Theme: Menis(anger)

Question 1

How does the Iliad begin ?

Answer 1

‘Anger’ or menis in Greek
- vengeful anger conventionally used to characterise the gods when not properly honoured
- the effect of this anger is written in the second line that it leads to the death of many heroes and inflicts damage to, not the Trojans who we might expect, but the Achaeans

Question 2

Why was Apollo angry at the Achaeans ?

Answer 2

• his priest had been disrespected and dishonoured as Agamemnon refused to ransom Chryseis
• Apollo sent a plague which places pressure upon Agamemnon
• Achilles and Apollo’s behaviour is the same as the pair both get angry over feeling insulted and demand respect
• the way they put pressure is vastly similar as they cause the deaths of Achaeans until Agamemnon caves in

Question 3

Why is anger important to the quarrel between Agamemnon and Achilles ?

Answer 3

Anger is at the heart of the quarrel between the pair
- Initially it’s Agamemnons anger over Calchas’ prophetic advice over the return of Chryseis
- Homer describes Agamemnon ‘seethed with fury’ which leads him to demand for compensation
- This demands then prompts Achilles to be overwhelmed with anger as a result of his perception of Agamamenons greed
- He describes Agamemnon as ‘unequalled in your greed’

Question 4

Why is anger important to the gods decisions ?

Answer 4

book 4
- Hera is motivated by anger to destroy Ilium as Paris did not choose her as the most beautiful gods
- Homer continually displays this anger as she ‘seethes with indignation’ at the though of peace in book 4
- Hera is so dedicated by her anger that she tells Zeus he can sack ‘Argos, Sparta and Mycenae’
- it’s clear that Hera is incredibly driven by menis as it has no limits which she openly displays