The Odyssey, Book 10

Next up, the island of Aiolos (both island and man).  Treated well, Aiolos sends them off with a gift for Odyssesus: a sack containing all the winds they might need for the journey home.  They sail within sight of Ithaca, at which point Odysseus finally takes a rest.  His companions, thinking the gift was gold, jealously open the sack, releasing the winds, and blowing them back to Aiolos.  He refuses them further aid, saying Odysseus must be cursed by the gods and he won't mess with that.

Next, the island of Lamos, home to the Laistrygones.  They land and explore the island, eventually coming to the queen and king, Antiphates, giants.  They kill some, and alert the other Laistrygones to strike.  Most perish; Odysseus escapes with one ship remaining.

Next, the island of Aiaia, home of Circes.  Odysseus goes first and find's location of Circe's palace.  A team of half the remaining men set out to explore, in great fear for their lives after previous excursions.  Surrounded by docile and enchanted lions and wolves, they come to Circe's palace, where they are welcomed, pampered, and fed.  They're also changed into pigs, with only Eurylochos escaping back to tell Odysseus.

He returns alone.  Along the way, he is met by Hermes, who gives him a potion-- "moly"-- to resist Circe's poison and told how to win her over.  At the palace, the poison doesn't affect Odysseus; he lunges at Circe with his sword; she begs to be spared.  Says he must be Odysseus, as Hermes foretold to her would eventually arrive on the island.  Swears to hurt him no longer.  She seduces him; he asks first that his companions be restored.  They turn back to men, looking better than ever.

They return to the rest of the companions at the ship.  Odysseus convinces them all to go to the palace, where it's safe now.  Eurylochos resists, not trusting any of Odysseus's plans anymore.  Odysseus considers killing him, but is talked down, still seething in resentment.  They are pampered at the palace, and stay for a year.  Finally the men ask to return home, and Odysseus approaches Circe.  He is told he must first confront Hades and Persephone (Hades' wife), and consult with the dead prophet Teiresias for his next move.  Given specific instructions as to how to find Hades, and what sacrifices to make in order to summon Teiresias.  He wakes his men; Elpenor falls off the roof and dies.  Once they're all back in the ship, Odysseus tells them they're not going home, they're off to Hades first.  The men are miserable.

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Holy moly, perhaps?

Eurylochos certainly has a point.  At the moment, Odysseus sucks.

Update: (10 minutes later) Aha!  I was right!

"Direct me gods, whose changes are all holy / To where it flickers deep in grass, the moly:"
 -- Thom Gunn, 20th century American poet, Moly

The Odyssey, Book 9

Odysseus announces his name, and begins to tell his adventures since the fall of Ilion.  First, that he greatly misses his home, better even than the island where Kalypso seduced him, better than the other island where Circe did the same.

First the island of Ismaros, home of the Kikonians.  Odysseus and his men sack and plunder.  Then feast, rather than leaving early.  The Kikonians call in reinforcements and raid the camp; many of Odysseus's men are killed, while the rest flee.

Next the island of the Lotus-Eaters.  A scout team was sent to the city, but they were taken in by the promise of eating endless Lotus and wouldn't return.  Odysseus forced them back bound and left quickly.

Next the land of the Cyclopes, a wild race living on uncivilized islands-- uncivilized because there was no need to be.  The crops cultivated themselves.  Odysseus lands on uninhabited island, teeming with wild sheep and goats.  They feast on 108.  One ship sent to the next island over to learn about the Cyclopian people.  From there, a small team led by Odysseus go to explore the cave of the giant man living on this island.

They find flocks of sheep and goats in pens within the cave.  Alone, they eat the cheese that is being prepared.  Odysseus's companions want to leave quickly with a bounty of animals; Odysseus thinks it better to wait for the giant and try to win presents as visitors.

The giant returns, rolls a giant stone in the mouth of the cave, and milks the goats.  Noticing the men, Odysseus announces who they are and asks for hospitality, in the name of Zeus.  Giant doesn't respect Zeus, but asks where their ship is.  Sensing danger, Odysseus says it was crushed and the remaining men are dead.  Giant eats kills and eats two men for dinner.  Next morning, he eats two for breakfast, then leaves the cave with the remaining men inside.

Odysseus hatches a plan, prepares a giant spear for later.  Giant returns, eats two more men.  Odysseus offers some of the potent wine he brought from the ship.  Giant enjoys it and asks for more, offering a gift if Odysseus obliges and tells his name.  He does, but says his name is "Nobody"; giant: "Your gift is that I'll eat you last."  After more wine, he falls asleep drunk (and belches up human parts, apparently).  Odysseus and his men drive the red-hot spear through his eye.

Giant runs out of the cave, while other Cyclopes run to his aid.  "Polyphemos (his name), what happened?"  Polyphemos: "Nobody is trying to kill me."  Other Cyclopes: "In that case, you're being harmed by Zeus.  Pray to your father Poseidon for relief."

Polyphemos sits at cave entrance and feels ground for men trying to escape.  Odysseus ties his men underneath sheep, and they escape detection as they leave the cave.  Drive the sheep back to the boat and push off, but Odysseus taunts Polyphemos, who tosses a boulder in the sea that pulls the ship back to shore.  The boat quickly shoves off again.  Farther away, against the wishes of the men, Odysseus taunts Polyphemos again and announces his true name.

Polyphemos: "That explains it.  There was a prophecy that I would be harmed at the hands of Odysseus.  Let me ask my father Poseidon to heal me and help me get back."  Odysseus: "Even your father can never heal the wound I inflicted."  Polyphemos: "In that case, let me ask Poseidon to make the rest of your journey difficult and miserable, and if you ever return to Ithaka, find your household in disarray."  Throws another stone that roils the sea.

Odysseus returns to uninhabited island.  They feast, and Odysseus makes sacrifice to Zeus for passage home, to no avail.  They set sail again.

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Saved, at least in part, by a pun?  I'm awfully glad that literary cleverness has come a long way since then.  Not bad for a first stab at it though, Homer.

Odysseus acts like an idiot in this book.  Most of his decisions turn out very, very badly, except for the escape.  By having Polyphemos announce the prophecy, though, it makes it ambiguous whether this failure is really Odysseus's own fault.  Could the prophecy have been avoided?  Now that the gods are involved, are Odysseus's coming travails in any way avoidable?  What use will his cleverness actually be if it does not allow him to escape fate?  The ultimate question...

The Odyssey, Book 8

Alkinoos calls an assembly (gathered ultimately by Athene) to send off Odysseus.  Feasting, followed by singing by the blind poet Demodokos, who tells the story of the sack of Ilion.  Odysseus weeps uncontrollably, but hides it (except from Alkinoos).  Call for contests, so that Odysseus may return home with stories of the strength and skill of the Phaiakians.  Footrace, wrestling, long jump, discus, boxing.  Alkinoos's son Laodamas invites Odysseus to try his hand, but he declines.  Euryalos mocks him for it, claiming he likely has no skill at contests.  Angered, Odysseus explains to the young man that talents are all distributed unequally.  Then takes the heaviest discus, and wins.  Athene brags on him.  Odysseus brags on himself for his abilities in all contests-- wrestling to archery. 

More entertainment, as Demodokos tells a story of the gods.  "Hephaistos, married to Aphrodite, learns of her affair with Ares.  Hephaistos sets a trap whereby the two are ensnared when they next go to bed together.  The gods gather and laugh mercilessly at their predicament.  But Apollo: 'Nudge, nudge.  Ain't so bad, being tied down in bed with Aphrodite, eh?'  Hermes: 'You got that right.'  Hephaistos seeks and gets repayment for Aphrodite's betrayal."  Odysseus impressed with the story.

Looking for some other skill Odysseus might tell of upon his return, Alkinoos's two sons Laodamas and Halios dance.  It involves throwing a ball back and forth as well.  Odysseus impressed.

More feasting.  Euryalos apologizes.  Gift giving from all the lords and from Arete.  Farewell from Nausikaa.  More storytelling from Demodokos.  Odysseus requests story of the Trojan Horse, and Demodokos obliges.  Once again Odysseus is driven to tears, and once again Alkinoos takes note.  Finally, Alkinoos says Odysseus may go with the good wishes of all the Phaiakians.  But first asks him his name, and his adventures at sea before arriving on their island.  And how come he is so affected by stories from Ilion?

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Quite a bit of self-flattery by Homer in this book, I think.  Demodokos is clearly modelled on himself, down to the blindness.  And of course he regales the audience with the story of the Iliad.  Whether this points to a unitary author between these works, I have no idea.

I was surprised to see that Odysseus hasn't actually revealed who he is to the Phaiakians as of yet.  But thinking back, I guess the royal family has so far been impressed just with his stature and god-like visage.  And they have merely shown the hospitality that one must show for a stranger lost at sea, at least one who has displayed the manners and good sense that Odysseus has so far.

Once again, this sets up a far more interesting structure for the overall narrative.  Odysseus now has the chance to explain his adventures prior to landing on Kalypso's island.  The back-and-forth jumps through time have been really well done.  (Duh, it's Homer.)

The Odyssey, Book 7

Odysseus waits, then follows Nausikaa to the palace.  Athene appears and escorts him there, shrouding him in fog from the people.  Upon arrival, she withdraws to Athens.  Description of the palace.  Odysseus throws himself at the feet of Arete the queen.  Alkinoos the king feeds him, gives him his son's seat.  They plan to set him off on his voyage in the morning (much as Menelaos did for Telemachus).  But first, Arete notices his clothing (from Nausikaa) and asks frome where he comes.  Odysseus explains his loss of his companions at sea, his capture by Kalypso on the island of Ogygia for eight years, and finally his release and the details of his voyage from there to the island of the Phaiakians, all the action of Book 5.  Alkinoos wishes that Odysseus could be a husband to Nausikaa, but instead he must finish his voyage home.  They send him to bed.

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Another really short book.  Where's all the action?

The vivid description of the palace reminded me of the description of the shield that Hephaistos forged for Achilleus in The Iliad.  Once again, it has been turned into artwork.  A sample:

Heretics (G.K. Chesterton)

My first entry from the Religion category.  I wish I had started this when I read the Pope's books at Eucharistic Adoration, but perhaps I'll re-read those later.  Right now it seems that my religion books can be read in a non-sequential manner, but I think it makes sense to read Chesterton in order (Orthodoxy will follow), and probably C.S. Lewis right after that.

For the sake of economy, I got Ignatius Press's Collected Works version of Heretics.  This was a Christmas present from Mom and Dad the same year I got Lewis, I think-- they were both on my list.  The introduction gave me some biographical information about Chesterton that I did not now.  I suppose it's important to note while reading that he had not yet converted to Catholicism when this was written, though mentally he may already have made that leap.

I've read the first chapter of Heretics twice already.  There was so much in there that I want to remember, that it made me decide to branch out the blog to my entire library.  Too tired tonight to read it a third time, though.

Branching out

I've got shelves and shelves of books that I wanted to own, but never got around to reading, and it's not all literature.  There's no reason not to read more than one thing at a time-- if I could do it in fourth grade, I can do it now.  But I think it's best to read only one selection from a genre at a time.  My shelves are pretty well divided between Literature, Religion, Politics, and Philosophy, though there's a good deal of overlap between the categories for some books.

Note-taking isn't necessary for every book, either.  At the moment, I'm reading Mark Steyn's Lights Out.  I ordered that one pretty soon after it came out, I think (along with Dream Theater and Van Morrison CDs, apparently).  Since it's simply a collection of his essays, and it's mostly entertainment, that's all that needs to be said.

The Odyssey, Book 6

While Odysseus sleeps, Athene goes ahead to Scheria, the city of the Phaiakians.  Enters the room of the king Alkinoos's daughter Nausikaa.  Appearing as her friend, tells her to do her wedding laundry the next day.  She goes to the river with her attendants.  While there, Athene wakens Odysseus and he sees them.  Debates throwing himself at her feet (knees), or calling out from afar.  Since he's naked, that's what he does.  Asks for clothing and food, and Nausikaa obliges.

He bathes, and Athene makes his appearance like that of the gods.  Nusikaa is impressed.  She plans to bring him to her parents for rest, but is afraid of the scandal of being seen in public by the dockworkers with a man not her husband.  Instead, Odysseus will wait outside her home, enter later, and throw himself at the queen's feet.  She will gladly offer lodging and passage to Odysseus's home.

While waiting, Odysseus prays to Athene for protection.  She keeps herself hidden.

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A very short book, far shorter than anything in The Iliad.  Odysseus's decision-making is once again at the fore-- and both his choices come to pass, albeit at different times.  It's like a Choose Your Own Adventure.

Very clever of the Coen brothers to combine the Sirens with the laundry scene.  I wonder if I'll be seeing more of that kind of thing.

The Odyssey, Book 5

Gods gather again.  Athene complains again of Odysseus's exile, asks Zeus to allow his return home.  Zeus: "This was all your idea.  But fine."  Tells of Odysseus's route home, including stop on the Phaiakians' island.  Sends Hermes to tell Kalypso to let Odysseus go.

On island, Odysseus is endlessly weeping by himself.  Hermes tells Kalypso of Zeus's decision.  Kalypso: "The gods are always doing this-- interrupting when immortals and humans are getting it on."  Relents.  Tells Odysseus he's free to go, but he doesn't trust her until she swears to Zeus.  They dine.  Then she tries to get him to stay, predicts hardships on his voyage home, and because she's hotter than Penelope.  Odysseus: "That's true.  I'm going anyway."  They do it again.

Next day, Odysseus builds his raft.  Three days later, he sails.  Day 17, Poseidon sees him and sends a storm to crush him.  Mast is smashed.  The goddess Ino arrives, gives him a veil, tells him to swim for land.  Odysseus deliberates, decides to stay on raft until it is closer to land or is smashed for good.  It is immediately smashed by a wave.

In the water, Odysseus swims three days for land.  Upon reaching the island, he fears getting killed on the rocks.  Athene intervenes to save him, and he drifts around the island until he sees a calm river.  Prays to the river for an easy landing, and finally reaches shore, on the island of the Phaiakians, as Zeus said he would.  Deliberates staying put, but then enters woods and falls asleep.

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While building the raft, v.245: "...and planed them expertly, and trued them straight to a chalkline."  Cool.

Twice in this book we hear of Odysseus's deliberations and decision-making.  This has already been set up as one of his defining characteristics, but it's nice to see it actually appear in the action.

The Odyssey, Book 4

Arrival at Lakedaimon, where Menelaos is throwing a feast to marry off his son Megapenthes and his daughter Hermione to Achilleus's son.  A welcome feast, where Menelaos says he regrets the bounty he won while detained in Egypt, and especially over the loss of his greatest companion, Odysseus.  Weeping.  Helen arrives, recognizes the likeness of Odysseus in Telemachos, and Peisistratos identifies him indeed as Odysseus's son.  Weeping.  Helen places a potion in the wine to leave sorrow behind.

Storytelling.  Helen: "I remember when Odysseus came to Ilion, disguised, on recon mission.  I promised to aid him."  Menelaos: "I remember when we were in the wooden horse and you, Helen, tried to find us out.  Odysseus kept all our mouths shut and saved us."  Bed.

Next day, Telemachos asks of any knowledge of Odysseus's whereabouts.  Menelaos tells of his endless detainment on island near Egypt.  With help of Eidothea, disguised in seal carcass, he captured Proteus (the Old Man of the Sea, Eidothea's father) and questioned him.  Told he must return to Egypt, make sacrifces to all gods, then he can return home.  Told of Aias being killed by wrath of Poseidon.  Told of Aigisthos setting ambush upon return of Agamemnon, and their deaths.  Told Odysseus is detained on island of Kalypso, with no ships.  Menelaos finally returned home.  Now, he bestows gifts on Telemachos for his return.

Meanwhile, the suitors continue feasting, finally notice Telemachos has gone missing.  Set up ambush for his return to Ithaka (mirroring the ambush set up for Agamemnon's return).  Penelope learns of plan and is distraught over loss of husband and now son.  Prays to Athene for help.  In dream, Athene sends image of Penelope's sister Iphthime.  Tells Penelope that Telemachos is under direct protection of Athene.  Will not tell of whereabouts of Odysseus, alive or dead.

The suitors lie in wait on island of Asteris.

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It's interesting to me that the assassination of Agamemnon has been revealed over the course of several books.  Little by little, more details are made known, through the recollections of several different characters (each of whom learned their details from someone else, it seems).  A similar episode from The Iliad might be the story of how Helen was taken from Menelaos, which also was given piecemeal (but never fully presented at all).

The Odyssey, Book 3

Arrival on island of Pylos, land of Nestor.  Telemachos and Athene (disguised as Mentor) visit Nestor straight away, where he is making sacrifices to Poseidon.  Telemachos asks what he knows of Odysseus.  Nestor first relays the fate of some heroes: Aias, Achilleus, Potroklos, Antilochos killed during the war.  After victory won, threachery still reigned as they feared punishments from Athene (for some unknown reason?).  Menelaos and Agamemnon split up, Menelaos leaving immediately, Agamemnon staying temporarily to appease Athene.  During return voyage, Odysseus left Menelaos to return to help Agamemnon.  Frightening voyage home, though most (all?) made it.

(Strange aside as Nestor tells of Athene's protection of Odysseus.  Telemachos claims he would not expect protection from the goddess.  Athene claims Odysseus's fate will be better than Agamemnon's.)

Telemachos asks of Agamemnon's death.  Nestor says Menelaos delayed in his ultimate return home, first to bury a friend on another island, then lost to Egypt for a time.  Meanwhile, Aigisthos usurped Agamemnon's land, married Klytaimestra his wife, killed Agamemnon on his return, and reigned for seven years until Orestes kills him in turn.  Menelaos finally arrives on the day of the burial.

Nestor tells Telemachos he must visit Menelaos.  Athene tells him he must go alone, while she has business on the ship, then reveals herself.  Dumbstruck, Nestor readies sacrifices for Athene.  Slaughters cow the next day.  Readies supplies for Telemachos, sends him on two-day journey to Menelaos by chariot with his son Peisistratos.

The Odyssey, Book 2

The next day, Telemachos calls a meeting of all Ithaka to publicly call out the suitors for wasting away Odysseus's (and his) estate.  Antinoos (suitor) responds: "Blame your mom, kid.  We came early, she agreed to pick a husband after weaving a burial cloth for Laertes.  For three years, she wove and undid what she wove at night.  We found out, forced her to finish, and we're pissed.  We're staying until we get what we want out of her."  Telemachos: "As if I can force my mother to marry another man.  At least do what you're doing away from this estate-- otherwise you're risking the wrath of the gods over it."

Zeus immediately sends an omen.  Halitherses (prophet and friend to Odysseus): "Not good, guys.  I said years ago that Odysseus would be lost but eventually return, unrecognized, and vengeful.  And it's all happening."  Eurymachos (suitor): "Don't try to frighten us with your sorceror's ways, Lord Vader.  Your sad devotion to that ancient religion has not helped...  I mean, the proper thing is to ask Penelope's father to choose one among us for her new husband.  Let's get on with it."  Telemachos: "Let's make a deal.  I'm going on a journey, looking for Odysseus for a year.  If I learn he's dead, I'll return and give you all what you want."

Mentor (Odysseus's close friend and house-sitter) scolds the public at large for allowing the suitors to debase the dignity of Odysseus as they have.  Urges them to rise up against the suitors.  Leokritos (suitor #3): "They wouldn't stand a chance against us.  Even if Odysseus  were to appear to drive us out himself, he would have no hope of succes against so many."

Meeting breaks up.  Athene comes to Telemachos and sets up plans for the voyage.  Antinoos tries to make nice; Telemachos blows him off for good reason.  Telemachos gathers supplies from Odysseus's secret storehouse, Athene makes arrangements for a fast ship.  Plan is to sail for Sparta.  The crew loads up.  They set off.

The Odyssey, Book 1

After the end of the Trojan War, the heroes journey home, though terrible fates befall them on the way.  Many perish.  Odysseus, though, is merely detained, currently on Ogygia (the island of the goddess Kalypso), exiled there as punishment by Poseidon over Odysseus's slaying of the cyclops Polyphemos, Poseidon's son.  The gods gather and discuss the fate of Agamemnon, who had returned home only to be killed by Aigisthos (who had married Agamemnon's wife in his absence), in turn killed by Orestes, Agamemnon's son.  During the discussion Athene reminds Zeus of Odysseus's still uncertain fate, and Zeus agrees to bring his journey to an end.  Dispatches Hermes to bring news to Odysseus, while Athene goes to Odysseus's son Telemachos to inform him of the coming events.

In disguise, Athene enters the courtyard of Odysseus, now populated by the noblemen suitors for Penelope, Odysseus's wife.  In private conversation, Telemachos asks the stranger of the fate of his father.  Athene tells that Odysseus is still alive, laments the presence of the suitors, urges Telemachos to journey in search of his father, starting with visits to Nestor and Menelaos.  Finally, he should kill the suitors as Odysseus would do if he were to return.  Emboldened (he recognizes he has been conversing with an immortal) and speaking more cleverly than before, Telemachus hints to the suitors they ought to return to their own land, threatens their slaughter if they remain.  Asked what's up with this new attitude, he plays cards very close to the vest.  Withdraws to his own room, considering his next move.

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Me: Holy crap, there's a lot of background material here.  This might be more difficult than I thought-- or maybe it's just that typing notes gives me room to be more longwinded than writing notes by hand.  Already I can tell the structure is significantly different from The Iliad.  Mostly, the plot points and action are not given in a sequential manner-- even what I've written is not given in the exact order it appeared in the book-- a theme I know will continue throughout.

The Odyssey (Homer)

Once again, I know that I've read The Odyssey before, probably in high school.  I'm pretty sure I didn't enjoy it.  That might be due to the particular translation I used, which was whatever mom and dad had on their shelf.  Very few episodes stuck with me-- I remember paying close attention to the Cyclops episode, and I remember being impressed by the slaughter of the suitors at the end.  I remember remembering the flood of Athene after seeing O Brother, Where Art Thou.  That's about it.

This particular copy I bought at one of the earlier Fairfax County Library used book sales-- Chantilly, if I had to guess.  Collecting the classics was not a fully formed idea at that point, but I was drawn to those tables pretty quickly.  I was happy to find a Lattimore translation to match my copy of The Iliad.  It would seem that these notes are especially important as a reference for future readings-- when I get around to Ulysses several years from now, I'm going to be depending on these a lot, I'm sure.

Update 12/1: At home over Thanksgiving, I looked at the copy of The Odyssey that I must have read in high school.  The translation was done in Elizabethan English, loaded with "spaketh"s and "thou"s.  No wonder I hated it.

Delays

Having finished The Iliad in the first couple days of November, and having decided to get the blog underway before reading any further, it appears I've taken a two-week break from reading at all.  That sucks.

A number of issues intersect here.  Apparently, I have a tendency to go big or don't go at all.  If I don't anticipate having an open stretch in which a project (or the next book) will complete itself, I hestitate to start it.  Actually, the blog notes should help with that-- any delays that come up can be absorbed, because I can easily review what has been covered so far.  I should keep that in mind.

Issue #2: For some reason, I fear running out of project to complete.  That is, I feel that if I were to finish something early, what would I do then?  It's an incredibly stupid attitude-- at this point, I've got shelves and shelves of books that will take years to finish even if read daily, and I keep adding to the collection anyway.  Ultimately, all I do is time-shift anticipated wasted time from the unknown future to the ever-extending present.  I feel like this is a little bit different than procrastination.  But maybe this actually is the central essence of procrastination.

Issue #3: When I'm not reading, I feel like I'm not that good of a reader.  It's weird, because when I'm actually doing the reading, I feel like I love it.  So why don't I recognize that, or know that about myself, when I'm not doing it?  A very bizarre instance of a lack of self-awareness.

In any case, I'm caught up on notes now.  Time to get to the next book

The Iliad, Book 24

Games over, Achilleus can't sleep.  12th day after Hektor's death.  Zeus sends Thetis to him, convinces him to let Priam retrieve body.  Achilleus agrees.  Zeus sends Ida to tell Priam to ransom the body, alone.  He sets out.  Hermes arrives and escorts him, unseen, direct to Achilleus.  Priam begs for the body.  Very charitably, Achilleus concedes.  Promises to hold off further attack another 12 days, allowing Hektor's burial.  Priam leaves in secret under cover of night.  Arriving at the city, Cassandra sees him first, awakens all Ilion with her wailing grief.  Individual mourning by Andromache, Hekabe, and Helen.  Funeral pyre and burial for Hektor, breaker of horses.

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Me:  I was genuinely surprised to see the name Cassandra in this book.  Apparently that's where it comes from.

The Iliad, Book 23

Return to ships, sprepare for Patroklos burial.  In a dream Patroklos asks Achilleus to bury him quickly.  Aphrodite and Apollo preserve body of Hektor.  Achilleus has Patroklos's funeral mound (and his own) built, sacrifices Trojan prisoners to be burned on the pyre.  Next day, Patroklos's bones stored.  Games and prizes and betting, hosted by Achilleus.  Chariot race (Diomedes, Antilochos, Menelaos), boxing, wrestling (Aias and Odysseu draw), footrace (Odysseus), spear combat (Aias and Diomedes tie), shot put, archery, spear throwing.  Achilleus dispenses prizes at will, settles disputes with extras, bonus gifts for Nestor and deserving others.

The Iliad, Book 22

Apollo taunts Achilleus, who turns back to the city.  Hektor out front.  Priam peering down, recognizes his fate.  Hektor debates fighting there, or handing over the city as ransom to end the war.  Then runs, Achilleus in pursuit.  Finally Zeus weighs both lives in Fate, and Hektor's time has come.  At this, Apollo abandons him, Athene comes in the likeness of his brother Deiphobos, convinces him to confront Achilleus.  Brief words.  Two spear casts miss-- Athene retrieves Achilleus's spear, Hektor recognizes he's alone, and screwed.  Achilleus administers the death blow.  Hektor begs for his body to be spared, but for nought.  Greeks arrive, ravage the body, start return to ships-- burial of Patroklos, for Achilleus.  Priam starts after to ransom Hektor's body.  Much mourning in Ilion, especially by Andromache, who weeps most of all for Hektor's infant son Astyanax.

The Iliad, Book 21

Trojans retreat, Achilleus rages, killing even those he knows.  Keeps 12 alive for later.  Begging does not stay him-- for death comes unfairly.  Finally, the river Xanthos (Skamandros) rises against him, and he is imperilled-- saved by Athene and Poseidon.  Xanthos rises again-- Hera sends Hephaistos to beat it back with fire-- Achilleus saved for good.  the gods quarrel-- Athene wins over Ares, Athene over Aphrodite, Poseidon and Apollo draw, Leto over Artemis.  Achilleus charges to the city.  Apollo inspires Agenor to stand fast, and strike a blow; then Apollo whisks Agenor to safety, taking his place, and leading Achilleus on a chase back to the river, while the remaining Trojans safely enter the city gate.

The Iliad, Book 20

Battle at hand, Zeus allows gods to pick sides.  Greeks: Hera, Athene, Poseidon.  Trojans: Apollo, Artemis, Aphrodite.  Gods and mortals fight.  Achilleus eyes Hektor, Apollo presses Aineias to confront Achilleus instead.  Gods retreat.  Yo' momma jokes.  Blows exchanged.  Apollo comes to rescue Aineias-- not his time yet.  Hektor eyes Achilleus; Apollo says not yet.  Achilleus kills a bunch.  Hektor makes his move-- blows exchanged, but Athene protects Achilleus and Apollo really protects Hektor.  No final confrontation yet.  Achilleus kills a bunch more.

The Iliad, Book 19

Armor delivered, Thetis agrees to protect Patroklos to the end of battle.  Apologies between Achilleus and Agamemnon, who blames Zeus, Destiny, and Delusion for the strife all have caused.  Odysseus calls for a feast before the final push for battle-- Achilleus won't partake.  Agamemnon delivers promised bounty, including Briseis, who mourns over Patroklos.  Athene sent by Zeus, now on Greeks' side, to strengthen Achilleus, who armors himself, though in sorrow over his fate.  Asks horses to be better protection for him than they were for Patroklos.  "Fuck off," says Xanthos the horse.  Really.

The Iliad, Book 18

Achilleus recognizes that Patroklos is dead, finally confirmed by Antilochus.  Thetis arrives to console him.  Achilleus is despondant-- sees his own prophesied death coming, for he no longer even wishes to live after Hektor is killed.  Thetis leaves to obtain new armor.  Iris sent by hera to Achilleus, pushes him to make an appearance at least so that Patroklos's body will be saved.  Athene enhances his appearance-- at the sight of him from afar, Trojans are driven back-- some commit suicide.  Poulydamas urges Trojan retreat behind city walls-- death is coming.  Hektor prefers final charge-- senses imminent victory.  Body of Patroklos is honored, saved for burial until after Hektor is killed.  Thetis calls in a favor from Hephaistos.  Builds new armor, including glorious elaborate shield.

-------------------

Me: At first reading, it seemed that the shield of Achilleus will be a universal icon throughout the rest of literature.  It has been re-created in artwork throughout history.  A good collection.  One example:

The Iliad, Book 17

Menelaos rushes to protect Patroklos's body, kills Euphorbos (Patroklos's true slayer) who was seeking the glory of Achilleus's armor.  Glaukos shames Hektro for not saving Sarpedon from Patroklos, convinces him that he must take Patroklos's body.  In first fight, Greeks recover the body, while Hektor wins Achilleus's armor.  Much back-and-forth fighting ensues over the body-- Zeus continually changing his favor-- ultimately knowing Hektor will perish, allowing him victories in the meantime.  Achilleus's immortal horses and chariot return to the ships; nearly beaten, Aias tells Menelaos to get Antilochus (away from the main fighting) to rush back and report to Achilleus what has happened-- though without his armor, not much hope.  Menelaos carries Patroklos's body in final retreat, as the two Aiases beat back the trailing Trojans, led by Hektor and Aineias.

The Iliad, Book 16

Patroklos begs Achilleus to enter the fighting.  Achilleus allows Patroklos to wear his own armor, lead 2500 Mymidons into the fray.  One warning: fight to save the ships, to preserve passage home, but don't attempt to take the city.  A ship is lit.  Myrmidons charge.  At the sight of Achilleus's armor, the Trojans scatter.  Aias tries to take out Hektor, but can't-- he retreats fastest.  At the city walls, Patroklos kills Sarpedon.  Fight over the body-- Greeks take the armor, Apollo removes Sarpedon's body.  Similarly, fight over Hektor's charioteer.  In the scuffle, Patroklos strikes a blow on Apollo, who strikes back, disarming him.  Patroklos hit by spear.  Wounded and unprotected, Hektro casts the fatal blow.  In death, Patroklos mocks him and declares his fate will be the same at the hands of Achilleus.

The Iliad, Book 15

Zeus awakes.  No more bullshit-- he will ensure Thetis's plea is fulfilled, and tells of all coming events, to the death of Hektor.  Brushes aside Hera, summons Poseidon to leave the fighting, sends Apollo to heal Hektor and lead the Trojan charge.  At sight of healthy Hektor, Greeks retreat.  Pushed back behind the wall, their cause looks lost.  Zeus watches for a ship to catch fire, fulfilling Achilleus's request, so he may turn the fighting back to the Greeks' favor.  Hektor is raging.  Greeks fighting for honor alone in a lost cause.  At the ships, it turns to brutal hand-to-hand combat.  Hektor has hold of a ship at last, as Aias wearily beats back a wave of Trojan fighters...

The Iliad, Book 14

Decision time.  Seeing the breaches through their defenses, Nestor gathers with Agamemnon, Odysseus, and Diomedes (all injured) to decide next move.  Agamemnon considers retreat to pull ships back into water and save them; Odysseus shows this would be suicide; Diomedes talks them into another charge or at least convincing remaining Greeks to mount another charge.  Poseidon arrives to encourage-- tells Agamemnon that the Trojans will be driven back yet.  Seeing this, Hera plots to remove Zeus's protection of the Trojans.  Tricks Aphrodite into helping, enlists Sleep's aid, seduces Zeus, knocks him out.  Sleep gives Poseidon the signal to mount the charge.  In the fighting, Aias strikes Hektor and he is rushed back to the city.  Back to a draw.

The Iliad, Book 13

Zeus, thinking his job finished, stops paying attention.  As he's distracted, Poseidon arrives the rally the Greeks.  Pushback begins on left flank, away from Hektor.  Much back and forth, losses on both sides, but no one major.  Greeks win the undercard.  Aias taunts Hektor.

The Iliad, Book 12

Flash forward-- far in the future, well after the fall of Troy and the Greeks return home, Zeus and Poseidon will destroy the Greeks' wall and ditch with a flood, wiping away all trace of the siege.  For now, it is the site of battle.  Trojans dismount to overwhelm the stronghold on foot, except one company who remain on horses and are destroyed.  Both sides are unflinching until Sarpedon breaches the wall's defenses, and Hektor breaches the wall itself.  Trojans on their way to the ships, ready to finish the job.

The Iliad, Book 11

Battle rages.  Greeks, driven by Hate (from Zeus), led by Agamemnon, sweep through Trojans, push close to city walls.  Hektor warned to stay back until Agamemnon gets wounded and leaves battle.  This happens, and Hektor leads the pushback.  greeks picked off and injured one by one, including Diomedes, Odysseus, Aias.  Achilleus sees the injuries, sends Patroklos for a report.  Nestor tells a story of a previous battle, in which he came to the rescue of his friends and won glory doing so.  Begs Patroklos to convince Achilleus to join the battle-- or if not, to himself lead a charge and raise the spirits of the Greeks.  Tragedy unfolding.

The Iliad, Book 10

Agamemnon and Menelaos, unable to sleep, rouse the usual suspects to plot their next move.  Diomedes and Odysseus volunteer for recon mission under protection of Athene.  Meanwhile, Dolon volunteers as a scout for Hektor, promised the loot of Achilleus.  Captured by Diomedes and Odysseus.  Odysseus interrogates, Dolon tells all, Diomedes beheads him.  Diomedes and Odysseus raid a Trojan camp, killing 13 and making off with good horses.  And there was much rejoicing.

The Iliad, Book 9

The storm rages.  Agamemnon, in council, announces decistion to sail back.  Nestor places all blame on him for his insult to Achilleus.  Agamemnon relents, promises gifts beyond worth to Achilleus, including Briseis, if he will fight and save the Greeks.  A band meets Achilleus, and Odysseus makes the pitch.  Achilleus's response: "Not the point!  Agamemnon took what was mine.  It cannot be repaid.  Besides, I know my fate.  Stay and fight (and die), and never receive gifts anyway."  Phoinix: "Where's your loyalty, at least to me whom you grew up with?"  Parable.  Achilleus: "Why are you so loyal to Agamemnon, a lesser man?"  Aias: "But protect your countrymen!"  Achilleus: "It's no use.  But I may fight when Hektor is at the ships."  Returning, Odysseus tells Agamemnon that Achilleus's anger is unrelenting.

The Iliad, Book 8

Zeus pulls rank, declares no more interference by the gods.  Athene and Hera sulk.  Zeus retreats, places fates in the scales, Trojans take the day.  Hektor again leads the onslaught, almost taking Nestor.  Pushed back behind the walls, Agamemnon rallies the Greeks-- Zeus temporarily relents.  A hard charge, ending when Hektor strikes Diomedes, who is saved from death under the protection of Aias.  Athene and Hera vow to come to aid the Greeks-- turned back by Zeus.  Hera pledges to counsel Greeks.  Zeus threatens Poseidon's destruction in a day, and reveals the Greeks cannot win until Achilleus is aroused by the death of Patroklos.  Trojans and Hektor stalled by nightfall, but sitting pretty.

The Iliad, Book 7

Trojans start to sweep through.  Athene and Apollo call a temporary truce, suggest a one-on-one to end the day's combat.  Hektor requests an opponent-- Menelaos accepts, but talked down by Agamemnon.  Nestor chastises the Greeks-- then nine volunteer.  Aias chosen by lot.  Gains the upper hand on Hektor.  Zeus's messengers call a halt.  Gift exchange.  On the beach, Greeks plot their next move.  In Troy, Paris again asked to give up Helen.  He declines, but offers all his possessions instead.  Offer declined, but a truce is called while bodies are burned.  Greeks build a tower upon their pyre; Poseidon tells Zeus they forgot to sacrifice when they decided to build it.  Ominous music...

The Iliad, Book 6

Greeks gain the uper hand; Trojans rally behind Hektor.  Diomedes and Glaukos meet for one-on-one combat.  Hearing Glaukos's history, Diomedes realizes they are old famly friends.  They withdraw after a gift exchange, which Diomedes wins.  Hektore returns to the city, asks Helen and women to pray to Athene to turn the tide in their favor.  Scolds Paris.  Gets flattered and seduced by Helen, but turns her down.  On way back to battle, meets his wife Andromachus and his son.  Andromachus has misgivings-- her whole family has been killed by Achilleus.  Hektor says he fights for her-- so that she won't be taken by the Greeks as a prize.  Paris returns to battle.

The Iliad, Book 5

Diomedes starts kicking ass for the Greeks.  Kills Pandaros, breaks Aineias's hip.  Strikes Aphrodite (with Athene's permission) as she ferrets Aineias away.  Apollo keeps him safe.  In response to Athene, Ares joins alongside Hektor to push back on the Greeks, led by Menelaos and Antilochos.  As Hektor wreaks havoc, Hera and Athene look down with concern.  Athene fights directly alongside Diomedes, allowing him to strike a blow on Ares, who withdraws, to be healed by Zeus.  Sides are even again.

The Iliad, Book 4

Zeus makes fun of Hera and Athene because, with the war ended, the Trojans won't be slaughtered after all.  Athene goes down to start the conflict up again-- appears as Laodokos, convinces the Trojan Pandaros to strike a blow and take a shot at Menelaos-- then keeps the arrow from killing him.  Everybody's pissed.  Full war back on.

The Iliad, Book 3

As the forces approach each other, Paris leaps to the front of the ranks of the Trojans and rashly challenges an opponent to one-on-one combat.  Menelaos gladly accepts.  It is agreed that the winner gets Helen, and the armies will return home.  Paris: "I've made a huge mistake."  Hektor: "You suck."  After Paris's first shot fails, Menelaos gets the upper hand.  Victory imminent, Aphrodite takes up Paris and returns him to his tower with Helen.  He scores.  Greeks declare themselves the winners.

The Iliad, Book 2

Zeus sends a Dream in the form of Nestor to convince Agamemnon to lead a (doomed) assault against the Trojans.  To convince them, Agamemnon instead tells the Greeks that Zeus has convinced him the best course is to turn back, shaming them in the process.  The plan backfires (?).  They begin the retreat, but Hera sends Athene to appear to Odysseus, convincing him to convince the Greeks that honor requires they stay and fight.  Thersites says that's nuts.  Odysseus beats the crap out of him.  Thus convinced, the forces are marshalled and sacrifices performed.  A census of the Greeks.

The Iliad, Book 1

Chryses, having been rebuffed attempting to retrieve his daugher Chryseis from Agamemnon, pleads to Apollo to exact retribution on the Greeks.  It is done.  The Greeks plead to Agamemnon to relent.  He agrees, under the condition that he choose a replacement for Chryseis: Briseis, from Achilleus.  Hurt and angered, Achilleus vows withdrawal from the fighting.  He pleads to his mother, the goddess Thetis, to convince Zeus to exact revenge on Agamemnon and the Greeks by ensuring their defeat by the Trojans.

The Iliad (Homer)

I'm sure I've read The Iliad before-- I think it was assigned in my freshman seminar at Notre Dame.  At the time, I remember being surprised and disappointed that the Trojan Horse episode wasn't part of the story-- having been surprised and disappointed that it wasn't in The Odyssey a couple of years earlier.  It was assigned again-- the first reading on the list, actually-- in my Ancient Philosophy class at the University of Chicago in summer 2004, where I purchased this copy. 

Still not live here-- this was read a Book a day over the course of October 2010.  All notes were originally taken by hand, and they appear mostly unedited.  I knew from experience that the overarching action was easy to follow, but I thought it was important to get the details of the arguments-- especially the argument that put Achilleus out of battle-- correct.  It also seemed important to have a firm grasp on the participation of the gods during battle, action that I suspect will be alluded to in the future.  And minor heroes deserve to be recognized as well-- thier names, anyway.

Ultimately, these notes were the springboard to the blog part of the project.

Ecclesiastes

No notes on this one.  The book itself is a meditation of what our attitude toward life should be.  Obviously the famous passage is "To everything there is a season."  More important, I think, is the passage "There is nothing new under the sun."  We can't expect ultimate solutions to the problems and difficulties of life-- they've existed before us, they are universal.  Even our attempted solutions to the difficulties of life have been tried before.  Our attitude must be one of faithful acceptance.

Job - The Rest

My notes ended there-- it seemed the argument among the characters was finished.  Job's fourth friend arrived, and put each in his place.  The ultimate solution was to recognize that the greatness of God, and the designs of God, ultimately surpassed human understaning.  Our individual, finite experience of the world cannot tell us the ultimate meaning of the world, and we shouldn't expect it to.  Introduction of Leviathan and Behemoth, examples of the inscrutability of God's design.

Ultimately, Job was restored and his three friends punished.  Speaks to the importance of maintaining faith, even in the face of questioning.  Soulful searching for answers is perfectly all right-- righteous disparaging of the faithful, and of the searching, is not.

Job 21

Job: That's not even close to being true.  And you say suffering is placed on the wicked man's offspring?  What does he care?  Even death itself falls exactly equally on the wicked and righteous.

Job 20

Zophar: You're acting like you deserved your lot when things were prosperous.  Still not paying attention.  We know the wicked reach heights, but all wicked are eventually laid low.  And it's bad.

Job 19

Job: Not helping, guys.  My suffering is extended.  I have been fully abandoned.  But take note: I have not lost faith.  My questioning has not undermined my belief in what has been said.  It is just so hard.

Job 18

Bildad: We're not listening to you?  You're not listening to us!  And don't play these rhetorical games-- trying to draw out the absurdity of human suffering.  Yes, it's all true-- your sin has brought you low.  And it's further wickedness for you to insinuate otherwise.

Job 16-17

Job: But look at me!  Your words are of no comfort as I sit within my suffering.  From here, the understanding I had on the outside is insufficient.  My current experience demands new answers.

Job 15

Eliphaz: Awfully uppity of you, isn't it?  You're trying to talk your way around the central fact: sin results in suffering.  Deal with it.

Job 14

Job: Here's the unfairness of it all: We're born into a broken world, and all our experience is surrounded by badness.  This is what we know, and it shapes our lives-- all the cards are stacked against us.  THEN we die.  We were given one shot, and a handicapped shot at that, followed by an eternity of... the nothingness that follows the one shot.

COME ON.

(Me: this is where Purgatory is a grand solution-- death followed by the consequence of our life, with a knowledge of ultimate reality sustaining us.)

Job 12-13

Job: 12 - Don't condescend to me.  Don't pretend you just came up with some great insight.  I've come to the same conclusions about God as you.

13 - Look-- all these partial attempts at explanation aren't helping.  I need direct answers from God.  I need to know where we stand.  I need a fair hearing-- I must be allowed to make MY points fairly.  That's all I ask.  I need to know precisely how I merited suffering.

Job 11

Zophar: What a copout: protesting a standard of perfection means you don't have to make the effort to repent.  And then questioning the wisdom of the whole project?  He's GOD-- and yet you hope to make sense of His wisdom.

Do you not believe that suffering is a result of sin?  MAKE THE EFFORT TO REPENT.  DO IT.  Then we'll talk and complain of consequences.

Job 9-10

Job: But there is no way my repentance can satisfy God.  He's GOD!  Anything I do will appear as deserving of scorn in comparison to His goodness.  So, given that, the suffering (eternal?) that I endure was always inevitable!  In that case, WHAT WAS THE POINT?  All of life was a cruel joke, a setup for THIS!

Job 8

Bildad: Relief comes after your repentance.  YOU make the move to correct your iniquities.  God is just-- how dare you await relief before you've performed your repentance?

Job 6-7

Job: WHEN?  From my current pit of despair, I see no sign of abatement.  Without that assurance (and surely I must be given some assurance) I maintain that death is preferable.

Job 4-5

Eliphaz: 4 - Your suffering is on a par with the suffering all experience-- and it is the result of sin.  You KNOW this.  Are you surprised that you suffer?  What arrogance!

5 - But you also know that, with devotion to God, after the suffering God will heal.  Have faith in this and you will withstand your suffering

Job 3

(These notes were written manually after I had decided to begin the reading project, but before I recognized that the project should involve note-taking.  I read through about a quarter of the book, and realized I wasn't following the flow of the argument between Job and his friends very closely at all.  I could tell the specfic moves within the argument were hugely important, but read in one sitting the details weren't clear.  Notes are brief because there really isn't much plot to speak of, and the chapters are short.  This must have been August or September 2010.)

Job: Death is preferable to this suffering-- why does not death simply come?  Non-life would have been preferable to this life I lead.

Job and Ecclesiastes

Obviously, it wasn't necessary to purchase these works in a stand-alone form.  My Bible is Ignatius Press' Revised Standard Version.  I bought my copy in 2006, a few months after sponsoring James Fox's initiation into the Catholic Church.  That experience helped me recognize my own need for a fuller understanding of, appreciation for, and participation in the Catholic faith (an ongoing project in its own right).  Reviewing my Amazon history, apparently I did not purchase the Bible at the time I purchased James's gift books-- finances must have been tight.  Instead, I got around to the Bible purchase five months later-- in the same order as Mark Steyn's America Alone, of all things.

Where to begin?

The Bible would seem a logical place to start. And lucky for me, that happens to be where I started-- at the beginning of Lent, 2009. At that time, I made it through Numbers before petering out. When Lent started in 2010, I took it up again and made great progress (thanks in large part to Eucharistic Adoration at St. Veronica parish in Chantilly.) By the time I moved, I had successfully completed the Historical books (minus Maccabees). It would be useless to try to summarize those books now-- perhaps I'll re-read the Bible at some point, and can fill in the entries then. In any case, all of that was read before I had planned this project.

If I was really going to begin at the beginning, I think the Epic of Gilgamesh would have been the earliest reasonable work of the Western Canon. After a little research, however, I wasn't confident that there was a definitive "Epic of Gilgamesh" that wasn't mostly a later reconstruction. Not worth the effort-- not part of the project.

At some point I purchased Harold Bloom's The Western Canon to use as an overall guide, but it doesn't extend to ancient times. During my used-book purchasing spree at the Fairfax County libraries I came across another Bloom work, Where Shall Wisdom Be Found, that seems to cover ancient literature-- enough for my purposes, anyway.  And Bloom starts with a comparison of Job and Ecclesiastes, followed by a comparison of Homer and Plato.

Perfect.  Job it is.

Mostly, it's a memory aid.

What is the point of all this?

I'm starting a project to read the classics of Western Civilization, from the beginning. It's a matter of personal enrichment (as opposed to expecting any practical or professional benefit from it). Longer term, perhaps the thought is that with a proper base of knowledge, it will be easier / more likely / more useful for me to enter into conversations about enormous, big-picture issues and be satisfied with my ability to make a meaningful contribution. Do I expect that to happen? Not exactly-- but I expect it won't happen if I don't undertake the project.

One issue holding me back is the recognition that I'm not the best reader in the world. That is, I'm not good at reading for overarching themes, for symbolism, for the illustrations of philosophy that the best literature tries to achieve. Once again, undertaking the project itself should go a long way toward addressing these deficiencies. But I'm also afraid I'm not all that good at even remembering what has happened in a major work from one section or chapter to the next. At least at first, the majority of posts will be simple outlines or summaries of the surface action of the work-- a source that I can refer to later to remind myself of what happened when. I think that once my memory has been jogged (by my own writing, of course-- isn't that what I preach to the students I tutor?) I will be able to recall the work itself, well enough at least to recognize the themes that appear or are referenced in later literature.

So, boring notes to begin. Maybe personal insights-- or reminders of personal insights-- as they arrive. If it seemed important, write it down.

Why a blog? Because that's how it's done nowadays. But also, after manually jotting notes from the first two books, I realized that I didn't want a stack notebooks to be discovered by the authorities at a later date like with Kevin Spacey in Se7en. And if I ever do get good at this, it will be easier to show a blog to other people.