks, led by Diomedes, who wounds even Aphrodite and Ares, push the Trojans back.]
Wednesday, January 20 (4) - Homer, Iliad, Book 3, lines 1-487
Thursday, January 21 (5) - Homer, Iliad, Book 6, lines 1-245; For some bonus points on your vocabulary quiz, apply the instructions to Practice 7 (page 35) to two paragraphs of your fall final essay. Paragraphs must be at least 10 paragraphs in length and you are to aim to reduce the ten sentences to seven or fewer.
Friday, January 22 (6) - Vocabulary Quiz, units 13-14; Killgallon
Monday, January 25 (1) - Homer, Iliad, Book 6, lines 246-558 [Books 7 and most of 8 are omitted. Hector and Paris return to battle. Hector offers to fight a duel with any Greek. Ajax responds to the challenge, and the two fight to a draw. The Greeks and Trojans agree to a truce so that they can bury the dead. The Greeks build a wall and a trench around their camp. Zeus orders the other gods not to intervene, and with his support the Trojans gain the advantage.]
Tuesday, January 26 (2) - KUBUS SHADOWING - On Wednesday and Thursday we'll be discussing Book 9, often called The Embassy to Achilles. By Wednesday read lines 563-77 of Book 8 and the entirety of Book 9. Pay particular attention to the rhetorical prowess of Odysseus, Phoenix, and Ajax. You'll want to familiarize yourself with the strict definitions of ethos, pathos, and logos (AP Lang students, you'll have a leg up). Where do you see each speaker employing a particular mode of persuasion? I want to see notes in your text next to each speech. How does Achilles respond to each? Quiz Wednesday? Most definitely.
Diomedes (L) exchanging weapons with Glaucus (R). Attic red-figure pelike, ca. 420 BCE.
Wednesday, January 27 (3) - Homer, Iliad, Book 8, lines 563-77; Book 9, lines 1-185; I've decided your translation comparisons need revision, so to that end you'll revise for Monday. You'll come to class on Friday having shared your essay with an assigned partner (I suggest Google Drive). After you talk through your essay with your partner (I'll give you specific questions to look at on Friday), you'll run your essay through WriteLab, a brand new program that seems pretty fantastic. You just need to create an account and submit the document. It's that easy. I'll ask you to print the write lab comments and hand them in on Monday. By Monday at 3:30 PM you're going to resubmit the new essay to turnitin.com. Those who submitted late to the first assignment will still receive the late penalty.
Thursday, January 28 (4) - Homer, Iliad, Book 9, lines 186-738
Friday, January 29 (5) - Peer revision for re-submission of translation comparison
Monday, February 1 (6) - Vocabulary Quiz, units 15-16; Set research essay; Tonight, read lines 259-499 of Book 12 the Iliad. [Books 10 and 11 are omitted. Odysseus and Diomedes raid the Trojan camp by night. The next day Agamemnon leads the Greeks into battle and distinguishes himself until he is wounded. Then Odysseus and Diomedes are both wounded and withdraw. Nestor suggests to Patroclus that he ask Achilles to allow him to borrow his armor and lead the Myrmidons into battle. Lines 1-258 of Book 12 are also omitted. Hector leads the Trojans across the trench and up to the wall around the Greek camp.]
Tuesday, February 2 (1) - More introduction to the research essay; Homer, Iliad, Book 12, lines 259-499; Tonight, you're to read the first 454 lines of Book 16. [Books 13 through 15 are omitted. Poseidon rallies the Greeks. The Greek heroes Idomeneus and Meriones meet behind the lines, and then Idomeneus distinguishes himself in battle. The fighting is furious on both sides. The Greeks rout the Trojans, and Ajax knocks out Hector with a huge stone. Hera seduces Zeus to divert his attention from the Greek's success. When Zeus awakes he aids Hector and the Trojans, and they advance all the way up to the Greek ships. Ajax alone holds the Trojans at bay as they attempt to burn one of the ships.]
Wednesday, February 3 (2) - Set Epic Simile Assignment; Homer, Iliad, Book 16, lines 1-454
Thursday, February 4 (3) - KUBUS ON KAIROS - Free to work on epic simile assignment
Friday, February 5 (4) - KUBUS ON KAIROS - Free to work on epic simile assignment and/or to read the rest of Book 16 by Monday.
Tuesday, February 9 (6) - Review research essay expectations: Where should you be at this point? Iliad, Book 16; By Thursday, read the entirety of Book 18. [Book 17 is omitted. There is a desperate struggle over the corpse of Patrolcus. The Greeks send Antilochus to bring the news to Achilles.]
Wednesday, February 10 (1) - Negotiating JSTOR, Cambridge Companions, Rice's Fondren Library Catalog. Schedule an appointment for a topic conference.
Thursday, February 11 (2) - Iliad, Book 18; Over the weekend you're reading the very short Book 19, wherein you'll witness Achilles and Agamemnon's reconciliation.
Tuesday, February 16 (4) - Iliad, Books 18-19; Tonight, read Book 22. [Books 20 and 21 are omitted. The gods join the battle. Achilles, looking for Hector, faces off with Aeneas, who is saved by Poseidon. Achilles then goes on a rampage, killing fourteen Trojans in quick succession. Hector at first avoids Achilles, but when Achilles kills his youngest brother, Polydorus, Hector faces Achilles. Apollo intervenes and saves Hector from Achilles' spear. Achilles presses on, killing Trojans mercilessly. The River Xanthus rises in rage against Achilles and nearly overwhelms him. Hera has Hephaestus fight the river with fire, and the river god begs for mercy. The gods battle each other. Achilles continues on to Troy. Apollo, disguised as a Trojan, acts as a decoy to lead Achilles away from the city while the Trojans retreat to within their walls.]
You'll need to have your copy of Inferno next week. Buy this translation only.
Wednesday, February 17 (5) - Iliad, Book 22; Tonight, in addition to studying for the vocabulary quiz, read Book 23, lines 1-282. [The rest of Book 23 (lines 283-923) is omitted. Achilles hosts funeral games for Patroclus.]
Thursday, February 18 (6) - Vocabulary Quiz, units 17-18; Iliad, Book 23; Tonight, you'll read lines 497-860 of Book 24 of the Iliad. [Lines 1-496 of Book 24 are omitted. Achilles continues to desecrate Hector's body, which is preserved by Apollo. Apollo convinces the other gods to order Achilles to allow the body to be ransomed. Thetis goes to Achilles and persuades him to do so. Iris tells Priam to go to Achilles with ransom. Priam is guided by Hermes to Achilles' hut.]
Friday, February 19 (1) - Iliad, Book 24
What's Due?
Tuesday, January 19 - Translation comparison assignment
Monday, February 1 - Translation comparison revision
Tuesday, February 5 - Choose research text
Tuesday, February 9 - Epic Simile Assignment
Tuesday, February 16 - Book check 1
Monday, February 22 - Book check 2
Monday, February 29 - Pilot essay
Click the image to read a quick biography of Homer (whoever she was)
Iliad Study Links
Book by book outline of the events of the poem
A Study Guide from Duke University with a list of the principal episodes
A more detailed version of the above study guide
Early Greek Humanism: The Beauty of the Human Form and Essence
Columbia's historical context for Homer
Guide to reading the Iliad with notes on epic and the heroic world
Study Links
"6 reading habits from Harvard"
Achebe, "The Truth of Fiction"
Questions for analyzing novels
Below are 5 of my annotated pages from various texts and 1 of David Foster Wallace's copy of DeLillo's Players. The pages of the texts that you will be working with most closely should look just like these.
“In reading exam papers written by misled students, of both sexes, about this or that author, I have often come across such phrases — probably recollections from more tender years of schooling — as ‘his style is simple’ or ‘his style is clear and simple’ or ‘his style is beautiful and simple’ or ‘his style is quite beautiful and simple.’ But remember that ‘simplicity’ is buncombe. No major writer is simple. The Saturday Evening Post is simple. Journalese is simple. Upton Lewis is simple. Mom is simple. Digests are simple. Damnation is simple. But Tolstoys and Melvilles are not simple... This story is Tolstoy’s most artistic, most perfect, and most sophisticated achievement... Tolstoy’s style is a marvelously complicated, ponderous achievement.”
You'll need this edition of Dante's Inferno beginning next week.