Title: The Iliad Background
1The Iliad Background
- ?????
- or
- The Tragedy of Achilles
2The Epic
- Epic?long narrative poem
- Follows the journey of an epic hero (Odysseus)
- An example of oral tradition
- Oral tradition--gtstory passed down from
generation to generation.
- Epic hero possesses the following traits
- Courageous
- Loyal
- Honorable
3Homer
- The narrator of the epic
- The blind poet
- Wrote Iliad and Odyssey
- Iliad- 10 years of the war
- Odyssey- 10 years after
4Background information
- Trojan War
- Gods and goddess party
- Eris not invited
- Erisgoddess of discord
- Angry she isnt invited
- Throws an apple into the party
- FOR THE FAIREST
- What do you think all the goddesses did as a
result???
5CAT FIGHT
6The Compromise
3 goddess fought over the apple Hera?goddess of
marriage Athena?goddess of war/wisdom Aphr
odite?goddess of love
7The Compromise
- Zeus told Paris, Prince of Troy, to decide
Hera?promises power and riches Athena?promises
him power and fame Aphrodite? promises him the
most beautiful woman in the world.
8Helen Menelaus
- Helen was married to the King of Sparta? Menelaus
- Paris Helen run off together
- Menalaus wages war to get Helen back.
- (one of his main soldiers is Odysseus)
- This starts the TROJAN WAR
- Helen was known as
- the face that launched a thousand ships
9The Trojan Horse
- City of Troy was fortified (Troy was Paris city)
Fortified? encircled by walls This was used for
protection
10Who was Achilles?
Achilles was the son of the mortal Peleus and the
goddess Thetis (the sea goddess). He was the
mightiest of the Achaeans (a Greek clan) who
fought in the Trojan War. Achilles was very brave
and undefeatable in battle almost immortal, in
fact.
11Achilles Childhood
- Because Calchas prophesied that Achilles would
be stronger than his father, Peleus gives
Achilles to be raised by the centaur Chiron.
However, before being sent away, Thetis made
Achilles immune to death. There are two stories
that explain how
12Achilles Story
- Thetis, Achilles goddess-mother, wanted to burn
away the human part of her son so she placed him
upon a fiery altar. Peleus, Achilles father,
intervened just in time, but an angry Thetis
abandoned her son and husband.
13Achilles Story Cont.
- Thetis held Achilles by the heel and dipped him
into the River Styx to make him immortal. Thus,
the only vulnerable (weak) spot on Achilles body
was his tendon where his mother held him as she
dipped him into the waters of death.
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15Achilles Childhood
- In addition, to being sent away by his father,
Achilles was later hidden by his mother. - There was a prophecy given about Achilles
destiny while he was still a boy. A prophet
named Calchas prophesied that the city of Troy
would not be conquered by any other Greek state
without Achilles help. - Thetis knew that if her son went to Troy,
Achilles would die an early death. So she sent
him to the court of Lycomedes where he was hidden
and disguised as a young girl. Achilles' disguise
was finally discovered by Odysseus who took him
to war.
16Achilles Character
- Despite having the strength of someone who is
part god, Achilles central weakness is his anger
/ rage, which often gets him into trouble with
other leaders.
17Achilles Rage (as theme)
- Achilles anger issues are a central theme in The
Iliad, as is his ability to act with honor. - The first two lines of the Iliad read
- µ???? ?e?de ?e? ??????de? ???????
- ????µ????, ? µ???' ??a???? ???e' ????e?,
- Sing, Goddess, of the rage, of Peleus' son
Achilles - the accursed rage, which brought pain to
thousands of the Achaeans.
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19Trojan War Background
- The Trojan War began as a result of events that
took place at the wedding of King Peleus and
Thetis (Achilles parents) many years earlier
20Judgement of Paris
- The wedding took place in Troy in the presence of
King Priam and his sons Hector and Paris. While
Hector was the best warrior in Troy, Paris was
known as the handsomest man in all the known
world.
21Judgement of Paris
- This pretty boy was asked by Zeus to judge a
divine beauty contest of sorts. A golden apple
would be given to the most beautiful goddess
present Hera, Athena, or Aphrodite.
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23Judgement of Paris
- Hera offered Paris ultimate , Athena promised to
make him the wealthiest, and Aphrodite promised
to give Paris Helen the most beautiful woman
alive - Paris, of course, picked Aphrodite, and she
helped him to steal Helen from her husband.
24A War Begins
- This decision had many consequences. First,
it turned the goddesses Athena and Hera against
the Trojans. Second, it caused King Menelaus to
enlists the help of his brother Agamemnon (King
of Mycenae) and declare war against Troy.
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26- The Greek state of Mycenae and their allies
already had control of almost all the city-states
in the Aegean Sea except Troy. So Agamemnon
saw it as a perfect opportunity to expand his
empire and for his brother to avenge his loss.
27A War Begins
- Menelaus, and Agamemnon also enlist the help
of two other Greek kings Odysseus and Achilles.
Achilles was somewhat reluctant to join in the
fight. He had no interest in politics, but he
was interested in making a name for himself as a
great warrior.
28Achilles and AgamemnonThe Greeks
29Hector and Paris The Trojans
30Hollywoods Iliad