The Iliad

1
The Iliad

• Homer

2
The Iliad Itself

• Iliad is an about anger.
• First word of the poem in Ancient Greek is
• An Epic of books 15,693 lines
• Main point of epic is not , but anger of one
  person,

3
Composed by Homer

• Either paid or commissioned by nobility to tell
  stories of the past and achievements of their
  forefathers
• 7 cities claim his
• Possibly lived in Eastern Aegean area, near
  island of Chios
• First composed and then Often described as a
  blind man but cannot be confirmed
• Most bards/poets were better at memorizing
  perhaps
• Composed story around 800-750 BC
• First evidence of written down in 6th century B.C
• Greek Tyrant Pisistratus commissioned the work

4
Story of the Trojan War

• Only tells of a few months in the year of the
  war
• Does not give the beginning nor end of war, just
  the 10th year
• Need to go to other sources to find info about
  other years
• The by Stasinos
• Little Iliad by Lesches of Lesbos
• Did the war really occur?
• say no way, no hard core historical data to
  prove it but classists say yes based on faith
• Excavations at present day site of Troy are
  inconclusive
• If it did happen, occurred circa 1150 B.C

5

• Founder of Troy in 19th century
• Wealthy businessman who made wealthy during
• Used Iliad and relics found in Mycene (Crete) to
  find Troy in Asia Minor near Hellespont
  (Dardanelles)
• Multiple of Troy kept building on top of each
  level as time progressed. Excavations now say
  Troy 8 is Homers Troy

6
Oral Tradition

• Style in which the story originally was composed
• Originally never
• Passed on by word of mouth by or poets (Homer)
• Very similar to Native American oral Traditions

7
Iliad oral Epic

• Uses oral composition in a formulaic style
• Use of epithets for characters to help describe
  them and for poets to remember story
• Swift footed
• Odyssues
• Cloud bearing
• Hera
• Rosy fingers of Dawn

8
World of the Hero/Hero Culture

• Society of
• Must come from superior social status
  aristocratic
• Wealth, noble and even divine origin
• Link themselves per genealogy to a
• Physical appearance
• Physically and than average person
• Stronger, more handsome, athletic prowess and
  fighting skills
• Marked by ,mental skills and a born leader

9
World of the Hero/Hero Culture continued

• Usually a favorite of a god or goddess or has a
  patron god/goddess
• Odysseus
• Thetis or Aphrodite
• Achilleus
• Always trying to achieve three things
• Kleos
• Time Honor
• fighting skills
• If this is achieved then granted
• Highest recognition a male can receive
• Heroes on constant alert and ready to fight and
  die to protect society
• Primary goal is to achieve

10
Background of the Iliad

• 1186 ships in total went from Greece to Troy
  carrying over 100,000 men
• 29 continents of troops, 44 leaders, representing
  179 counties of Greece
• Greek side
• Trojan side