Show Notes
In this episode we cover the teichomachia, or the battle around the walls of the Greeks. This book contains some great similes and we also hear a great speech from Sarpedon on why the heroes fight, which connects both Hector and Achilles. Hector is on display this book, and it all points to his moment of triumph when he picks up a big rock. His breach of the wall is contrasted with the beginning of the book when we are told how the gods destroyed the wall after the war. I touch on why this happens, and why we are privy to its destruction in the first place. Sources for this episode: * Maitland, Judith. “Poseidon, Walls, and Narrative Complexity in the Homeric Iliad.” The Classical Quarterly, vol. 49, no. 1, 1999, pp. 1–13. JSTOR, http://www.jstor.org/stable/639485. Accessed 25 June 2025. * PORTER, JAMES I. “Making and Unmaking: The Achaean Wall and the Limits of Fictionality in Homeric Criticism.” Transactions of the American Philological Association (1974-), vol. 141, no. 1, 2011, pp. 1–36. JSTOR, http://www.jstor.org/stable/41289734. Accessed 25 June 2025. * Scholia quote came from the blog SENTENTIAE ANTIQUAE, here: https://sententiaeantiquae.com/2017/09/11/tension-and-precarity-the-iliads-simile-of-the-weaving-woman/ * (if you like Homer go check out Joel’s blog and also substack, he’s really good)
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More from The Homeric Epic Podcast
I finally got around to recording some of my thoughts on the Odyssey movie. I feel most of the criticism leveled against it relates to it being a film adaptation of one of the greatest stories of all time. This alone requires concessions to be made, and I am sympathetic to the medium enough to be able to enjoy the movie for what it is: a good movie in its own right. That being said, there were some things that disappointed me about it, and that is what fills the majority of this rambling episode. All in all I like the film a lot, but knowing what I know about the Odyssey makes it difficult to love this movie. I’d love to hear your thoughts on it!
In this episode we cover book 16 of the Iliad and the entire character arc of Patroclus. I touch on the complexities of Achilles situation and how he expresses his inner turmoil, but eventually does relent and let Patroclus fight. I also go over the character of Sarpedon, and how the poet has been preparing him for this book. Lastly, the death of gentle Patroclus and the peculiar way that it occurs rounds out this episode. Does Achilles relinquish his wrath here? Who is Euphorbus and why is he afforded a piece of the glory? Listen and find out! Sources used for the episode: * Hofmeister, T. P. (1995). “Rest in Violence”: Composition and Characterization in “Iliad” 16.155-277. Classical Antiquity, 14(2), 289–316. https://doi.org/10.2307/25011024 * Allan, W. (2005). Arms and the Man: Euphorbus, Hector, and the Death of Patroclus. The Classical Quarterly, 55(1), 1–16. http://www.jstor.org/stable/3556236 * Scodel, R. (1989). The Word of Achilles. Classical Philology, 84(2), 91–99. http://www.jstor.org/stable/270264 * Gaca, K. L. (2008). Reinterpreting the Homeric Simile of “Iliad” 16.7-11: The Girl and Her Mother in Ancient Greek Warfare. The American Journal of Philology, 129(2), 145–171. http://www.jstor.org/stable/27566700 * Owen, E. T. (1946). Story of the Iliad. In University of Michigan Press eBooks. https://doi.org/10.3998/mpub.12946780
Hello Everyone! Another episode where I answer some listener questions and ramble on about whatever else I’ve been reading on Homer! This time I discuss, in broad strokes, how Homer is foundational to our western notion of literature, the attitude of women in Homer to their (usually) unfortunate fates, and lastly about a book I’ve been reading that has changed the way I see the Homeric poems: The Singer of Tales by Albert Lord. I’m definitely going to need more air time to talk about this book, it’s got a few things to say… Here is an article that I discuss from Prof. Joel Christensen’s great blog about how the ancient Athenians may have used the authority of Homer to settle a land dispute with their neighbours. * Sententiae antiquae, V. a. P. B. (2015, June 27). Messing More with Homer: Megara, Salamis, Athens and Solon. SENTENTIAE ANTIQUAE. https://sententiaeantiquae.com/2015/06/27/messing-more-with-homer-megara-salamis-athens-and-solon/
This episode resumes where we last left Zeus, as he was taking a very deep nap upon Mt. Ida. The fighting is renewed and the hope for the Achaeans dwindling. The Trojans push the Achaeans back farther than ever before, and things are beginning to look dire. In this book I cover some interesting linguistic remnants in a description about Hera’s punishment, as well as how the final revealing of the plot of the story affects our enjoyment of it. Finally, I say a few words on the Iliad’s most unlucky hero, Melanippos, may he rest in peace x3. Source used for this episode: * Beckwith, M. C. (1998). The “Hanging of Hera” and the Meaning of Greek ἄκμων. Harvard Studies in Classical Philology, 98, 91–102. https://doi.org/10.2307/311338 * Lord, A. B. (2000). The singer of tales. Harvard University Press.
Hi everyone! Thought I’d try going off the cuff for an episode and answering a question posed on the substack chat! This might be a good way for me to produce more stuff for you to listen to between the main episodes. I think it could be fun to get some dialogue and questions going back and forth online, so if you have any questions feel free to ask! In this first episode I answer a question on whether the seduction of Zeus episode is an interpolation to Homer, I also talk about horses in the Iliad, and finish off with some of my thoughts on the trailer for Christopher Nolan’s Odyssey. Enjoy! Also here are some sources used for the episode, and some interesting articles I found: * Dué, C. (2009). Recapturing a Homeric legacy. Center for Hellenic Studies ; Distributed by Harvard University Press. * Chevaux et cavaliers dans l’Iliade “Horses and Riders in the Iliad” Michel Woronoff. https://books.openedition.org/pur/25517 * Franko, G. F. (2005). The Trojan Horse at the Close of the “Iliad.” The Classical Journal, 101(2), 121–123. http://www.jstor.org/stable/30038644 * Davison, J. A. (1952). The Homeric Horse [Review of Le Cheval dans l’Iliade, by É. Delebecque]. The Classical Review, 2(3/4), 149–151. http://www.jstor.org/stable/701882