Homer's Poetry - Book Report/Review Example

Suzana Zdravkovska 23 March 2009 Homer "Father Zeus, if ever before in word or action I did you favor among the immortals, now grant what I ask for. Now give honor to my son short-lived beyond all other mortals, since even now the lord of men Agamemnon dishonors him, who has taken away his prize and keeps it. Zeus of the counsels, lord of Olympos, now do him honor. So long put strength into the Trojans, until the Achaians give my son his rights, and his honor is increased among them Bend your head and promise me to accomplish this thing, or else refuse it, you have nothing to fear, that I may know by how much I am the most dishonored of all gods..." Thetis, "Iliad" book 1, 503-517 "Father of us all, you son of Cronus, high above all lords, yes, truly that man lies low in a destruction that is his due; so, too, may any other also be destroyed who does such deeds. But my heart is torn for the sake of wise Odysseus, unfortunate man who far from his friends has long been suffering afflictions in a sea-encircled island, where is the navel of the sea. It's a wooded island, and there resides a Goddess, daughter of Atlas of baneful mind, who knows the depths of every sea, and himself holds the tall pillars which keep earth and heaven apart. It is his daughter who keeps back that wretched, sorrowing man; and ever with soft and wheedling words she charms him that he may forget Ithaca. But Odysseus in his longing to see were it but the smoke leaping up from his own land, wishes to die. Yet your heart does not regard it, Olympian. Did not Odysseus beside the ships of the Argives offer you sacrifice without limitation of supply or effort in the broad land of Troy For that reason then did you conceive such wrath against him, O Zeus Father of us all, you son of Cronus, high above all lords, if indeed this is now well pleasing to the blessed Gods, that the wise Odysseus should return to his own home, let us send forth Hermes, the messenger, Argeiphontes, to the island Ogygia, that with all speed he may declare to the fair-tressed nymph our fixed decisions, even the return of Odysseus of the constant heart, that he may come home" Athena, "Odyssey", book 1, 45-63, 80-88 Homer's poetry abounds in Gods' and Goddesses' characters from the ancient Greek mythology. Needless to say, divine intervention of the gods in everyday life of the mortals is one of Homer's favorite ways to tell us that gods act in two ways, that is, as external forces, and as internal forces. Gods and Goddesses are the ones who determine matters such as peace or violence, life or death, etc. In both "The Iliad" and "The Odyssey", Goddesses play significant roles influencing Zeus, the God Supreme, to achieve his granting of their pleas. Namely, Thethis, a "Nereid", daughter of Nereus and Doris and mother of Achilles, in book one of the "Iliad" makes a request of Zeus on behalf of Achilles, and Athena, also known under many other names, daughter of Zeus, Goddess of wisdom, purposeful battle and the womanly arts, makes a request of Zeus for Odysseus in book one of the "Odyssey". As the glory of war is the main feature in both epics, we should start our analysis of these requests here, i.e. the Trojan War. In the "Iliad" Homer gives an account of a battle nine years after the start of the Trojan War, in which the Achaeans Agamemnon and Achilles capture Chryseis and Briseis. Chryses (Chryseis' father) prays to Apollo to help him have his daughter back, to which Apollo sends plague upon the Achaean camp and many Achaeans die. After finding out the cause of the plague, Agamemnon gives Chryseis up but demands Briseis from Achilles. Achilles' respond to this is his refusal to fight in the war any longer and vengefully wants the Achaeans destroyed, so he goes to his mother Thetis, the Nereid or the sea-nymph. He asks her to plea with Zeus to destroy the Achaeans. As any mother should do and respond to her son's rightful and sincere tears, Thetis goes to Zeus, and reminding him of her favors for him among the immortals, asks him to put strength into the Trojans, until the Achaeans give Achilles his prize back to him, that is Briseis, and until his honor increases among them again. Thetis is fully aware of her not so high rank among all gods, so she makes her plea humbly. Still, isn't this the usual way all mothers in this world to try to help their children in a case of need However humble Thetis' request is, it is highly effective as well, since although disturbed at first, Zeus grants it. As for Athena, it is obvious that she definitely is a dominant figure in the "Odyssey". She hates the Trojans and often helps the Achaeans in many ways. As his daughter, she accepts only Zeus as authority, but is very popular among the people, because she often takes the role of a "mediator" or intercessor with them and their affairs. That is why she is the Goddess of Wisdom. Athena has a deep bond and incredible relationship with Odysseus, too. In book one of the "Odyssey", she begs her father to turn his attention to Odysseus and help him return to his family on Ithaca, reminding him wisely at the same time of Odysseus' "sacrifice without limitation of supply or effort in the broad land of Troy". Athena is wise enough to bring up this subject with her father because as a God of all Gods he is the one who can solve any problem. Despite Zeus' pointing out that Odysseus is hardly an innocent victim who has angered Poseidon having blinded his son Polyphemus, Zeus grants Athena's request and agrees to send Hermes to the island Ogygia to free Odysseus from the "bewitching nymph" Calypso. In conclusion, if we compare the goddesses' requests to Zeus to requests made nowadays by women to people standing very high in ranks and position that have positive outcome, we can freely say that the magical word "please" uttered from the lips of a loving mother and a wise woman is always very effective and almost always achieves the goals. MLA formatted: The Purdue OWL. 26 Aug. 2008. The Writing Lab and OWL at Purdue and Purdue University. 23 April 2008 . Sources: 1. Homer, "The Iliad of Homer", http://www.gutenberg.org/license Release Date: September 2006 [Ebook 6130] Translated by Alexander Pope,with notes by theRev. Theodore Alois Buckley, M.A., F.S.A.andFlaxman's Designs.1899 (March 20, 2009) 2. Homer, "The Odyssey" http://www.planetebook.com/The-Odyssey.asp Translated by Samuel Butler (March 20, 2009) Read More