It has been said, I don't know by whom, that in the Iliad gods act like men and men act like gods.kundalini wrote:Finished book 8. I'm not sure what to make of the gods in the Iliad. Their descriptions seem frivolous to the point of levity--the whining, bickering, and the threats that occur among the gods seem more like comic relief to me--in stark contrast to the descriptions of human pathos in the Iliad.
kundalini's log
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MorkTheFiddle
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Re: kundalini's log
2 x
Many things which are false are transmitted from book to book, and gain credit in the world. -- attributed to Samuel Johnson
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kundalini
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Re: kundalini's log
Up to 9.103. The last book in the Iliad I read, book 8, was filled with unknown words. Luckily, in the first lines of book 9, I had three times the usual number of unfamiliar vocab (13 unknown words in 16 lines). I fell into mild depression as a result, but on the other hand, I now know how to say "seaweed" in ancient Greek: φῦκος (phukos).
Book 9:
I consulted Wilcock's commentary to see if he had any insight on book 8, and he called one of the scenes with the gods "primitive, simple-minded, and comic," which seems applicable to the interactions of gods on the whole.
Book 9:
MorkTheFiddle wrote:It has been said, I don't know by whom, that in the Iliad gods act like men and men act like gods.
I consulted Wilcock's commentary to see if he had any insight on book 8, and he called one of the scenes with the gods "primitive, simple-minded, and comic," which seems applicable to the interactions of gods on the whole.
4 x
Iliad:
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kundalini
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Re: kundalini's log
Read to 9.361
Agamemnon blames his actions on temporary insanity and sends envoys to smooth matters with Achilles, but Achilles is having none of it.
ἐχθρὸς γάρ μοι κεῖνος ὁμῶς Ἀΐδαο πύλῃσιν
ὅς χ᾽ ἕτερον μὲν κεύθῃ ἐνὶ φρεσίν, ἄλλο δὲ εἴπῃ.
Someone who hides one thing in his mind but says another is as detestable to me as the gates of hell.
Book 9:
Agamemnon blames his actions on temporary insanity and sends envoys to smooth matters with Achilles, but Achilles is having none of it.
ἐχθρὸς γάρ μοι κεῖνος ὁμῶς Ἀΐδαο πύλῃσιν
ὅς χ᾽ ἕτερον μὲν κεύθῃ ἐνὶ φρεσίν, ἄλλο δὲ εἴπῃ.
Someone who hides one thing in his mind but says another is as detestable to me as the gates of hell.
Book 9:
3 x
Iliad:
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kundalini
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Re: kundalini's log
Up to 9.459
Agamemnon's envoy Phoenix tries to talk Achilles out of his anger by telling him about that one time when he banged his dad's mistress!
Book 9:
Agamemnon's envoy Phoenix tries to talk Achilles out of his anger by telling him about that one time when he banged his dad's mistress!
Book 9:
3 x
Iliad:
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kundalini
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Re: kundalini's log
I'm now up to 9.615
Phoenix's speech to Achilles to try to change his mind is long and rambling. One sentence in the speech ran across 20 lines! Maybe his name should be Prolix instead.
Book 9:
Phoenix's speech to Achilles to try to change his mind is long and rambling. One sentence in the speech ran across 20 lines! Maybe his name should be Prolix instead.
Book 9:
3 x
Iliad:
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kundalini
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Re: kundalini's log
Book 9 is complete. This chapter was tough going. I keep a notebook of unknown (and forgotten) words, and book 9 had almost as many words as books 7 and 8 combined.
It also seems to be a narrative turning point. The very first line of the Iliad informs the reader (or perhaps listener) that the epic will be about Achilles's anger, and here, finally, it is on display. Achilles sits out the war, distracting and assuaging himself from his rage with music making. And his anger cannot be quenched by the prospect of material gain. And here is the tragic dimension of life, in how all-consuming rage can be. I, too, am familiar with it. This does not feel like someone else's story.
Book 9:
It also seems to be a narrative turning point. The very first line of the Iliad informs the reader (or perhaps listener) that the epic will be about Achilles's anger, and here, finally, it is on display. Achilles sits out the war, distracting and assuaging himself from his rage with music making. And his anger cannot be quenched by the prospect of material gain. And here is the tragic dimension of life, in how all-consuming rage can be. I, too, am familiar with it. This does not feel like someone else's story.
Book 9:
2 x
Iliad:
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kundalini
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Re: kundalini's log
Read to 10.473. After the slow march through book 9, I had an exhilarating experience of reading the first 300-some lines more or less in a state of flow. It feels unreal to nearly finish a book in a day.
Book 10:
Book 10:
3 x
Iliad:
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kundalini
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kundalini
- Orange Belt
- Posts: 112
- Joined: Sun Jan 24, 2021 8:17 pm
- Languages: English (C), Greek (low intermediate)
- x 343
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kundalini
- Orange Belt
- Posts: 112
- Joined: Sun Jan 24, 2021 8:17 pm
- Languages: English (C), Greek (low intermediate)
- x 343
Re: kundalini's log
I read to 11.240
In other news, my mother began learning Koine Greek recently in order to be able to read the New Testament. She's making pretty good progress, reading simple verses and slowly taking in vocab and grammar as necessary. We live nearby, so I occasionally help answer questions and share some study tips when I see her. It's been very encouraging to see.
Book 11:
In other news, my mother began learning Koine Greek recently in order to be able to read the New Testament. She's making pretty good progress, reading simple verses and slowly taking in vocab and grammar as necessary. We live nearby, so I occasionally help answer questions and share some study tips when I see her. It's been very encouraging to see.
Book 11:
3 x
Iliad: