No More Neverland

There is a moment in every person's life when they realize that they must grow up. That moment is different for each individual but I believe it is necessary. There is a time to act as a child and there is a time to grow up. When people do not face the fact that they cannot act as children any longer, they become the people who cannot deal with their own concerns. Someone else is always at fault and someone else must handle their problems. This does not make for a well-rounded adult or citizen. This is what Athene refuses to let Telemachos become. Athene boldly tells Telemachos, "You should not go on clinging to your childhood. You are no longer of an age to do that" (line 296-7). Athene says this to him because she knows there is greatness in him. She sees what he can become if he chooses to accept his responsibility as an adult. Those words are not easy to hear and they are most likely difficult for Telemachos to hear, but because Athene tells him while she is in the form of his friend Mentes, Telemachos listens. Because he listens to Athene, he has the courage to confront the suitors during the assembly and to depart on the journey to gather news about his father.

Sometimes I think we all need that one friend to be bold enough to speak the truth in love to us. What friends say might be hard to hear and we might be defensive at first, but most of the time we become defensive because what they say is true. Sometimes friends know us better than we even know ourselves and sometimes they see the potential we have even when we cannot.

P.S.- Posted on Danielle's blog.

Wisdom of the Ages

I have loved Greek mythology, really any mythology, since I was really young. I don’t know too much about Greek myths, but I know enough to know that there’s just something in them reels me in every time. This is all to say that, ever since I was first introduced to Greek mythology, Athena has been my absolute favorite goddess. Maybe it has something to do with the fact that my parents have always drilled into me the importance of wisdom. Or maybe it’s just that I like the way she goes about things. Whatever it is, she is my absolute favorite.

In The Odyssey, Athena plays a large role in helping Telemachus begin his journey to find out about Odysseus. She is always thinking three, or seven, steps ahead of anyone else. She reminds me of a character in a manga I just, sort of, finished reading. In this manga, the character, his name is Shikamaru, is the best battle strategist there is. He always knows what the enemy is going to do, and he always plans for every possibility. Athena is very similar.

If we were living in Ancient Greece I would want Athena to be my patron goddess, I’d also want her to be on my side if it came down to it. The rest of the gods act in anger, Athena thinks through what she is going to do. This is why the Grecians chose to name their capitol city after her.

Tantum e tenebris receptum constabit

~Meghan

I commented on Molly Gray’s “An Age Of Plastic Wrap”

"A chip off the ol' block"

Does a child bring honor to his Father? Does a father create a role for his child to fulfill? I think both. In the beginning chapters of the Odyssey,there is so much emphasis on the father-son relationship. As a Burkhardt,I want to please and honor the man who gave me my name-sake. I love my father and would do anything for him. Even in the Iliad,  whenever a great warrior is mentioned,his father's name also appears in his 'title'. An example?  "_________,whose father __________ was a renowned slayer of men" Most often it seems that the child receives at least some form of honor from his father. Even Telemachus,when he visited Nestor and Menelaus, was immediately recognized as the son of Odysseus and received honor just for being the son of so great a man. So it makes you wonder,does the offspring of such a great man justify this pre-created honor passed down to him from his father? I would hope so! And Telemachus does. He is truly recognized as the son of Odysseus and many people admit to him that he has to be Odysseus' son,due to his 'god-like' looks and wisdom. ( I'll take some of what he had please...) So where does the true root of honor occur? From the son,or the father? I think about myself. I have no clue what my great-great-grandfather did for a living,or where he even lived. All I know is that he was Irish! (Which frankly makes him awesome in my book.) But you read The Iliad and The Odyssey and these mighty warriors are able to trace back their heritage several generations,some even to the gods themselves. Have we lost this sense of generational honor? Or has it simply faded from our list of important things in life? In the Iliad,it also adds to a character,it gives them a sense a background and doesn't make them seem as 'flat'. It provides a character with a little more substance and context,making them stand out from among the rest. Otherwise,the Iliad would turn from a true Epic to a boring hack-and-slash fest. My goal in my life is to bring true honor to my Heavenly Father. And if I can achieve that,then I've lived a full life. So this was just my take on the honor between a father and son. Hope you enjoyed it!

-Brian

(P.S. I commented on Becca Sales' "Shield" post.)

Hector...

The focus of book 22 is obviously the death of Hector. I found it humorous the way that Hector, knowing his death is eminent, flops back and forth between whether to die honorably or to not fight. Just as entertaining to me, his final decision to try to die with a little honor is a cop out that further lowers the honor of his death.

Hector first starts his questioning of fighting when he said that he would stand and fight, though Priam tried to talk him out of it, he insisted on staying. Later, Hector, in a little miniature conversation with himself, contemplates trying to take the easier way out and try and get a truce; change number one... He realizes halfway through this thought that he should fight; change number two... Eventually, Achilles reaches Hector and Hector takes off in a dead sprint to escape the fight, again changing his mind. His final change came when he stopped running, and took care of business even though he clearly realized his fate was sealed. 

Hector’s final offer to Achilles shouldn’t really have been that surprising based on his previous moves. It was great that Achilles turns him down. After flopping multiple times and then trying to weasel his way to an honorable death, Hector earned the death he received.

ps. I posted on Malory's...

The Age of Plastic Wrap

            As said in class today, history seems to have taken a downward slope. Whereas man used live in a time of demigods and epic journeys, decade long battles filled with the intimate art of hand to hand combat and the glory or shame that followed, today’s man seems to be but a shadow of himself.  The Odyssey is set towards the end of the Greeks “Golden Age”, and even within the epic itself, Homer notes the decline from the awe-inspiring demigods to the current warriors that occurred between three or four generations. The Ancient Greeks were a people of honor; it meant everything to them. In a world where swords and shield are just meant for museums and wall hangings, a world with a societal mindset of “everyman for himself”, what does that say about the modern man?   Forget the “Age of Tinfoil” that Dr. Mashburn joked at today; we live in an age of plastic wrap.

 

 

p.s- Commented on Rebekah Dye’s post “Penelope’s faithfulness”

Humanization and forgiveness.

I absolutely loved the discussion of Priam and Achilles today. One thing that has continued to amaze me in this story is the humanization of the characters. Typically, when we think of war we think of good vs. evil. The consistency in which the Iliad paints every character as a full and valuable human being amazes me. Even the struggle between Hector and Achilles there really isn't a good guy or a bad guy, there are just two guys fighting. 

Priam epitomizes this when he begs the mercy of Achilles. He calls Achilles to remember his own father, and to allow him to grieve Hector, his own dead son. This kind of reconciliation can only happen between two people who see each other as equals. It simply cannot happen when one group of people has mentally dehumanized the other. So much the worse, then, when they actually do kill each other. They understand fully that they are killing a sacred being. 

I like this. I think the Greeks are on to something about humanity.

Team Hector, or Team Achilles?

I feel like it is nearly impossible to go through The Iliad and not compare the two greatest heroes on each side, Hector and Achilles.  I have wondered throughout the epic which one I would rather have on my side.  Before I read this entire novel I thought that I would be all for team Hector.  This came from ignorance and the assumption that the movie Troy was truthful.  I thought that it was a truthful display of the character’s personalities and events.  However, I learned that I was completely mistaken when I began to read the Iliad.  Hector and Achilles are great men and fierce warriors, and they both have their flaws, but I feel like in the end I would rather have a man like Achilles on my side.

Originally I thought that Hector is a better family man and that Achilles doesn’t feel anything except for anger and rage.  However, there are so many different sides to Achilles.  For example, he knows how to play the lyre, he shows respect to those he feels deserves it, and genuinely cares about Briseis.  Achilles actually cries over the woman he loses to Agamemnon.  It is clear that the woman is more than just a spoil of war to Achilles, for in the novel it says “Willingly went not the woman along.  But alone then Achilles tearfully turned him aside, and aloof from his comrades he sat him down on the grey sea’s beach, far-viewing the limitless waters.”

I believe that Achilles is also more honorable than Hector is.  Achilles knows that he will die in the war and accepts his fate.  Hector on the other hand must be tricked into turning around and fighting Achilles in the end.  Hector also does not actually kill Patroclus.  It is only after the Achaean’s armor is loosened, his helmet is knocked off, and he is disoriented that Hector can finally defeat him.  Plus the fact that Achilles is the one who defeats Hector (even if it was fated to happen) makes him more desirable.  Everyone loves a winner, especially one that has such a well rounded character.  Achilles has his flaws of course, such as the fact that he is a very sore loser, and an equally sore winner.  However, can you really blame the guy considering the fact that he knows he is about to die?  All in all, I’m all for team Achilles!

Now I can’t wait to read the Odyssey and see the differences between Odysseus and Achilles.  I already have some ideas about their differences from my reading this week in honors philosophy, but I can’t wait to form my own opinion about the differences between these two heroes.  It is already very clear that Odysseus is very crafty and uses is brains before is brawn.  Achilles on the other hand is a lot more head on and confronts physical fights head on.  Achilles is smart, but he does not use his wit as much as Odysseus does.

 

p.s. I commented on jasmne’s “Hector’s Proposal”

-Susan Berner