Myrgalen – homepage

Category: Blog

  • The Iliad, Book XI

    Mon. May 13 Now, back to the ancient drama of the Iliad. In Book XI, Agamemnon has great success. Hector is prevented by the gods from confronting him, but when Agamemnon is wounded and retires from the field, Hector routs the Greeks, who are led by Diomed and Ulysses (Odysseus).…

  • The Well at the World’s End

    Wed. April 24 For a little bit of a break from my survey of ancient literature, I’m taking a look at a seminal work of heroic fantasy, The Well at the World’s End, by William Morris, the nineteeth century Renaissance man of many talents, probably most famous for his designs…

  • The Iliad, Book X

    Wed. April 17 It is almost comical how the Greeks and Trojans send spies out at the same time, with the same purpose to scout the enemy camp, and they run into each other. The young Trojan is naive and unprepared, too eager to seek a prize of which he…

  • The Iliad, Book IX

    Wed. April 10 After the Greek losses in battle, Agamemnon sends an embassy to Achilles, seeking reconcilliation. He expresses his remorse (through his emissaries though, not in person) and offers many gifts, following the rules of honor, including armor, land, and slaves, in recompense for the wrong Achilles has suffered.…

  • The Iliad, Book VIII

    Tues. April 2 Hector drives the Greeks back to their ships and threatens to destroy them. Athena and Hera try to persuade Zeus to allow them to enter the battle on the side of the Greeks and shorten the war, thus saving many lives since it has has already been…

  • The Iliad, Book VII

    Mon. March 25 The duel of Hector and Ajax.  Hector confronts Ajax, who has been wreacking havoc on the Trojans. “What art shall calm the furious sons of war?” –  Apollo to Athena. The gods are looking to intervene in the mayhem they created, but “sons of war” also suggests…

  • The Iliad, Book VI

    Wed. March 20 During a lull in the fighting, Glaucus (a Trojan) and Ajax (a Greek) begin to converse and discover they have a common ancestor. Such a connection must be honored. Although they cannot change the war or their own circumstances, they vow not to kill each other at…

  • The Iliad, Books IV & V

    Wed. March 13 The influence of the gods is further shown in their coucil on Mt. Olympus, as they debate and connive, just as humans would, to break the truce between the Greeks and Trojans. Men are shown to be pawns for the sport of the immortals. Athena persuades Pandarus…

  • The Iliad, Books II & III

    A note on translations: The first time I read the Iliad many years ago, it was the Great Books prose traslation (a set inherited from my parents, for which I am always grateful) but the style can be rather stilted and British, like the King James Bible (thee and thou,…

  • The Iliad, Book I

    Wed. Feb 28 The poem famoulsly begins in medias res, in the middle of things, but really near the end of things, since it is the tenth year of the war. This makes artistic sense, to get to the heart of the matter – “Sing, O Muse, of  the wrath…