Download Notes over Troy • Achilles` epithet in the Iliad is swift

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Notes over Troy Achilles’ epithet in the Iliad is swift-­‐footed Achilles. This epithet is perfectly captured in all of Achilles’ battles. The director shows this characteristic in Achilles’ first fight (if you can call it that) with Boagrius, the best warrior from Thessaly. Achilles does not want to go to Troy in the beginning. This makes it clear how the heroes of the past did not necessarily love to fight. Beowulf never mentions that he loves fighting, nor does Achilles. Fighting is seen as more of a duty, a responsibility and not something they enjoy. It’s like some people’s jobs today. They may not like working, but they know it is necessary. Odysseus is the only Greek king Achilles respects and listens to. Odysseus is the cleverest Greek and known for being an orator-­‐ a great public speaker. He displays his cleverness and persuasive speech when convincing Achilles to sail to Troy and fight with the Greeks. Odysseus says this war will never be forgotten, nor will the heroes who fight in it. Also, he says that some say Hector is not only the greatest Trojan warrior, but better than all the Greeks. It is words like those that encourage Achilles to fight. Thetis, Achilles’ mother, speaks to the 2 choices a hero had: live a short life full of glory or live a long life without glory. She explains to Achilles that if he fights in Troy, he will not return home. Achilles desires honor above all, so a short life is what he chooses. Patroclus is Achilles’ friend in the Iliad, but the movie changes him to Achilles’ cousin. This change strengthens the emotional bonds between men that were common in the Ancient Greek culture. Achilles’ disdain for leadership and his selfishness are clearly evident in the film. He cuts the head off of Apollo’s statue without remorse or concern that the gods will retaliate. Hector, however, knows the fickleness of the gods and how risky it is to turn against them or anger them. He says in the movie, “Sometimes the gods will bless you in the morning and curse you in the afternoon.” The gods are not to be trusted. Achilles gives an impassioned speech to his Myrmidon before they storm the beach of Troy about immortality. He tells them that immortality awaits for them on that beach and that it is theirs. However, the glory will only go to Achilles. He needs to make them think that they will be remembered so they are motivated to fight to ensure that he will be remembered. This is one of many examples of Achilles’ selfishness. Achilles displays superhuman abilities. This is evident in how he fights, especially when he throws his spear with amazing accuracy and kills one of the Trojans. He also shows no fear in battle. This is just like Beowulf. Achilles is more of the epic hero-­‐ the hero of the past, whereas Hector is more like a hero of today-­‐ concerned about doing what’s right. The director does a great job of preserving some vivid details from the Iliad. For example, when the Greeks are advancing outside the walls of Troy for the battle between Paris and Menelaus, the dust from the feet of the Greeks rises •
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in clouds. “The dust rose in clouds under their feet as they marched space over the plain, as thick as the mist which a south wind spreads over the mountains.” This is an example of an epic simile that characterizes Homer’s work. Paris vs. Menelaus-­‐ this fight is depicted quite differently in the Iliad than it is in the movie. One of the main reasons for the differences is because the director chose to exclude the direct involvement of gods and goddesses. The goddess Aphrodite plays a significant role in the fight that the movie couldn’t include. Here’s what happens in the Iliad: Menelaus grabs the horsehair plume on Paris’ helmet and drags Paris. The chinstrap is chocking him. Aphrodite sees this and steps in to save Paris. She breaks the chinstrap so that Menelaus is left holding an empty helmet. Aphrodite swoops Paris up in a cloud and delivers him to the bedroom where Helen awaits. Menelaus is left stupefied as to what happened to Paris. He paces back and forth like a wild beast screaming Paris’ name all night. Menelaus does not die in the Iliad. The Trojans win an important battle against the Greeks. Remember this is because in the Iliad Achilles has gone to Thetis who has gone to Zeus and asked for him to help the Trojans. Achilles wants Agamemnon to understand the importance of Achilles’ power-­‐ power to fight but also power to inspire and lead others to fight. Hector allows the Greeks to collect their dead after the Trojan victory. This reflects the custom of the Ancient Greeks. It was their worst fear for a body to be defiled, so it was important to allow the enemy to burn the bodies. The taller the pyre, the more important a person they were (hero, king…) The movie portrays a relationship with Achilles and Briseis. They fall in love with each other. This is only done to satisfy a modern audience. Achilles does call Briseis a “lovely girl,” which might imply a start to a relationship, but the Iliad chooses to glorify war and not focus on romantic love. Priam makes a huge mistake that ends up being the turning point in the war. Priam relies too heavily on the signs of the gods and makes all important decisions based on them. The gods are too fickle to be trusted. His decision to attack the Greek ships against the advice of Hector causes Hector to fight Patroclus, who he thought was Achilles. Hector kills Patroclus, which sends Achilles into a rage and causes him to reenter the war. Hector vs. Patroclus: Let me explain how the fight really happens in the Iliad. Just like in the movie, Patroclus is angry that Achilles refuses to fight. Nestor gives Patroclus the idea to wear Achilles’ armor and join the fighting. Patroclus goes to Achilles and first chastises him for refusing to fight. He then asks Achilles to let him wear his armor. Achilles agrees. He thinks it will be a great way to gain fame for himself. So unlike the movie, Achilles knows that Patroclus will wear his armor. Achilles does tell Patroclus not to go beyond the ships-­‐ an order Patroclus defies which leads to Hector killing him. When Patroclus enters the war wearing Achilles’ armor everyone does think it is Achilles; that is until Apollo intervenes. Apollo, who favors the Trojans, slaps Patroclus and his helmet is knocked off, revealing that it is not Achilles. Some •
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Trojans go after him and injure him. Then Hector comes in to finish him off. Unlike the movie, Hector knows whom he kills, but keep in mind, Patroclus is an enemy. Hector did what a warrior had to do-­‐ eliminate any threat. However, Achilles, especially since he agreed to allow Patroclus to fight in his armor, had no justified reason for killing Hector in the manner he did. Aeneas is given the sword of Troy by Paris at the end of movie. Paris tells him to find the Trojans a new home. He does. Aeneas is the founder of Rome. Odysseus speaks the first and last lines of the movie. At the end he says, “If they ever tell my story…” His story is told in The Odyssey ; it follows the Iliad and details his travel home from the Trojan War. Paris kills Achilles in the movie. This is taken from another myth that is not attributed to Homer. The legend states that Paris’ arrow is guided by Apollo. Apollo finally seeks revenge on Achilles. a great example of foreshadowing in the movie is when Paris is practicing shooting his bow. The places he hits on the dummy are the same places he hits Achilles. Agamemnon is killed by Briseis in the movie; however, he does not die in the Trojan War. In another myth, Agamemnon returns home to Mycenae with a war prize named Cassandra. Agamemnon’s wife is jealous, so she kills both Agamemnon and Cassandra. According to other Greek stories, there is a different end for Paris and Helen than the movie shows. Paris dies in the Trojan War. Depending on the story you read, some say Agamemnon kills Paris while others say Odysseus. Helen is captured and returned to Menelaus. Astyanax is thrown from the walls of Troy by Odysseus and Andromache is taken as a slave to Phthia. Both of these fates are foreshadowed by Hector in the movie when he shows Andromache a way out of Troy through the tunnel.