Questions tagged [iliad]
For questions about a Greek epic attributed to Homer, about the Trojan War.
29 questions
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Did Helen and Stentor have voice-related "super-powers"?
Helen's Many Voices
In Odyssey 4.274-289 Menelaus recounts a story from the time that he and other leaders of the Greek forces at Troy were hiding in the famous decoy wooden horse which they used as ...
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How old were Paris and Achilles at the time of the Trojan War?
Paris of Troy was presumably an adult at the time of the marriage of Peleus and Thetis and the Judgement of Paris. That would mean Paris was at least 15-20 years older than Achilles. Other than that, ...
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Where did the ancient (the ones who fought the Trojans) Greeks believe the world to be?
Atlas holds up the world on his shoulders. On what does he stand?
I've heard the ancients depicted the world being supported by 4 elephants which were standing on the back of a turtle. I'm not sure ...
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Why does Achilles sacrifice 12 Trojan men on Patroclus' funeral pyre? Will this benefit Patroclus in the afterlife? (Illiad Book 23)
In the Iliad, Achilles gives his friend Patroclus an elaborate funeral, involving the sacrifice of various animals, including 2 of Patroclus own dogs (presumably so they can be with him in the ...
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What does "ox-eyed" mean in the Iliad?
Hera is called "ox-eyed," and there is another question here which discusses that. The answer there is that Hera is associated with cows. But there is also a mention of another ox-eyed ...
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Date (time of year) of the Iliad?
Does Homer give any clue as to the time of year, or even the specific dates, when events in the Iliad occur? I don't mean the absolute chronology (e.g., 1184 BCE or whatever) or span of time (e.g., +9 ...
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Honor, cunning and realism of underhandedness in the Iliad
The heroes of the Iliad seem to be completely obsessed with honourable fighting, with Hector refusing to take sanctuary behind the walls due to that not being honourable (The Great Courses - Famous ...
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Is there a referenced kill-count for Hector of Troy?
According to many sources Hector was the greatest warrior of Troy.
In the Iliad, Hector did not approve of war between the Greeks and the Trojans, and for ten years, the Achaeans besieged Troy and ...
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Was Achilles really motivated by eternal glory?
I've been reading a lot of interpretations of Achilles' decision to return to battle, and many top scholars seem to think that he sacrificed his life in order to achieve some form of eternal glory. ...
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How does Glaucus know Patroclus killed Sarpedon?
I'm reading the Loeb Iliad so I have the original Greek text alongside English and am confused when reading verse Il. 16-543:
τὸν δ᾽ ὑπὸ Πατρόκλῳ δάμασ᾽ ἔγχεϊ χάλκεος Ἄρης.
... Him [Sarpedon] has ...
cmw♦
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Why did Odysseus pretend to be Helen's suitor if he wanted to win Penelope?
An important point in the story of the Iliad is that Odysseus (hoping to win the hand of Penelope, King Tyndareus niece), proposes an "Oath of Tyndareus", which binds all the suitors of Helen to join ...
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Why does Achilles put up with Agamemnon's abuse?
Why doesn't Achilles simply kill Agamemnon and his army?
Agamemnon seriously disses him, repeatedly and it's an honor/shame society.
cmw♦
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How old was Nestor?
I am rereading the Iliad and I am wondering how old Nestor, Agamemnon, Odysseus etc. were. Nestor was and old man, but how old ? 60 ? What age was the prime of life, which I suppose Agamemnon and ...
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How much time is a generation in the odyssey and Iliad?
Prompted by the question How old was Nestor is there any reference to how much Homer considered a generation to be?
I cannot seem to find any good reference that is reliable and sourced correctly, ...
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How could Diomedes be married yet still be Helen's suitor?
From Wikipedia article on Diomedes:
Diomedes, in turn, married Aegialeus's daughter Aegialia when he returned from battle. He was then appointed as the King of Argos and thus became one of the most ...
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Who translated the Iliad or the Odyssey to Latin first?
Who was the first person to translate part or all of Homer's works, the Iliad and/or the Odyssey, to Latin? Have these translations survived to current times?
My original motivation for the question ...
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In the Ιliad why is there no continuation of the duel between Paris and Menelaus?
In the Iliad why is there no continuation of the duel between Paris and Menelaus?
I guess I will never understand the mentality of the Iliad but the whole war is started by a Paris vs Menelaus ...
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What do we know of the rebellion against Zeus by Poseidon, Hera and Athena?
In the first book of the Iliad Achilles mentions that Thetis, his sea nymph mother, once saved Zeus from a rebellion by Poseidon, Hera and Athena:
Help your brave son, therefore, if you are able. Go ...
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What is the fight between Odysseus and Achilles?
I remember reading in the Odyssey about a bard retelling the story of Odysseus and Achilles having a fight. It had Odysseus put his head down in tears as the bard sang the story. But it didn't say ...
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How can gods hide themselves from other god's gaze?
I know of Hades with his Helm of Darkness. I know that Athena gave a Helm of Darkness to the hero Perseus and later used it (or another) herself in the Iliad to hid from Ares. Another point in the ...
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Why was it important that the cattle have 'never yet felt the goad?'
In the Iliad, book 6, there is a line were Hector is speaking to his mother.
"...Get the matrons together, and go with offerings to the temple of Athena driver of the spoil; there, upon the knees ...
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What does Ulysses Pidytes of Percote mean?
I just opened my Iliad et Odyssey (Translated by Samuel Butler), and I saw this...
Polypoetes then killed Astyalus, Ulysses Pidytes of Percote, and Teucer Aretaon.
The Iliad, Book VI, page 98
This ...
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Could Achilles have killed Hector at a later time?
Achilles was given two choices by his mother, either stay and die with imperishable fame or leave the war and live a life of peace. When he heard Hector killed Patroclus, to escape his fate and take ...
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Did Achilles suspect he might die by Hector's hands?
In Richmond Lattimore's translation, the following lines (9.410-416) are a part of Achilles' first speech in Book Nine:
For my mother Thetis the goddess of the silver feet tells me
I carry two ...
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Why does Hector accept Achilles' challenge?
The first time Hector meets Achilles on the battlefield, in Book IX of the Iliad, he is prudent enough to avoid dueling the Myrmidon superhero. However, in Book XXII Hector decides to face Achilles in ...
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Was hero worship the same as god worship?
In Greek Mythology, their are a few special heroes (Diomedes being one) who, after Death claims them, have a shrine/temple build in their honor and for worship. Was the worship they received similar/...
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What are Hera's favorite cities?
In the Iliad, Zeus and Hera are fighting. Somehow, for reasons I don't remember, Zeus asks the names of Hera's favorite cities. After she tells him, he says he shall sack them.
What are the names of ...
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Who came to Troy?
Near the end of Book II of the Iliad, Homer says that if he had nine tongues, he could not list all those that came. He then lists as many as he can. Do other authors add to the list?
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Did Greeks bow to their gods?
Is there an instance in which a Greek (or related, Roman, Trojan...) would bow to a god if they appeared? I would think not.
Iliad
Athena appears to Achilles, did not bow.
Athena appears to Odysseus,...
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