Greek Literature Weekly Journal

November 17, 2015 2:10–3:30pm

We started off class determining whether or not justice was served. Did the suitors get what they deserved?

1. Antinoos was killed by Odysseus with an arrow to the heart while he was drinking wine.
2. Eurymachos was killed in the liver, which is the organ of desire.
3. Amphinomos was by Telemachus with a spear to the heart.

The two men that were spared were Phemius, the singer and Medon, the town crier.

Significance of the Bow

Apollo — -> Eurytos →Iphitos (Herakles)

Apollo is the god that started the plague in The Iliad . Eurytos is a descendant of Apollo and Eurytos is the dad of Iphitos. Herakles kills Iphitos.

The bow was a sign of xenia. Odysseus become friends with Iphitos while they were in Messene. Odysseus gave Iphitos a sword and a spear and in return Iphitos gave him the bow that he is about to kill the suitors with. The bow is standing in for Odysseus’s friend since he couldn’t be there.

November 18,2015 6:30–8:30pm

How does Book 24 of The Odyssey relate to Book 1? What similar characters, themes, and language appear in the two books? Consider especially the character of Telemachus.

First of all we got to see the maturation of Telemachus throughout the poem. He went from a whiny little boy that depended on his father to a grown man that was brave enough to face his own battles. In the beginning we see that he has no control over the suitors and just sulks around wishing his father was there. By the end for the poem he is killing the suitors and having a reunion with his father and grandfather. Telemachus will be a great king over Ithaca one day.

Similar characters we see in both books are Zeus and Athena. In the first book Athena is asking her father, Zeus if he would have mercy on her favorite mortal, Odysseus. She doesn’t like how Poseidon is punishing him for what Odysseus did to Polyphemos. In book 24 Athene is asking Zeus if blood needs to be shed for peace. Zeus tells her that there needs to be a mutual agreement between them first.

There’s a common theme of avenging death in both books. Orestes murders Aigisthos and Eupeithes wants to kill Odysseus. Orestes is Agamemnon’s son and he kills his mother’s lover for killing Agamemnon in the tub. Eupeithes, Antinoos’s father want to get revenge for want happened to his son so he goes after Odysseus. Unfortunately for him Laertes kills Eupeithes with a spear.

Another common theme is both books is family. Telemachus knows he has to stay strong and protect his mother from the suitors. He is currently the man of the house while his father is gone and he has to keep the family together. Telemachus is faced with making sure that he lives up to his father’s greatness and can keep his legacy. In the last book they are all reunited making the long journey Odysseus went through worth it. His son proves that he is a man and can take care of the family, okios.

November 19, 2015 2:10 -3:30pm

We started off with a little background on our next reading, The Plato’s Symposium. A symposium is where people would get together and have a drinking party. It talks about Eros or love and what is it.

Tellus, in Herodotus’ Histories

1. King Croesus, Lydia
2. Solon, wise Athenia

Tellus lived long enough to see his grandchildren prosper.

In the last book of The Odysseus Odysseus and his father, Laertes are reunited. Just like Tellus he is able to see his son again and gets to see his grandson become a man. He will get to live a quiet and peaceful life knowing that his family is doing well. You have to be dead to be happy in Herodotus. This is a good way to die knowing that your family is in good hands compared to the way Agamemnon was killed. He will be remembered by the way he died unfortunately and nobody will talk about his victory at Troy.

Book 1 of The Iliad vs. Book 24 of The Odysseus

The main characters in book of these oral poems were Agamemnon and Achilles. Achilles tells Agamemnon that he was blessed because he was able to rule over a kingdom.

We are left to imagine Achilles death in The Iliad but in book 24 we get closure of what happened during the funeral.

1. nine muses came to the funeral
2. funeral games
3. gets to be buried with his best friend, Patroclus.

Achilles had one of the best funerals ever.

On the other hands we can say that the suitors aren’t very blessed. Their own fathers die trying to avenge their death. Nobody fights over their bodies and once they enter the underworld nobody cares about their story.

November 22, 2015 4:30–7:00 pm

Plato’s Symposium,pp. 233–263

Select one of the speeches in praise of Eros that you think most closes resembles the forms of love we have looked at so far in this course. Which speech is our favorite and why?

Phaedrus’s speech:

I feel like from his speech he was saying that love conquers all and that it is the greatest thing to experience. Love gives you that extra drive to be a better person. I would relate this type of Eros to Odysseus and Penelope. The homophrosune that they have with one another and their love is very strong. Penelope didn’t want to have another family with other man so she waited 20 years for Odysseus to come back. They were both strong and brave through those years they were waited for each other.

Another example is the bond between Achilles and Patroclus. Achilles knew is fate if he decided to kill the man who killed his best friend. He didn’t care he want to avenge his death and kill Hector even if that meant that he would be killed later. He accepted death for the love of his best friend.

I would have to say that Phaedrus wasn’t my favorite but compared to the other speeches it something that I could relate to. I do believe that if you are in a good and healthy relationship the love between the two people could bring out the best in them. I also liked how Phaedrus talked about if you had a army with a bunch of lovers it would be untouchable. No one would want to look like a coward so they would make sure that they fought a good fight and they would die to protect their lover. Someone willing to die for you is no doubt a sign of Eros.

November 24, 2015 9:30–11:30 am

Went over Plato’s symposium again because I felt like I really didn’t really get a good understanding of it the first time then I made some changes to my journal. After that I proofread my work again.