Week Two Archive:
Instructions: Each of the following discussion topics has its own message forum. We hope you will respond to one of the questions below by Sunday, April 18th, 9PM, Eastern Daylight Time. You may respond to more than one, of course, but be aware that each question has its own 'discussion group', so you should address your response specifically to that question. A response in the length of a paragraph is ideal; hypernews works better with many shorter responses than with longer ones, and we encourage you to reply briefly to the responses of others--this will make for true 'dialogue'.
1. In scroll 9 of the Iliad, Phoenix tells the story of Meleager to Achilles in an attempt to bring Achilles back into the war. The overall message of his story is that Meleager, in a situation similar to that of Achilles', stayed home and only returned when it was too late to get the gifts that were initially offered to him. Meleager receives no compensation for his efforts. How are the Greek ideas about compensation and reciprocity (kharis) and justice connected in this story? How does this story relate to other examples of reciprocity and exchange that we have read in scroll I and on the shield? Does Meleager get justice?
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2. After Phoenix tells the story of Meleager, Achilles continues to refuse to return to battle and help his comrades. Ajax, who considers himself one of Achilles' nearest and dearest comrades, is outraged. He reacts to the words of Achilles by telling Odysseus that they might as well leave, since they won't ever be able to persuade Achilles. Ajax says to Odysseus: "Achilles is savage and remorseless; he is cruel and cares nothing for the affection [philotês] that his comrades lavished upon him more than all the others. He is implacable--and yet if a man's brother or son has been slain he [=that man] will accept a fine [poinê] by way of amends from him that killed him and the wrong-doer having paid in full remains in peace in his own district [dêmos], but as for you, Achilles, the gods have put a wicked unforgiving spirit [thumos] in your breast, and this, all about one single girl, whereas we now offer you the seven best we have, and much more into the bargain." (Iliad IX.628-639).
Several responders last week offered the suggestion that the scene on the shield is 'in the future' with respect to the strife between Achilles and Agamemnon and its mechanism for resolution. What do the words of Ajax, however, imply about the expectations of Achilles' comrades for how this dispute should be settled? On the other hand, is the dispute about the affection of Achilles' comrades, or about 'one single girl'? What has Achilles come to see as at stake or the 'price' involved in his choice about whether to return to the war?
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3. *Bonus question from optional reading* Scroll 3 presents the duel between Paris and Menelaus, the two husbands of Helen. In this scroll, the duel is described as being for "Helen and all her possessions" (see 3.70, 3.91, 3.282, 3.285, and 3.458; see also 22.114). Last week, we saw how the argument over the woman Briseis between Agamemnon and Achilles is similar to the war over Helen between Paris and Menelaus (and all their friends). Is the one-on-one duel between Paris and Menlaus similar to litigation in any way? And in Scroll 9, Achilles is offered Briseis back with the addition of many material goods by Agamemnon to rejoin the fighting. What is the importance of material goods in these disputes, and how do they factor in to a 'just' resolution of either dispute?
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