1. Quiz Review – the Iliad Eng 3A/2 – Wednesday, 10/3 Eng 3A/5 – Thursday, 10/4 Eng 3A/6 – Wednesday, 10/3 pp. 67-80 in the literature text

2. pp. 67-9 Achilles vows to kill Hector because of what he did to Patroclus Thetis (Achilles’ mother) reminds her son that he is not immortal; although he has a vague idea when he will die, he does not know how, or at whose hands his death will come. The translator of this version of the Iliad has Thetis say: “Your death (Achilles) will come hard on the heels of Hector’s death.” Hard on the heels is an idiomatic expression that we use in English to mean “very soon after”. Thetis’ use of this phrase is an example of dramatic irony – we know more about how Achillles dies than he knows or his mother knows. She’s not being clever – she has NO idea that her words have this layer of extra meaning. Achilles willingly trades his mortality for glory. He knows that by dying in battle, he will become essentially immortal. His glory will live on long after he is gone.

3. pp. 70-5 Achilles vs. Hector (the grudge match over Patroclus’ death). There are long speeches delivered by Achilles and Hector before the fight. Hector’s speech is conciliatory and magnanimous (magnanimous = “what we would expect from a ‘great man’”). In it, he proposes that whichever one of them dies, the other should be certain that he is buried with all due respect and courtesy. Achilles replies rudely, saying “I’ll not talk of pacts with you… you’ll pay the reckoning in full for all the pain [you’ve caused my men].” Achilles throws his spear. It misses, but Athena intervenes and returns his spear to him. Hector throws and misses. At this point Hector realizes that his brother Deiphobus is NOT nearby to help him. He thought Deiphobus was just behind him, but that was just a trick played on Hector by Athena. Hector has no spears left; Achilles has one.

4. pp. 70-5, cont. Hector charges Achilles with his sword drawn, but Achilles skillfully throws his spear right through Hector’s throat. With his last breath, Hector asks Achilles not “to let dogs feed on me in your camp by the ships.” Achilles curses Hector, calling him a “dog” himself. No sooner does Hector die than does Achilles do the following: –He strips Hector of his armor. –He invites his men to step forward and desecrate Hector’s body with their spears. –He ties Hector’s corpse to his chariot and drags the body three times around the walls of the city of Troy. Then, he drags Hector’s corpse back to the Achaean camp by the ships.

5. pp. 76-80 Hector’s father, Priam – the king of Troy – walks to the Greek camp to ask for Hector’s body so that it can be buried with dignity. Priam’s visit to the Greeks’ camp mirrors the start of the story of the lliad, where Chryse (Apollo’s priest from Troy) visits the Greeks to ask for his daughter’s return. Priam is able to enter the camp safely – without arousing the suspicion of guards – through the intercession of Hermes. Priam literally kneels at Achilles feet as he begs for his son’s return. Priam’s sincere pleading – and the fact that the old man causes Achilles to yearn for his own father – makes Achilles consider Priam’s request, but it does NOT keep Achilles from losing patience with him. Eventually, though, Achilles relents. He calls on his dear comrades – Automedon and Alcimus (whom “he esteemed the most after the dead Patroclus) – to help him load Hector’s body on a wagon for his return to Troy.

6. What Kinds of Questions? What kinds of questions do you think would be appropriate for this reading? I do not want just simple answer/fill-in-the-blank type questions. EMAIL me your ideas. If I choose one of your questions for the quiz, not only will you know the answer, but you’ll also get 1 point extra credit. VreelandJ@SaintJosephRegional.org