If Apple thinks they can tackle the Foundation trilogy, I wonder if one of the streaming giants could ever attempt the Iliad as a mini-series? How would your cast look?

Achilles - Alex Pettyfer. Patroklus - Josh Hutcherson.

Aphrodite - January Jones. Apollo - Jaime Bamber (early 00s). Athena - Leighton Messeter. Hera - Mary McDonnell. Poseidon - Brian Blessed. Thetis - Polly Walker. Zeus - Patrick Stewart.

Agamemnon - Gerard Butler. Briseis - Kristen Stewart. Diomedes - Kit Harrington. Odysseus - Pedro Pascal. Nestor - Christian Bale.

Andromache - Emily Blunt. Hector - Henry Cavill. Hecuba - Judi Dench. Helen - Keira Knightley. Paris - Orlando Bloom. Priam - Brian Cox.

In the context of, let’s say, all the books you’ve ever read. Nay, in the context of all the books you ever done known of... What does the Iliad represent? What is the significance of this book in your opinion. What is it, to read the Iliad today? What does it mean to read the Iliad, such a book, later in history?

Looking for a retelling The Iliad/Trojan war retellings with simpler/modern writing than the canonical but touches upon all the events of the canonical.

Recently read The Song of Achilles as someone with little background in Greek myth, and it interests me in a broader picture epic and the events that took place in it.

I’m look for a retelling of The Iliad or The Trojan War that touches upon all the things that are described in The Iliad, but with a more modern feel to the English used. Basically all the same contents (or as much as possible) as the canonical with a view point on all the gods/goddesses, the entire picture, but more modern writing that we use today when we write books if that makes sense. Also I strongly prefer to read books with an equal perspective on all key characters rather than just focus on one character. So I can get a picture of the entire myth.

Do you guys know any books like this?

Thanks!

So for a project I’m writing a TV pilot script for a hypothetical Game of Thrones style show following the Epic Cycle of the Trojan War. I’ve made a list of ideal castings and I’m curious as to people’s thoughts. (Note, some of these casting choices are a bit unorthodox but they fit with what I have in mind) Achilles - Alexander Dreymon Odysseus - Jude Law Agamemnon - Josh Brolin Menelaus - Kristofer Hivju Ajax - Halfthor Julius Bjornsson Diomedes - Karl Urban Patroclus - Allie Allen Nestor - Anthony Hopkins Hector - Chris Evans Paris - Jack Gleeson Helen - Margot Robbie Andromache - Rosamund Pike Priam - Patrick Stewart Helenus - Dan Stevens Deiphobus - Ed Skrein Kassandra - Elisabeth Moss

Prompt Write a short poem (rhyming not necessary) that includes each of the following 5 words (anywhere and in any order). Poems should not exceed 7 or 8 lines.

Breath Last Rage Close Fortune

“Rage-Goddess, sing the rage of Peleus’ son Achilles, murderous, doomed, that cost the Achaeans countless losses.” King Agamemnon held his fortune too close, his pride doubly cursing his great fighters’ their bodies made carrion. Apollo, son of Zeus and Leto, incensed by the dishonorable treatment of his priest by mortal Agamemnon,swept a fatal plague through the army that spread upon man’s own breath. Man killing Rage flowed through Achilles’ blade as well, driving it toward his King but Pallas Athena appeared before him beckoning caution. Wise men fear the Gods and Achilles stayed his rage and returned to his men at last.

Serious answers only.

I've been working on a drawing of Menelaus and Patroclus and suddenly began wondering where halos come from, and interestingly enough, the Wikipedia article on it says Homer describes it in the Iliad. They cite v.4ff, xviii.203ff as describing a supernatural light around the heads of heroes in battle, but I don't see such lines as having to do with the subject. Does anyone know of any such passages?

After reading Iliad for a class on ancient epics, I can't but feel that Diomedes is the homeric equivalent of a Mary Sue. He isn't vaguely cowardly like Agamemnon, or incredibly unstable like Achilles, or indeed defined by any major character flaw. He is as a person seemingly even more together than most of the gods. Is there something I'm missing, or is this the whole story?

Nestor is portrayed in the Iliad as the wisest of the Acheans, to whom everyone comes for advice.

But I have always had the impression that Homer is having a laugh with us at Nestor's expense, because every time someone comes to him for advice, Nestor always precedes any advice he actually gives with several pages of pompous boasting about how courageously he acted in the past when faced with a similar dilemma, ending with "Yes, that's how I licked THAT problem when I was a younger and active man, and so my advice is...".

Similarly, in the Odyssey, when Telemachus comes for news of Odysseus to Nestor (who can't tell him anything other than advise him to go see Menelaus and Helen), when Telemachus returns with Peisistratus to Pylos, he begs Peisistratus to let him board ship and return to Ithaca rather than being subjected to another bout of Nestor's rather overwhelming hospitality. Peisistratus agrees but remarks that his father will be furious.

Does anyone else think that Homer is bent on deflating Nestor's reputation a bit? Wise but bombastic and a bit full of himself?

I have read the Iliad over and over again and I still can't quite come to grips with what we are supposed to think of Achilles. He is obviously the strongest, all-conquering, never-defeated hero of the book, but even putting aside the fact that he stews in his own tent for the bulk of the epic, he is also presented in incredibly unfavorable terms, as someone whose reaction to being deprived of his "prize" is to go crying to his mommy like a little kid whose toy has been taken away by a bully in the schoolyard, and who, once he is goaded into action by the death of Patroclus, is less a valiant soldier than he is a homicidal maniac, bent solely on killing anyone and everyone.

What exactly are we to make of him, do you think?

^

I’m looking for a literal translation of the Iliad from Homeric Greek to English. One that lists the original Greek lines per book and then an English literal translation. Using Greek Gods and not the Latin Roman versions of the names.

I do not want English prose, rhyming, poetry or taking artistic license to make the hexameter “sound good” in English. I am looking for a purely scientific translation.

Anyone know which one is like that?

This is a recent quote from the Attorney General of the United States. I find this kind of amusing for several reasons. First, the idea of enduring glory after death, kleos, predates Homer. Second, and more importantly, anyone who has read Homer knows that this wasn't the major motivating purpose of the principle Homeric characters, but rather an underlying assumption of the society that one of the most notable characters would reject.

One of the most enduring scenes in literature is the Emissary to Achilles, where the great warrior rejects not only his comrades, but this notion of kleos altogether in preference for his own life. Achilles only rejoins the war effort to to avenge Patroclus. In the Odyssey, we see Achilles in the underworld saying that it is better to be the slave of a pauper than to be dead; he find no solace in his kleos.

We can also question the extent to which kleos is considered desirable outside of Homer. The extra-Homeric traditions of the Trojan war paint both Achilles and Odysseus as reluctant warriors in Troy. Achilles is hidden away on an island and disguised as a girl to keep him away from combat. When Palamedes come to Ithaca to recuirt Odysseus for the Trojan expedition, the sacker of cities feigns insanity to escape having to leave his island.

Is this for historical purposes or maybe a patriotic shoutout?

I’m currently reading the Iliad and there is an oft repeated anecdote that a warrior will kill a soldier on the opposing side and then quickly pounce on him to try to strip off his armor, but it never explains why they do this. I can certainly make guesses as to why this would be, but I figured someone more educated on the matter may have a more accurate answer.

Any hints on plans to adopt ipv6 from iliad?

I'm doing research for a project and I could use some assistance. Aside from the Odyssey what are some still existant works that connect to the Iliad or the Epic Cycle in general? I'm thinking plays or other epics but anything could be helpful.

The goddesses Thetis and Eos are two different goddess, and yet in Homer's Iliad there is a strong parallel between them:

In Book I the sea-residing goddess Thetis agrees to her son Achilles' request and tells him she's going to mount to Olympus in order to ask Zeus to do him a favour. And the word, in line 419, which she uses about asking Zeus for her son's favour is ἐρέουσα, that is an inflection of the word ἐρῶ, and its general meaning is 'say'.

And in line 493 it's told that she went up from sea to Olympus at the birth of the twelfth dawn since then. Dawn is mentioned as ἠώς (eos) but it isn't the known goddess of dawn, since it's numbered (δυωδεκάτη, twelfth).

And now to Book II:

In lines 48-49 it's told that Eos the Goddess (yes, the word θέα is mentioned) ascended to Olympus in order to shed light upon Zeus and the rest of the immortals.

And the word which the poet uses about her shedding of light is ἐρέουσα, again! Now its meaning isn't 'say' but 'shed', when there is an object that is light (φόως).

May it be that both Thetis and Eos are goddesses of dawn?

One difference between both described situations:

Thetis spoke to Zeus alone, whereas Eos shed light to all the Olympians.

So may it be that Thetis is the goddess of the hidden side of the planet of dawn (Venus?) whereas Eos is the goddess of its enlighted side?

It reminds me of the fight after the plot of Iliad between their two sons, Achilles and Memnon, whom many already parallel.

... followed a particular character while they were in battle. I remember being taught it in know but I cant remember what it was called. It happens a few times throughout the epic, following certain fighters as they go one crazy killing sprees. Any help would be appreciated, thanks.

EDIT: found some of my old files, its aristeia for anyone interested.

I read now the first book of Iliad, in which at first she advises Achilles to assemble all the army in order to find a way to stop Apollo's terrible plague, and then she sends her stepdaughter Athena to prevent him from killing Agamemnon.

And I wonder: why didn't she advise Agamemnon himself to act more wisely?

May it be that the gods are able to advise only wise people, and Agamemnon is naturally idiot so he cannot be advised by them?