Homeric Epics (2) （经典阅读一）

1. Homeric Epics (2)（经典阅读一） 教师: 吴诗玉 邮箱: shiyuw@sjtu.edu.cn 网址：http://sla.sjtu.edu.cn/bbs

2. 目标：读通、读透《伊利亚特》

3. 大学四年，慌什么？毛什么？急什么？慢下来，静下来，开开心心读点书！大学四年，慌什么？毛什么？急什么？慢下来，静下来，开开心心读点书！ • 甘阳

4. 一部杰作已经成立，便会永存不朽。第一位诗人成功了，也就达到了成功的顶峰。你跟随着他攀登而上，即便达到了同样的高度，也绝不会比他更高。哦，你的名字就叫但丁好了，而他的名字却叫荷马。一部杰作已经成立，便会永存不朽。第一位诗人成功了，也就达到了成功的顶峰。你跟随着他攀登而上，即便达到了同样的高度，也绝不会比他更高。哦，你的名字就叫但丁好了，而他的名字却叫荷马。 • ------【法国】维克多 雨果

5. Menelaus VS. Paris King of Sparta Brother of Agamemnon Prince of Troy

6. Classical works • It deals with a great theme (the meaning of life); • Written in noble language; • It speaks across the ages; • Summarizes the values of an age at its height.

7. Homeric Epics • The Iliadand the Odyssey • The beginning of the Western literary tradition • Primary texts for educational purposes • The Bible of the Greeks • Information (values, moral framework, belief system of ancient Greek culture)

8. 伊利亚特（Iliad）和奥德赛（ Odyssey)

10. The Great Gathering of Armies (Book 2) • Armies gathering now • Greek armies • The ships led by captains (kings) different kingdoms • (Agamemnon, Achilles, Odysseus, Diomedes) • The Trojans and allies • troops for battle • (Priam, Hector, Paris, Aeneas, Sarpedon…)

11. Homeric Greece

12. Nine-years’ Besiege Nine long years, waging war Trojans, Greeks bound by honor Fortunes of battle went back and forth. Where the Iliad opens, the war already having gone on for nine years.

13. The Rage of Achilles (subject of Iliad) starts off with death, as it will end with death. A terrible plague Quarrel of Achilles and Agamemnon Achilles withdraws from the battle Greeks suffered

14. 争执的开始

15. Book 1 • The first three words of Iliad: • Menin aeide, thea--- “wrath, sing, goddess” • “of Peleus’ son, Achilles.”

16. 第一卷 歌唱吧，女神！歌唱裴琉斯之子阿基琉斯的愤怒—— 他的暴怒招致了这场凶险的灾祸，给阿开亚人带来了 受之不尽的苦难，将许多豪杰强健的魂魄 打入了哀地斯，而把他们的躯体，作为美食，扔给了 狗和兀鸟，从而实践了宙斯的意志， 从初时的一场争执开始，当事的双方是 阿特柔斯之子、民众的王者阿伽门农和卓越的阿基琉斯。

17. 争执的开始

18. ……..

19. Menelaus VS. Paris King of Sparta Brother of Agamemnon Prince of Troy

20. Why Achilles angry? • Greek fight for two things: honor and glory (fame) • Honor: tangible, physical, zero-sum game • Glory: people say about you • The more honors, the more glory (say about you) • Only kind of immortality available • Agamemnon dishonored Achilles, own eye, of Greek army • Greatest warrior; commander in chief • Shame culture: what others, say, perceive, think

21. Scene between Thetis and Zeus allows the audience of glimpse of the gods on Mount Olympus.

22. Read Book 1,2,3,4,5, 6, ….and Book 24

23. Outline (Achilles) • Achilles withdraw from the battle (Book 1) • Trojans push Greeks to the limit • Achilles sits at his tent and sulks. • Attempt made to bring him back • Ships of the Achaeans set to fire • Patraclus puts on armor of Achilles • Killed by Hector, put on Achilles’ armor (book 16-17) • Achilles returned to battle (anger, pains)

24. Achilles • Achilles prays to his mother for a new armor, • New armor by Hephaestus, magnificent, (book 18) • Like a natural force, searching for Hector • Comes upon Hector • A pact • Killed Hector (Achilles’ armor) (book 22) • takes the body and ties it to his chariot, • drives around and around the walls of Troy,

25. Read the contents of Iliad.

27. too much for the gods themselves • keep it fresh • Achilles, in his tent, at night, still unwashed, • receives visit from Priam (old, sympathetic) • The gods escorted him • old man reminds him of his own father • Returns the body, a normal human being • The Trojans hold a funeral • and bury the body of Hector (ends with death)

28. Book III-VI: Within the Walls of Troy • The Trojans fight not just for honor and glory, but also the country’s survival. • Why? The city of Troy • Book III: Helen Reviews the Champions • Priam: aged king (sympathetic character), 24 • The old men of Troy

29. Hector • Hector: a perfect man, best man of the world • Hector first appears and speaks in Book III. • Read Book 6, 24 • Create an enduring portrait of the enemy of Hector • a mighty warrior, glories in war, • a compassionate and loving father and husband. • a patriot, a tragic hero

30. What Makes Iliad a Great Book?

31. A noble theme • Noble language • Speaks across the ages • Summarizes the values of an age at its height

32. Noble Theme • God • Fate • The Meaning of Life God The Meaning of Life Fate

33. 4.1 God • Zeus, the will of Zeus • Hera, Aphrodite, Athena • Ares • Powerful forces: do good (harm) to you • A myth is a means for expressing a higher truth. • Fate is what the gods decree for us. Real creatures

34. “Mother tells me, • the immortal goddess Thetis with her glistening feet, • that two fates bear me on to the day of death. • if I hold out here and I lay siege to Troy, • my journey home is gone, but my glory never dies. • if I voyage back to the fatherland I love, • my pride, my glory dies… • true, but the life that’s left me will be long, • the stroke of death will not come on me quickly.”

35. No, • dear as he is to you, and your heart grieves for him, • Leave Sarpedon there to die in the brutal onslaught, • Beaten down at the hands of Menoetius’ son Petroclus. • But once his soul and the life force have left him, • Send Death to carry him home, send soothing Sleep…

36. “And Zeus the father of men and gods complied at once. • But he showered tears of blood that drenched the earth, • Showers in praise of him, his own dear son, • The man Patroclus was just about to kill • On Troy’s fertile soil, far from his fatherland.”

37. Fight the god. P175, p192, book 5

38. “You – I hate you most of all the Olympians gods, • Always dear to your heart, • Strife, yes, and battles, the bloody grind of war. • You have your mother’s uncontrollable rage… • … • But I cannot bear to see you agonize so long. • You are my child. To me your mother bore you. • If you had sprung from another god, believe me, • And grown into such a blinding devastation, • Long ago you’d have dropped below the Titans, • Deep in the dark pit.”

39. 4.2 Fate, and the Meaning of Life • The innocent, the poem of death • Honor, glory (Agamemnon; Achilles) • Honor (can be pushed too far, did not bring comfort to Greek heroes)

40. 4.4 Moral instruction An intellectual growth of Achilles Learn wisdom through suffering 英雄、弱点、同情心

41. 4.3 hubris (Hybris) • Hubris: extreme haughtiness, pride or arrogance. Hubris often indicates being out of touch with reality and overestimating one's own competence or capabilities, especially for people in positions of power. • Moral blindness • Go too far

42. 4.3 hubris (Hybris) • Agamemnon • Achilles • Nothing in Excess • Know Thyself

43. Achilles’ Heel • 古希腊英雄阿喀琉斯号称刀枪不入，却有一个致命之处———自己的脚后跟。在特洛伊战争中，阿喀琉斯取得了赫赫战功，但就在他攻占特洛伊城奋勇作战之际，站在对手一边Paris在太阳神阿波罗帮助下却悄悄一箭射中了他的脚后跟，送了这位勇士的命。后人便用“阿喀琉斯之踵”这一术语来代指“致命的弱点”。这一术语也意味着，人不管多么坚强或英勇，也还是有其自身无法克服的弱点。它还寓意着由于局部细微的弱点而导致全局的崩溃。

44. 4.4 Moral instruction “The Iliad was a book of moral instruction without equal. The whole education system at Oxford reforms that you just read the Iliad and the Odyssey. There, you will find all the lessons you need to live your own life and will be the ruler of that Empire upon which the sun never set. Gladstone (British Prime Minister)

45. Keats: Homer was unsurpassed for the beauty of his language. • The beauty of its language, its description of the rosy finger dawn. His description of the men going forth to battle, breathing their valor. Their quiet steadfast ranks….

46. 2. Language • The noble language

47. 3. Speak across ages • People of one generation after another tell and retell the story of Troy.

48. Summarizes the values of an age at its height

49. The tale of Ilium (Troy) or The Song of Ilium

50. 人的五个时代