Iliad scholarship quotes

Question 1

‘The Gods love…but that love does not protect them from… and …’ - Jasper Griffin

(the Gods)

E.g. Sarpedon in Book 16

Answer 1

‘The Gods love great heroes but does not protect them from defeat and death’ - Jasper Griffin

Question 2

‘… does not win by superior ability or … but by divine …’ - Malcolm Wilcock

(The Gods and Achilles)

Thetis’s son

Answer 2

‘Achilles does not win by superior ability or strength but by divine intervention’ - Malcolm Wilcock

Question 3

‘The men and … are so alike, but immortality is … and …’ - Jenkyns

(the Gods)

Who do men worship?

Answer 3

‘The men and Gods are so alike, but immortality is vital and absolute’ - Jenkyns

Question 4

‘The heroes’ quarrel is set to bring … and …; the gods is … and even …’ - Michael Silk

(Gods, mortals, war)

What is the consequence of Achilles and Agamemon’s arguament in Book 1 compared to Hera and Zeus’s arguament in book 1?

Answer 4

‘The heroes’ quarrel is set to bring death and destruction; the gods is aimless and even frivolous’ - Michael Silk

Question 5

‘… is perfectly capable of showing people making up their own minds without … …’ - Peter Jones

(Gods, Homer, characterisation)

Who is the writer and what is it called when the Gods mess about with humans?

Answer 5

‘Homer is pefectly capable of showing people making up their own minds without divine intervention’ - Peter Jones

Question 6

‘The … watch men like spectators of a … or … competition’ - Pattazzoni

(Gods and social cultural and religious context)

What is the Bacchae and what does Achilles hold in B23 for patroclus?

Answer 6

‘The Gods watch men like spectators of a drama or sporting competition’ - Pattazzoni

Question 7

‘The death of Hector at the hands of … is the climax of the Iliad, the … of the … theme’ - Malcolm Wilcock

(Death, poem structure, anger, Achilles)

Answer 7

‘The death of Hector at the hands of Achilles is the climax of the Iliad, the culmination of the Wrath theme’ - Malcolm Wilcock

Question 8

‘A warrior’s … is more important than … itself, as … ultimate choice makes clear’ - C.G. Segal

Answer 8

‘A warrior’s kleos is more important than life itself, as Achilles’ ultimate choice makes clear’ - C.G. Segal

Question 9

‘The Gods are a … …’ - Michael Silk

Answer 9

‘The Gods are a destructive driving force’ - Michael Silk

Question 10

‘Most of the Iliad deals with the… [of the …]’ - Malcolm Wilcock

Answer 10

‘Most of the Iliad deals with the fallout [of the argument]’ – Malcolm Wilcock

Question 11

'’The poem is profoundly concerned with the nature of …. …. in all its ….’’ - Griffin

Answer 11

'’The poem is profoundly concerned with the nature of human life in all its manifestations’’ - Griffin

Question 12

'’We have very …., physical representations of …., but also beautiful portrayals through ….’ - Hauser

Answer 12

'’We have very gory, physical representations of death, but also beautiful portrayals through similes’ - Hauser

Question 13

'’Battle is indeed …. but it’s only inches from the misery and humiliation that is ….’’ - Jenkyns

Answer 13

'’Battle is indeed glorious but it’s only inches away from the misery and humiliation that is death’’ - Jenkyns

Question 14

'’We get a sense of …. our world being carried on the back of Achilles, the world is populated with …. that we now rely on rather than the …. ….’’ - Barker

Answer 14

'’We get a sense of community, our world being carried on the back of Achilles, the world is populated with institutions that we now rely on rather than the individual hero’’ - Barker

Question 15

'’The purpose of Book …. is to illustrate …. behind walls’’ - Hauser

Answer 15

'’The purpose of Book 6 is to illustrate life behind walls’ - Hauser

Question 16

'’Hector is more ordinary than …., he has a father, a mother, a …. and a son, he is more like ….’ - Jenkyns

Answer 16

'’Hector is more ordinary than Achilles, he has a father, a mother, a wife and a son, he is more like us’’ - Jenkyns

Question 17

'’…. is torn between his heroic duty, his pride and helping …., his decision is not an easy one’’ - Edwards

Answer 17

'’Achilles is torn between his heroic duty, his pride and helping Patrocls, his decision is not and easy one’’ - Edwards

Question 18

'’To truly understand the Iliad we must balance the …. caused by war against the …. that comes with success’’ - Allan

Answer 18

'’To truly understand the Iliad we must balance the suffering caused by war against the glory that comes with success’’ - Allen

Question 19

'’Through …. we see what it means to loose hope and finally face ….’ - Graziosi

Answer 19

'’Through Hector we see what it means to loose hope and finally face death’’ - Graziosi

Question 20

'’The death of …. at the hands of Achilles is the climax of the Iliad, the culmination of the …. theme’’ - Wilcock

Answer 20

'’The death of Hector at the hands of Achilles is the climax of the Iliad, the culmination of the Wrath theme’’ - Wilcock

Question 21

'’The death of …. is almost like a ritual killing’’ - Wilcock

Answer 21

'’The death of Patroclus is almost like a ritual killing’’ - Wilcock

Question 22

'’…. is a special type of anger that usually characterises the …., however here it characterises ….’’ - Graziosi

Answer 22

'’Menis is a special type of anger that usual characterises the Gods, however, here it characterises Achilles’’ - Graziosi

Question 23

'’The fate of …. is typical of that found in tragedy’’ - Jenkyns

Answer 23

'’The fate of Achilles is typical of that found in tragedy’’ - Jenkyns

Question 24

'’Humans do not committedly feel that their fate is …., though the often assert that their …. is ultimately inescapeable’’ - Slattery

Answer 24

'’Humans do not committedly feel that their fate is unchangeable, though they often assert that their destiny (death) is ultimately inescapable’’ - Slattery

Question 25

''.... compares himself to a mother bird when singing in Book 9'' - Jenkyns

Answer 25

''Achilles compares himself to a mother bird when singing in Book 9'' - Jenkyns

Question 26

(on Diomedes) ''He boasts about his ..., but we get descriptions of the familes of .... left behind too'' - Hauser

Answer 26

''He boasts about his victories, but we get descriptions of the families of soldiers left behind too'' - Hauser

Question 27

''The Iliad is greatly interested in .... ....'' Griffin

Answer 27

''The Iliad is greatly interested in bereaved fathers'' - Griffin

Question 28

''Helen becomes the ...., what every man is afraid of'' - Hauser

Answer 28

''Helen becomes the anti-women, what every man is afraid of'' - Hauser