Chapter fourteen. Women of Lust The name of the woman I really didn't want to work with was Tish Ambrose, although I must admit I was initially intrigued by the large mole on her chest. She looked like a motionless beetle and even small ones grew out of her.

Disclosure of the true portrait of the hero Achilles of Homer's Iliad. What did Homer himself think of Achilles? The material was published abroad (USA).

Homer. Iliad. Achilles is an antihero

Alexander Salnikov

Oddities of the Iliad and its protagonist

“Anger, oh goddess, sing Achilles, son of Peleus!

His irrepressible anger did many disasters to the Achaeans ... "

(Homer, "Iliad", song 1, beginning)

The Poem of Glory

The Iliad, one of the greatest poems of antiquity, is still fraught with many mysteries. And the biggest of them is its main character Achilles.

Achilles has been admired for centuries. As we know from history, Alexander the Great himself dreamed of the glory of Achilles. And got even more fame. Achilles is admired today. And this is not surprising. After all, the heroes attract to themselves, beckon, like a fabulous dream. It is about heroism that I would like to talk now, remembering Achilles.

It would seem that Troy is destroyed, what else? It is known that the winners are not judged. All this is true, but questions remain that do not allow reconciling with the existing state of affairs.

Simone Weil calls the Iliad "a poem about Power". It seems to me that Simone Weil is mistaken here. The Iliad is not a poem about strength. If we analyze all the fights of the heroes, we will see that the power in the Iliad is given to the heroes by the gods at their own discretion and completely arbitrarily. This is mentioned many times in the poem. And it seems that S. Weil herself agrees with this.

The gods in the Iliad act as equal heroes, and power is distributed among them hierarchically. With the gods, it is unchanged. People are arbitrary. Homer writes that God can take strength from the strong and make the weak strong. Power in the poem passes from one hero to another by the will of the gods. How can a hero be called strong if he is strong only when the gods give him strength? We even see how Achilles, who is considered the strongest among the heroes of both armies, the gods now and then fill with strength when it seems to them necessary.

Strength in the poem is not a determining factor, it does not lead the heroes, it does not decide their fate. No, the Iliad is not a poem about power; rather, it is a poem about glory and heroism. About that glory, which can not only exalt, but also destroy. About the glory that is always ready to slip away. About fame, as about a fixed idea that pushes for terrible deeds, bordering on crime, on madness.

We see that the heroes of the Iliad remember glory before each battle. As for Achilles, fame for him became a stumbling block, his faith, his icon, the very fix idea for which he gave not only his life, but also his soul, the life of his beloved friend, and the lives of hundreds of fellow soldiers. Truly, a dear price even for eternal glory.

If you think that I am exaggerating here too much, then let me, based on the texts of the poem, clarify and defend my position. For an objective characterization of Achilles, I will appeal only to the texts of the Iliad, choosing those moments when he himself makes decisions, without the help of the gods. And in contrast to this, I will show those of his actions that follow after suggestion or conversation with the gods. As for the military exploits of Achilles, you will see that there is not so much direct merit of the hero himself in them. Here is what the gods say in the poem:

“We left the sky! Everyone wanted to participate

Today in battles, so that Pelid does not suffer defeat from the Trojans!

When the hero is guarded by the gods, and he knows it, is there much merit in his valor? Will not a weak warrior go out alone against a thousand enemies?

However, let's get it right.

Whose glory is the Iliad about?

We borrow that the Iliad describes fifty-one days of the last year of the Trojan War. But it is not last days war. What happens during this time? Let's take only those episodes that are decisive. First we see that Achilles quarrels with Agamemnon and refuses to fight, then Patroclus dies, then Achilles and Agamemnon reconcile. Then Hector dies.

Achilles himself is alive and well. Troy stood as it is. And the war goes on. It turns out some strange plot! Why does Homer describe these fifty days? Many, relying on the first two lines of the poem, will say with confidence that the poem describes the wrath of Achilles. Indeed, Homer at the very beginning turns to the muse with a request to sing the wrath of Achilles. But throughout the poem we see that Homer refers to the Muses repeatedly. Then he asks them to "sing" the leaders, when he lists the Achaean ships; then, before describing the battles, he asks to “sing” which of the heroes defeated whom first.

Yes, Homer begins the poem with a request to sing the wrath of Achilles. But is the Iliad about anger? We know that the anger of Achilles (the same anger that is indicated at the beginning, and which brought so many disasters to the Achaeans) passes long before the end of the story. If the Iliad was created only to sing this wrath, then it could well have ended at the place when Agamemnon and Achilles reconcile, and Achilles swears revenge on the Trojans over his murdered friend. After all, if the main theme of the poem was anger, then the plot of the poem would be as follows. Here Agamemnon quarrels with Achilles over a slave. Then Achilles refuses to fight. Soon Agamemnon realizes that without Achilles his army may die, and goes to reconciliation. But Achilles persists in his anger, because of which his best friend Patroclus dies in battle. This death makes Achilles forget about anger, reconcile with Agamemnon and remember the enemies. All! End of the Iliad. Completely finished work. The 19th ode, called "The Renunciation of Wrath," could very well be the last.

But no, the Iliad does not end there. After the 19th song, five more follow. And, it would seem, quite unexpectedly, the poem ends with the burial of Hector, and not with the destruction of Ilion (Troy). Many readers of the Iliad have the idea that the poem ends somehow incorrectly, as if it breaks off. This was pointed out by L. Klein and many other researchers of the Iliad. In fact, it turns out that the whole feat of Achilles consists only in the fact that he killed Hector, although this murder in itself did not even affect the outcome of the war. Troy in the Iliad remains unconquered. What's the matter here?

By and large, we understand that only three significant events are described in the Iliad: the quarrel between Achilles and Agamemnon, the death of Patroclus and the death of Hector. And if the death of Patroclus is justified by the fact that it calms the anger of Achilles and reconciles him with Agamemnon, as indicated above, then why is the death of Hector necessary? Why is it described in such detail right up to the ransom and burial of the hero? And why does Homer not tell us anything about the death of Achilles and the conquest of Troy? Indeed, when reading the Iliad, from numerous hints we understand that Troy will still be defeated. So why does the poem end at Hector's burial?

Involuntarily, you begin to wonder: is the Iliad about the wrath of Achilles? So it seems that the idea that main topic The Iliad is the wrath of Achilles, fails. Of course, anger is present in the poem, but only as an impetus to the narrative, as a decoration against which events unfold. The poem itself tells a completely different story.

And here I will ask an even more shocking question: is Achilles the main character of the Iliad?

Do not rush to throw stones at me! Weigh first the arguments that will be given below. I understand that my critics will insist that in the beginning, Homer is talking about Achilles, which means that he allegedly shows who the main character of the poem is! But does the main character have to speak at the very beginning of the work? Not at all. It is possible that in Homer this is just a literary device to start the story.

And for greater persuasiveness, let's start discussing the poem not from its first lines, but a little higher, from its title, and ask the following question. Why is the poem called the Iliad? After all, this is also one of the mysteries of the poem, which few people pay attention to. But the name cannot be accidental. There are certain rules and elementary logic in this regard. We see that not a single song (chapter) of the poem has a random title. For example, quite clear logic can be traced when personal names are used in titles. So, in the Iliad we see two songs, one of which is called Dolonia and tells about the Trojan scout Dolon, and the other is called Patroclus and tells about Patroclus. In addition, we know that Homer has another poem that does not cause any controversy, this is the Odyssey. With her, everything is very clear: the main character of the poem, Odysseus, tells the poem about his adventures; Therefore, the poem itself is called the "Odyssey".

But why is everything wrong in the Iliad? After all, if we assume that its main character is Achilles with his anger, then there are a lot of incomprehensibility and oddities. And they begin, as we see, already with the name. If the main character is Achilles, and the poem tells about his exploits, is it not logical to assume that the poem itself should be called something like "Achillea", like "Odyssey", or "Achilles", like "Dolonia" and "Patroklia" ", or already" Achilliad ", according to the type of" Iliad ". But the poem is called the Iliad! Why?

However, this is only the beginning of the oddities and mysteries that Homer's Iliad asks us. So, I invite the reader to take a closer look at Achilles himself. Did Homer show him such a hero in his poem?

Strange things that give rise to thoughts

While working on the translation of the Iliad, I noticed that something was wrong with its main character. Something is wrong with Achilles throughout the poem. From the very first lines, a vague doubt creeps in: is Achilles a positive hero? We have already spoken about the first lines of the poem. Let's read them again:

Wrath, O Goddess, sing to Achilles, the son of Peleus!

His irrepressible anger did many disasters to the Achaeans ...

Already here the reader has a question? Is the poem really dedicated to the hero who did "a lot of trouble"!? And to whom? Not to their enemies, not to the Trojans with whom the Achaean army is fighting, but to their own compatriots, the Achaeans (Achaeans, Achaeans)! Strange. Very strange. Already from the first words, the poem prepares us for the fact that we open the story, at least about an unusual hero who brought many troubles to his own people. There has never been anything like it in the history of literature, and there never will be again! This is the first oddity that immediately catches the eye, and which is difficult not to pay attention to.

Next, we point out another oddity, which in the Iliad also appears prominently and is clearly visible to the attentive reader. In the whole poem, Achilles, as the main character, is given too little space. We see him in the first chapter (song), then there is only a small mention of him in several chapters (songs), then we meet him already in the ninth chapter, then a little - in the sixteenth, then again in fits and starts, and finally we see him "feats" in the last chapters. Here again the question arises: how so? After all, the main characters should be with us throughout the story. Take at least Hector, the main opponent of Achilles. Hector is shown in almost all chapters and from all sides. Shown in detail, with all its pluses and minuses. It is shown from beginning to end, until death, until the very burial. But the story of Achilles is interrupted in the Iliad somehow suddenly. From the poem, we cannot find out what happened to him later, and how he ended his life.

But here's another oddity for you. Ilion (Troy) Achilles never destroys. And again the question arises: how so? Main character, the strongest of all, came to fight near Troy and did not take it! All his feat, I repeat, is only in the murder of Hector? In the murder, which, in principle, did not solve anything, because it did not even help to conquer Troy.

And here is another oddity of the Iliad. We have already pointed out that the poem describes fifty-one days of the last year of the Trojan War. But of all these fifty days, during which there are many battles between the Achaeans and the Trojans, Achilles himself is at war with enemies for only one day! Isn't it enough for the main character? And isn't that too weird?

Something is wrong here. Somehow, Achilles does not look like the protagonist of an epic poem. But who is he then? And who is the main character of the Iliad? Let's try, slowly, to understand all these issues.

The weirdness continues

For me personally, Achilles ceased to be a hero, in the traditional sense of the word, already from the first song of the Iliad; when he complains to his mother about his offense. Here is the place:

He sat down by the gray abyss, and, looking at the dark sea,

Weeping, he stretched out his hands, bitterly crying out to his mother ...

So Achilles lamented, and the unearthly mother heard

Son from the abyss of the sea, from the monastery of the elder Nereus.

Quickly from the foamy waves, like a light cloud, came out

To her dear son, shedding bitter tears.

Speaking of Achilles, we must take this fact into account. In any case, it surprised me, to say the least. Just think: after all, Achilles is the only hero among all the Achaeans who came to war with his mother! How do you like this?

And let Achilles not literally go to war with his mother, let him arrive on ships with his squad, like other leaders of the Achaean army. But as soon as Achilles starts crying, calling for his mother, Thetis' mother immediately appears in front of her son. And we see this not only in the first song:

Achilles roared terribly. And I heard his bitter cry

Mother in the abyss of the sea, in the house of her parent, Elder Nereus.

Having told them so, he leaves his father's house. Behind her and sisters

They come out crying. Around the Nereids make way with noise

Sea waves. And now, rushing to fruitful Troy,

Quietly they go one after another to the shore, where

The ships of the Myrmidons are densely packed around Achilles.

Why is Homer showing us this? Is it so that we understand how Achilles was brought up? His mother and aunts take care of him everywhere. After all, if they resort to his crying during the war, when he is already a healthy and strong kid, then is it not logical to assume that earlier, when he was young, this guardianship was even closer?

Moreover, we see that when the hero suffers greatly, his mother is on duty around him around the clock.

“But to steal the body, and don't think! From Achilles

It is impossible to secretly steal Hector: his mother Thetis

He walks both night and day, and surrounds him with care.

Sad, he moaned heavily. And his dear friends are right there

In the chores around him, they fussed, prepared breakfast,

They slaughtered a ram lying there, thick-fleeced and large.

The mistress mother sat next to her sad, grieving son;

She gently stroked her hand, and caressed ...

What is this? Joke? mockery? Or a Homeric satire on the hero? And in addition to this, one more nuance can be noted. We see that in the Iliad it is the hero Achilles who cries most often, the “most powerful and courageous” hero. Is it because Achilles cries so much because he was brought up by women?

But let us remember the fact that Homer shows us Achilles as the only one of the heroes of Hellas who did not lose direct contact with his relatives during the war! Mother comes at his first call. Strange, a lot of strange things.

A strange act for someone who calls himself a hero

So, already at the beginning of the poem, we see how Achilles, at the first offense inflicted on him, cries, calls his mother and complains to her about the offenders. That is, he behaves not at all like a hero, but like a little eccentric child, a sissy.

But that's not all. In the same first song, we see that Achilles not only complains to his mother, but also asks her to avenge the offense inflicted on him. And revenge is terrible, at the cost of the lives of many Achaean heroes.

What could it be compared to? Well, let's say, the children of rich people are playing in the yard, the mother of one of whom can easily enter the house of the president of the country. And suddenly someone takes away his favorite toy from this boy. And he runs to his mother and asks her to persuade the president to put all his offenders in jail! And the mother fulfills the request of her son.

If someone thinks that this is a rough example, then I hasten to say that it is still too soft. After all, Achilles' mother does not go to the president, but to the main god, to Zeus himself! Yes, and he asks not to put the offenders in prison, but to take revenge with the blood, the death of many, even those who are not at all to blame for his quarrel with Agamemnon. Although, to be honest, only Achilles himself is to blame for this quarrel. But we will talk about this in more detail below.

So, Achilles understands that, at his request, tens and hundreds of his fellow soldiers will die, that the Achaean army will suffer colossal losses. And he goes for it, and even longs for it with all his heart. I do not know how else to call this "heroic" act, except as a betrayal.

It would be strange for us to even allow an analogy. But still, let's assume that Marshal Zhukov during the Great Patriotic War offended some commander, and he in retaliation withdrew his regiment to the rear and stopped fighting the Nazis, as a result of which Soviet army would have suffered heavy losses, and many would have died soviet soldiers. How do you like this feat? Yes, according to the laws of wartime, he would simply be shot! And although, by analogy, the Zhukov-Stalin pair is more suitable here. But it is even more absurd.

I agree that these comparisons are lame, because Achilles was the same king as Agamemnon, and both of them were representatives of the Achaean people, Hellas. But after all, going to war, all the Achaean kings took an oath and agreed that Agamemnon would be their supreme commander. So under any conditions, the act of Achilles can hardly be called anything other than a betrayal.

Copper idol

There is one place in the twentieth canto, which also seems somewhat strange to an unprepared reader. Apollo summons Aeneas to fight Achilles. Aeneas refuses and says that Achilles is protected by the gods. Aeneas goes on to say:

“... Oh, if the immortal

In the battle he awarded us an equal outcome - it would not be easy for Aeneas

He defeated, although Achilles is proud that he is all made of copper!

Of interest is the last line "although Achilles is proud that he is all made of copper." What does it mean? Without knowing the story of the birth of Achilles, one might think that we are talking about his copper armor. But there were other warriors in armor. Why is Achilles proud of the fact that he is “all of copper”? And here we must deviate somewhat from the Iliad and turn to the myths about the birth of Achilles. This will give us a new touch to the description of the character of Achilles.

Early myths about the birth of Achilles mention Hephaestus' oven, where Thetis put her son, holding him by the heel alone, wanting to make Achilles invulnerable, almost immortal. Other myths say that Thetis, wanting to test whether her son is mortal or immortal, wanted to dip the newborn Achilles in boiling water, also holding her son by only one heel, but Peleus, the father of Achilles, opposed this. Later myths say that Thetis, wanting to make Achilles immortal, plunged him into the waters of Styx (according to another version, into fire), also holding him by one heel.

Be that as it may, but as a result of such experiments on his own son, Achilles became invulnerable to weapons and diseases. Only one heel remained vulnerable to him, for which his mother, the goddess Thetis, held him. That's where it comes from, by the way. famous expression"Achilles' heel", it refers to the most vulnerable, the weakest point in someone or something. Only one thing is important to us here: Achilles was already invulnerable by himself, even without armor. And, judging by the above statement of Aeneas, not only he himself knew about his invulnerability, but also many others. That is why Aeneas says that Achilles is “all made of copper,” that is, invulnerable. And the fact that Aeneas is well aware of the history of Achilles, we can read in the following lines. Aeneas says to Achilles:

“We both know the fathers and clans of our glorious legends,

We heard a lot about them from people in the legends of the ancients;

But here you are in my face, just like I am your ancestors - we don’t know.

So, in the Iliad we see a direct allusion to the myth of the invulnerability of Achilles. We also need to remember this fact in order to better understand what kind of hero Homer shows in the Iliad of King Achilles.

Another oddity of Achilles Pelid

We have barely moved away from the first song of the Iliad, and the pedestal under Achilles has already staggered. But here's another oddity for you. It is already associated with the nickname of Achilles. In history, Achilles was remembered as "swift". In the Iliad, next to the name Achilles, this characteristic epithet is often present. But we will not be able to name a single hero of the Iliad who would be overtaken by swift-footed Achilles! What is this? Another mockery of the old man Homer over the main character?

Let's look in the text for examples. In the 20th ode we read the story of Aeneas about how Achilles attacked him on the slopes of Mount Ida. And Aeneas barely escaped him. But he ran away! In the 21st song, it is said that Achilles chased Agenor, and also could not catch up with him. This is despite the fact that from the 20th song we know that they are not the fastest Trojan heroes, since the fastest was Polydor Priamid. Further, we see that Achilles is running away from the angry river Xanthos (Scamander), and cannot escape from it, she easily catches up with the swift-footed Achilles.

And Homer shows us the most amazing running performance when Achilles is chasing Hector in front of the walls of Troy. Heroes make three circles. And what do you think, swift-footed Achilles caught up with Hector? No, I didn't. Until he stopped and took the fight.

Here is the swift-footed Achilles. It seems that Homer, hiding direct ridicule, decided to pretty laugh at Achilles and show us in pictures all his "merits". Well, let's remember this oddity, and let's go further to study the "great" hero.

Driving force of Achilles

Let's see what Achilles is like in his other actions. Maybe in them he really is a true hero, and from them we learn more about this glorious king and warrior. From the Iliad, we learn that even in his early youth, Achilles' mother told him that he must make a choice: either live happily ever after in his homeland, or go to war near Troy, become famous for centuries, but die there. Achilles knew in advance that if he went to war, he would not return home. However, in youthful fervour, Achilles chooses war and eternal glory. This is very important for understanding the character of the hero and his further actions.

So, Achilles arrived along with all the Achaeans on the banks of the Troad. He came here for great glory. But so far, all that is known about him is that he is the son of the famous Peleus. Achilles has not yet accomplished his own exploits near Troy, and he cannot yet be called a glorious or great hero. Let us now see what were the primary tasks before him in order to achieve this great glory?

Secondly, he knows from the predictions that his mother told him, and this is indicated in the poem, that fate did not allow him to destroy Troy itself. That is, when going to war against Troy, Achilles knew in advance that he would not be able to take the city, that it would not be him who would destroy Troy, but someone else.

Thirdly, and most importantly, he knows that he will not return from this war. He knows that he is destined to die near Troy.

Here's a problem with three known ones. I ask the reader to especially remember these three points, as they are important for understanding not only the character and behavior of Achilles, but also for understanding the character of the entire Trojan War. These three points will reveal to us many secrets of the Iliad.

Now let's ask the main question of the poem: why the Achaeans could not defeat Troy for nine years? And here we have an interesting assumption. Achilles, the strongest of the heroes of Hellas, knows that he cannot take Troy. He also knows that he still needs to prove himself the strongest and bravest warrior. After all, by the beginning of the war, only he himself knows about it. So what was the benefit to him in the very first year of the war to help the Achaeans take Troy?

Even though Achilles himself could not take Troy by prediction, this was not given to him from above. But he could easily help someone else take the city. After all, with his help, Troy could well have been taken by someone else. But then this other, and not Achilles, would have received great glory. And Achilles himself would have died during the storming of the city.

And here a dilemma arises before Achilles: should we help the Achaeans immediately conquer Troy and perish without becoming famous, or become famous first? The answer is obvious. After all, he went to war only for glory. For great glory! So was it worth it for Achilles to destroy Troy until everyone (both his own and enemies) would admit that he is the strongest and most courageous warrior?

So, we seem to be beginning to understand that Achilles was not at all interested in defeating Troy, he was only interested in personal glory and nothing else. He had no intention of destroying Troy. He was only concerned with his fame. In addition, Achilles knows that he will not return home. What reason does he have to hurry with the destruction of Troy? After all, the faster the Achaeans destroy Troy, the faster death will come to Achilles. If Achilles did not know his fate, then perhaps he would have destroyed Troy in the very first year of the war. Or rather, help destroy it. And he could well destroy it, if not for the prophecy of death! And we find confirmation of this in the text. Here is what Achilles himself says to Patroclus:

“Oh, Zeus Kronid, Apollo and Pallas Athena! Whenever

Three sons, whatever they are, and Achaeans, whatever they are,

Everyone would have died in battles, only we would have remained with you,

We alone would be able to smash the proud towers of Troy!

We see confirmation of this in the words of Zeus, when Zeus says to Poseidon:

“If Achilles and one rushes to the Trojan, - minutes

In the field, they cannot withstand the stormy son of Aeakid.

Trembling seized them at the mere sight of him before;

Today, for a friend, when he burns with the most terrible anger,

I myself am afraid that, contrary to fate, he will not destroy Troy.

So, Achilles does not destroy the city! And we now understand why. He was the only commander among the entire Achaean army who did not have any benefit in the destruction of Troy, since he knew that he would die during the storming of the city. It was Achilles who benefited from a protracted, very, very long war. The longer it drags on, the longer the life of Achilles stretches. And so, we come to a terrible conclusion: thanks to Achilles, the strongest and most courageous Achaean leader, the Trojan War lasted ten long years!

But Achilles had to find some excuse for the fact that he could not take Troy in any way. And he finds this excuse. In the very first song of the poem we see this justification of Achilles when he speaks to Agamemnon:

Glancing menacingly at him, swift-footed Achilles answered:

“The king who has lost his shame! You are a philanderer with an insidious soul!

Which of the Achaeans will want to listen to your commands?

Who, answer me, even now both on a campaign and in battle boldly ?!

Before me, horse-borne Trojans have nothing to blame.

Neither my horses nor my cows were stolen by the Trojans.

In my happy Phthia, populous, abundant in fruits;

They did not trample the fields, and they did not burn the crops. open spaces

We were always separated by mountains, forests and the endless sea.

Honor Menelaus looking for you, dog-like man!

Achilles

ACHILLES (ACHILLES) - the hero of Homer's poem "The Iliad" (between the X-VIII centuries BC). In Greek mythology, A. is the son of the sea goddess Thetis and Peleus, king of the city of Phthia in Faessalia. By the name of his father in the Iliad, A. is called Pelid or Peleev's son. Myths say that A. was predicted to die in battle from an arrow shot by the enemy. In an effort to protect her son and make his body invulnerable, Thetis held the baby over the fire, immersed it in the waters of Styx, the rivers of the underworld of the dead. At the same time, she held A. by the heel, which remained his only weak spot. This is how the term "Achilles' heel" was born. A. was raised by the wise centaur (a man with the body of a horse) Chiron, who raised such heroes as Hercules and Jason. The soothsayer Calchas predicted that the Greeks would win the war with Troy, the root cause of which was the abduction by Paris, the son of the Trojan king Priam, the wife of King Menelaus the Beautiful Helen, only if A participates in the battles. When Menelaus and his brother Agamemnon began to gather an army, Thetis hid A. in the palace of King Lykomed on the island of Skyros. A. lived here among the daughters of the king, dressed in women's clothing. But the soothsayer Calchas unraveled the plan of Thetis. Comrades of Menelaus Diomedes and Odysseus, the king of Ithaca, went to Skyros, taking with them rich gifts for the princesses: fabrics, clothes embroidered with gold, necklaces and other jewelry. All this was brought to the apartments of the princesses, placing weapons and military armor between the gifts. It was the last gifts that A. chose. Having learned about the impending campaign against Troy, A. gladly agreed to participate in it. His friend Patroclus went with him. Having sailed from the harbor of Aulis, the ships of the Greeks went to Troy. But they landed on the shores of Mysia, where Telef, the son of Hercules, reigned. Mistaking the Mysians for Trojans, the Greeks entered into battle with them. A., fighting with Telef, put him to flight. Finding a mistake, the Greeks set off again, but the storm scattered their ships, and they were forced to return to Aulis. Here they realized that only Teleph, who was seriously wounded by A. Pythia, a soothsayer from the city of Delphi, could show them the right path to Troy, said that only A. could heal the wound, which the latter did, sprinkling the ulcer with iron, which he scraped off from your spear. But it was still not possible to sail from Aulis, because there was no favorable wind. Calchas predicted that the wind would appear only if the daughter of Agamemnon Iphigenia was sacrificed to the gods. The girl was brought to Aulis, telling her mother Clytemnestra that A. wants to be engaged to her. Having learned about this, A. begins to help Iphigenia, who at the last moment before the sacrifice is saved by the goddess Artemis. All this is told in the tragedy of Euripides "Iphigenia in Aulis" (V "Sw. BC).

x The Greeks besieged Troy for 10 years. The main hero of the Trojan War was A., whom the Iliad, which tells about the last year of the siege, calls him “noble”, “swift-footed”, “immortal like”, “favorite of the gods”. The Iliad begins with a description of the anger of A., from whom Agamemnon took away his captive Briseis. The main character of the Trojans, the son of King Priam, Hector, kills a friend of A. Patroclus. A. takes his death hard and vows to take revenge. One of the climaxes of the poem is A.'s battle with Hector, described in book XXII of the Iliad. After killing Hector, A. mourns and buries Patroclus. This is the end of Homer's poem. The image of A. in the Iliad is contradictory. He is noble and at the same time extremely cruel. About the further fate of A. tell myths and literary works ancient Greek and Roman writers. In the so-called. the cycle poem "Ethiopides" (VIII "Sw. BC), attributed to the Arctic, the son of Teles from Miletus, and which has come down to us only in a late retelling, tells about the Amazon warrior women who came to the aid of the Trojans, led by Queen Pen -fesilee. A. kills her, but standing over her body, imbued with love for her. This plot is touched upon in the poems of Ovid's "Heroines" and Virgil's "Aeneid". The Ethiopian also tells about the battles with the Ethiopians, whom their king Memnon brought to the aid of the Trojans. Memnon dies in a duel with A. But the hero is also waiting for an inevitable, predicted end. He dies from the arrow of Paris, which the god Apollo, who patronized the Trojans, directed at the heel of A., - his only vulnerable spot. The Greeks and Thetis, rising from the depths of the sea, mourn the hero and, according to ancient customs, burn his body on a funeral pyre on the eighteenth day. The golden urn with the ashes of A., Patroclus and another hero - Antilochus, was buried in a high mound. Hiding on the island of Skyros, A. fell in love with Daidamia, one of the daughters of King Lykomed. From their union was born after the departure of the Greeks to Troy, the son of Neoptolem. After the death of his father, he is brought to the walls of Troy, and he participates in the capture of the city, kills Priam and many of his sons. In the XI song of the Odyssey, it is told how Odysseus, descending into the kingdom of the dead, meets the shadow of A. there and tells his deceased friend about the exploits of his son. The image of A. was repeatedly developed in fine arts, starting with ancient Greek vase painting and ending with the lithographic cycle "Achilles", created by the German artist Max Slevogt in 1907.

Achilles / Achilles (swift-footed, god-like) is the central character of the poem; without the participation of this warrior, Troy could not fall. Achilles is the ideal warrior of the heroic era. Cruel, bloodthirsty, selfish. Achilles is bloodthirsty: he avenges the death of his beloved friend and kills so many Trojans that the water in the river turns into blood (including killing the sons of Priam) Completely cold-bloodedly and indifferently sacrifices the captive youths to the grave of Patroclus.

In the image of Achilles, individualism and pride, resentment dominate. He raises his personal quarrel with Agamemnon to cosmic proportions. Achilles dreams only of personal glory and is ready to give his life for this.

In the experience of Achilles, the dictates of fate and the own raging of life coincide. He knows that he will not return from under Troy, and nevertheless, he undertakes a difficult and dangerous campaign:

What are you, Xanth, prophesying death to me? Not your concern!

I myself know well that fate is destined for me to die

Here, away from father and mother. But I won't go

From the battle, until the Trojans taste their fill of war!

Comparative characteristics of the images of Achilles and Hector

Hector, the son of Priam, acquires the most humane, pleasant features from Homer. Hector, unlike Achilles, is a hero who knows what social responsibility is, he does not put his personal feelings above others. Achilles is the personification of individualism (he brings his personal quarrel with Agamemnon to cosmic proportions). In Hector, there is no bloodthirstiness of Achilles, he is generally an enemy Trojan War, sees in it a terrible disaster, understands all the horror, all the gloomy, disgusting side of the war. It is he who proposes to fight not with troops, but to put up representatives (Paris-tr., Menelaus-Greeks).

Hector, unlike Achilles and other heroes, is shown from a completely different side, in a peaceful life. The scene of his farewell to Andromache (wife) is one of the most subtle, psychological scenes in the poem. She asks him not to participate in the battle, because. there is Achilles, who destroyed Thebes and all her family. Hector loves his loved ones very much and understands that Andromache will be left completely alone without him, but the duty of the defender of the Fatherland is above all for him. Shame won't let him hide behind a wall.

Hector is accompanied by gods (Apollo, Artemis), but his difference from Achilles is infinite. Achilles is the son of the goddess Thetis, he is not subject to human weapons (except for the heel). Achilles, in fact, is not a man, but a half-demon. When going to battle, Achilles puts on the armor of Hephaestus. Hector, on the other hand, is a simple person who faces a terrible test, he understands that only he can accept the challenge, and Athena helps Achilles.

The images of these two characters are very different. If the name of Achilles opens the poem, the name of Hector ends it. "So they buried the body of the horse-riding Hector."

In the Iliad, both the Greeks and Achilles are inferior in honesty to Hector. Hector, the son of Priam, acquires the most humane, pleasant features from Homer. Hector, unlike Achilles, is a hero who knows what social responsibility is, he does not put his personal feelings above others. Achilles is the personification of individualism (he brings his personal quarrel with Agamemnon to cosmic proportions). In Hector, there is no bloodthirstiness of Achilles, he is generally opposed to the Trojan War, sees in it a terrible disaster, understands all the horror, all the dark, disgusting side of the war. It is he who proposes to fight not with the military, but to put up representatives (Paris-tr., Menelaus-Greeks). But the gods do not allow him to do this. Paris, thanks to Aphrodite, escapes from the battlefield.

Hector, unlike Achilles and other heroes, is shown from a completely different side, in a peaceful life. The scene of his farewell to Andromache (wife) is one of the most subtle, psychological scenes in the poem. She asks him not to participate in the battle, because. there is Achilles, who destroyed Thebes and all her family. Hector loves his loved ones very much and understands that Andromache will be completely alone without him, but the duty of the defender of the Fatherland is above all for him. *sob sob* Shame will not allow him to hide behind the wall.

So, both Hector and Achilles are famous warriors. However, if Achilles puts his personal feelings, personal gain above all else, then Hector sacrifices himself for the sake of the Fatherland, refuses peaceful family life in the name of their state.*sob sob*

Hector is accompanied by gods (Apollo, Artemis), but his difference from Achilles is infinite. Achilles is the son of the goddess Thetis, he is not subject to human weapons (except for the heel). Achilles, in fact, is not a man, but a half-demon. When going to battle, Achilles puts on the armor of Hephaestus. Hector, on the other hand, is a simple man who faces a terrible test, he understands that only he alone can accept the challenge of A. It is not surprising that at the sight of Achilles he is horrified and runs (three times the heroes run around Troy in hyperbole). The moira goddesses decide the fate of the heroes by placing their lots on the scales. Athena helps Achilles. Dying, Hector asks for only one thing - to transfer his body to relatives so that they perform a funeral ceremony (very important for the Greeks). However, Achilles avenges the death of a friend and says that he will throw Hector's body to be eaten by dogs and thieves.

The images of these two characters are very different. If the name of Achilles opens the poem, the name of Hector ends it. "So they buried the body of the horse-riding Hector." Everything human is collected in Hector (both strengths and weaknesses (he is horrified by Achilles, runs) Achilles is almost a half-demon.

Short version

Achilles - the person of individualism, the living principle, half-demon, the ideal of the Greek warrior. To the Hector of properties. everything is human. He is honest, an opponent of war, he offers to fight not with the military, but with a representative. (Paris, Menelaus) G. is shown in a peaceful life: farewell to Andromache-tonk. psycho. scene of the poem. Patriot. Shame won't let him hide behind the walls. When he sees Ah.sp.horror, he runs away. They run around Troy 3 times, G. puts up with fear. The lot decides the death of G. He asks Akh. to give the body of his relatives, but Akh. refuses, because he is avenging Patroclus.

Super Brief

Hector is a normal person, and Achilles is a cruel half-demon-egoist who loves himself. For Hector, the duty of the Fatherland is above all

^ 11. Cunning Odysseus - the bearer of worldly wisdom. V. G. Belinsky about the Odyssey.

VG Belinsky wrote: “Odysseus is the apotheosis of human wisdom; but what is his wisdom? In cunning, often crude and flat, in what in our prosaic language is called "swindle". And meanwhile, in the eyes of the infant people, this cunning could not help but seem extreme possible wisdom. (Mvhahahaha! I did find that he wrote about the Odyssey)

The constant epithet of Odysseus in the Odyssey is "long-suffering", "many-witted". Odysseus is very different from other heroes (including the heroes of the Iliad). The image of Odysseus depicts the highest degree of practical ingenuity, cunning. He does not trust the gods, well aware of their deceit and cunning disposition. Once in another shipwreck, Odysseus accepts the gift of the nymph Levkothea (cloak), but does not let go of the log, because. understands that you can’t count on the gods (Supposedly, trust in God, but don’t make a mistake yourself)

The image of Odysseus is imbued with patriotism, love for the motherland. He dreams of returning to Ithaca, to his wife Penelope, the son of Telemachus. The practical and business inclination of his nature acquires its real significance only in connection with his selfless love for his home and his wife waiting for him, as well as his constantly difficult fate, forcing him to constantly suffer and shed tears away from their homeland. Athena speaks with great feeling to Zeus at the council of the gods about his constant suffering and asks him to return Odysseus home. Poseidon is constantly angry with him. His nanny wonders why the gods are constantly indignant at him with his constant piety and obedience to the will of the gods. His grandfather gave him the name precisely as "the man of divine wrath."

No wonder he often resorts to trickery. Then he gets out of the cave under the belly of the ram, grabbing his wool, and thus deceives the vigilance of the blind Polyphemus. Then he makes the Cyclops and the cannibal drunk and gouges out his only eye. Now he slips past the sirens, where no one has ever passed alive and healthy, then he makes his way into his own palace and takes possession of it. He himself speaks of his subtle cunning, and Polyphemus guessed that it was not strength that killed him, but the cunning of Odysseus.

Odysseus is very cautious, in fact he does not trust anyone, he is cunning and prudent. It manifests itself in different areas of life. He is a carpenter, and a plowman, and a navigator. It combines almost all the knowledge of its era. Odysseus also has features that make him related to other heroes. He is a fighter, extremely cruel (kills all suitors), he is characterized by communication with the gods (Athena, Hermes). Nevertheless, his cunning, intelligence and foresight distinguish him from all the others.

Short version

VG Belinsky wrote: “Odysseus is the apotheosis of human wisdom; but what is his wisdom? In cunning, often crude and flat, in what in our prosaic language is called "swindle". And meanwhile, in the eyes of the infantile people, this cunning could not help but seem the extreme degree of possible wisdom.

One "long-suffering", "many-witted". Cunning. Resourceful. Does not trust the gods (takes the cloak of Levkothea, but does not throw the log) Patriot. Despite all the troubles, he strives for his wife and son, to Ithaca. The post is angry with him. Poseidon because he blinded his son, Polyphemus. Combines all the knowledge of the era, carpenter, navigator, warrior. However, cruel (murder of suitors), communicates with the gods (Athena)

Super Brief

Odysseus is very cunning, does not trust the gods and always gets out of various situations that the gods set up for him. And Belinsky said that he was engaged in swindle.

Homer asks the Musa to tell him about the wanderings of Odysseus. At a meeting of the gods on Olympus, Zeus recalls the madness of Aegisthus, who ignored warnings from above, seduced Agamemnon's wife, Clytemnestra, and planned to kill the latter. He is later killed by Agamemnon's son, Orestes.

The goddess Athena convinces Zeus that Odysseus must return home, despite the wrath of Poseidon, the god of the sea, who was angry with Odysseus, because he blinded his son, the Cyclops Polyphemus. Athena goes to Ithaca to give advice to Odysseus' son, Telemachus. She demands that he visit the Greek kings, Nestor and Menelaus, in search of news of Odysseus. The next day, Telemachus calls a meeting and threatens to drive his mother Penelope's suitors out of the house.

BOOK 2 Telemachus complains to the assembly about the behavior of the suitors and asks the latter to return to their homes. The two main suitors, Antinous and Eurymachus, accuse Penelope of not choosing her husband. Antinous tells how Penelope deceived and delayed her decision by weaving clothes for Laertes, father of Odysseus, during the day and untwisting what was done at night. With the help of Athena, Telemachus finds a ship for himself and sails to Pylos, the city of Nestor, one of the participants in the Trojan War.

BOOK 3 In Pylos, Telemachus is met by King Nestor, who tells how the Greeks left Troy, the murder of Agamemnon, and the return home of Menelaus. At the request of Telemachus, Nestor, in great detail, tells the story of Aegisthus and Clytemnestra, their conspiracy against Agamemnon and the revenge of Orestes. Nestor sends his son, Pisistratus, to accompany Telemachus to Sparta, to King Menelaus.

BOOK 4 Telemachus and Peisistratus arrive in Sparta. King Menelaus celebrates the wedding of his children, Hermione and Megapenth. Menelaus welcomes the arrivals; Elena joins them. They remember the exploits of Odysseus in Troy. Menelaus tells about his meeting with the sea elder Proteus, who told him about the death of Ajax at sea, about the murder of Menelaus' brother, Agamemnon, and about the capture of Odysseus on Ogygia, the island of the nymph Calypso. At the same time, the suitors in Ithaca learn about the departure of Telemachus and plot to kill him.

BOOK 5 At the request of Athena, Zeus sends a messenger, Hermes, to the nymph Calypso, demanding that Odysseus be allowed home. Odysseus builds a raft and sails to Scheria, the land of the Phaeacians. Poseidon, still angry with Odysseus, breaks his raft, but, with the help of Athena and the sea nymph Ino, Odysseus makes it to shore.

BOOK 6 The next morning, Nausicaa, the daughter of the king of the Phaeacians, goes to the seashore to wash her clothes, as Athena ordered her to. Odysseus appears, which frightens Nausicaa and her maids. Because he asks for help, Nausicaa gives him clothes and explains how best to appear at the house of her father, Alcinous.

BOOK 7 The arrival of Odysseus at the palace of Alcinous. He is given a place at the feast. Alkina promises that she will help Odysseus return to his homeland. Without revealing his name, Odysseus talks about his stay at Calypso and about the journey to Scheria. Alkinoi asks Odysseus to stay and offers him his daughter Nausicaa as his wife. However, if Odysseus wants to return home, the feacians will help him.

BOOK 8 At a feast at the Feacians, the singer Demodocus sings about Troy; athletic competitions are organized. The son of Alcinous, Laodamas, asks Odysseus to take part in the competition. Odysseus shows his skill in discus throwing. Demodocus sings about the love of Ares, the god of war, and Aphrodite, the goddess of love, and how Hephaestus, the husband of Aphrodite, caught them and put them on display for all the gods. The Theacians give rich gifts to Odysseus. At the request of the latter, Demodocus sings about the Trojan horse. Odysseus is moved to tears; he is asked to reveal who he is and why he cries when told about Troy.

BOOK 9 Odysseus gives his name and begins the story of his travels. He describes the sailing from Troy, beginning with an attack on the Kikons, during which many of his men died in a frenzy. Odysseus then recounts a visit to the island of the Lotus Eaters; after tasting their food, many of Odysseus's people forgot about home. Odysseus also tells about the adventures in the land of the Cyclopes: they were captured by Polyphemus; he ate several warriors; the rest intoxicated him, blinded him, and fled from the cave. After Odysseus boasted of his success, Polyphemus appealed to Poseidon, his father, to avenge him, which caused Poseidon's anger at Odysseus.

BOOK 10 Odysseus tells how he and his men got to the island of Aeolus, a king who was given power by the gods over the winds. Aeolus gives Odysseus a bag containing the winds, which should help Odysseus return home. Odysseus' men, however, thought the bag contained treasure. Already off the coast of Ithaca, the people of Odysseus, while he was sleeping, opened the bag. As a result, they washed up again on the shores of the island of Eol, but he refused to help them a second time. Sailing further, the travelers reached the land of the Laestrigons. These giants attacked them and destroyed all but one of Odysseus' ships. Then Odysseus landed on the island of the sorceress Kirka, who turned his people into pigs. With the help of Hermes, Odysseus escaped the same fate and forced Kirk to break the spell on his people. Odysseus and his men stayed with Kirk for a whole year. Before they left, Kirk told Odysseus that he should visit the realm of the dead and consult with the soothsayer Tiresias.

BOOK 11 In the realm of the dead, Tiresias warns Odysseus not to touch the herds of Helios, the god of the sun. Odysseus also met his mother, Anticlea. Here Odysseus is interrupted: he is praised by the Queen of the Feacians Areta. Alkinoy asks Odysseus to continue and tell about the meeting with the shadows of the Greek heroes. Odysseus recounts the meeting with Agamemnon and Achilles and with other heroes.

BOOK 12 Odysseus tells how he and his men returned to Kirki Island. Travelers sail past the sirens and Odysseus, tied to the mast, heard their songs. Then they passed by the whirlpool of Charybdis and the monster Scylla, which ate the six men of Odysseus. At the request of Eurylochus, one of the comrades of Odysseus, they landed on Trinacia, the island of the solar god Helios. Storms delayed them here for a month and despite Odysseus' warning, his men killed the god's flocks while Odysseus slept. Zeus punished them with a storm at sea, during which only Odysseus was saved. He reached the island of Calypso and, with this, Odysseus ends the story.

BOOK 13 The Theacs accompany Odysseus to Ithaca and leave him sleeping on the island. On the way back, Poseidon turns their ship to stone. Athena advises Odysseus how to defeat the suitors and turns him into an old man.

BOOK 14 Odysseus goes to the house of his old servant Eumeus, who receives him well. Odysseus tells him a fictional story about his life: he, a Cretan warrior, fought in Troy; then traveled to Egypt, Phenicia and other countries. BOOK 15 At the request of Athena, Telemachus leaves the palace of Menelaus in Sparta. On Ithaca, Eumeus answers questions from Odysseus; he tells how a Phoenician servant kidnapped him, how Laertes ransomed him. At this time, Telemachus avoids the ambush of suitors and safely lands on Ithaca.

BOOK 16 Telemachus visits Eumeus and sends him to inform Penelope of his arrival. Odysseus reveals himself to Telemachus and they plan revenge on the suitors. Penelope and the suitors learn that Telemachus has returned. The suitors consult whether they should kill Telemachus. Penelope rebukes them for this.

BOOK 17 Telemachus returns home and tells Penelope about his journey. Odysseus, disguised as a beggar, goes to the palace, accompanied by Eumeus. As they approach the house, Argos, Odysseus' old dog, recognizes him and dies. Odysseus begs the suitors and tells them a fictional story about his adventures. Antinous, the chief suitor, insults Odysseus and throws a stool at him. Eumeus tells Penelope about the "stranger".

BOOK 18 Penelope complains about the behavior of the suitors. The feast turns into a fight after Odysseus angers Eurymachus, one of the suitors.

BOOK 19 Odysseus and Telemachus remove weapons and armor from the hall. Penelope questions Odysseus. He tells her a fictional story. Nurse Eurycleia washes Odysseus' feet and recognizes him by his scar. She almost betrays Odysseus. Penelope invites the suitors to arrange a contest with the bow of Odysseus. She will marry the winner.

BOOK 20 The next day the suitors gather at Odysseus' house. Odysseus meets Philoetius, his faithful shepherd, and predicts his own return. The suitors decide not to kill Telemachus.

BOOK 21 Penelope announces a contest, but no one can string the bow. Odysseus reveals himself to two faithful servants: Eumeus and Philoetius. Despite the protests of the suitors, Odysseus is given a bow. He pulls it on and shoots an arrow through a row of axes.

BOOK 22 Odysseus kills Antinous and opens himself. A battle ensues and, with Athena's help, all the suitors are killed. Unfaithful maids are severely punished.

BOOK 23 Eurycleia informs Penelope that Odysseus has returned and defeated the suitors. Penelope does not believe and tests Odysseus. She recognizes him because he answers all questions correctly. Joyful meeting.

BOOK 24 The shadows of suitors descend into the realm of the dead and tell the heroes about their fate. Odysseus meets his father, Laertes. The relatives of the murdered suitors decide to take revenge. After one of them is killed, Athena intervenes and brings peace.