The The OdysseyOdyssey

Homer & The Trojan Homer & The Trojan WarWar

Homer….the earliest Homer….the earliest Greek poet?Greek poet?Credited with creating two epic

poems: • The Iliad (750 B.C.E.) and• The Odyssey (720 B.C.E.)

How do we know this is How do we know this is true?true?

•We know very little about We know very little about Homer’s Greece.Homer’s Greece.

• Scholars believe it wasn’t put Scholars believe it wasn’t put into writing until centuries into writing until centuries later.later.

Did Homer even Did Homer even exist???exist???

•Some scholars Some scholars think that Homer think that Homer was actually an was actually an embodiment of embodiment of several different several different men, all of whom men, all of whom collaborated on collaborated on both Theboth The Iliad Iliad andand The OdysseyThe Odyssey..

If he did exist, he was If he did exist, he was most likely:most likely:

• Ancient Greek playwrights referred to Ancient Greek playwrights referred to him as a “gifted blind poet.” him as a “gifted blind poet.”

• ““If anyone should ask you whose song If anyone should ask you whose song is sweetest, say: blind is the man and is sweetest, say: blind is the man and he lives in rocky Chios."he lives in rocky Chios."

• The dialect used in The dialect used in The Odyssey The Odyssey was was common in the area of Chios at the common in the area of Chios at the time this epic was composed.time this epic was composed.

http://www.mitchellteachers.net/WorldHistory/AncientGreece/TheOdysseyAssignment.htm

•Blind

•From Chios

The Transmission of The Transmission of The The OdysseyOdyssey

• Many think that Homer was a bard who wandered Many think that Homer was a bard who wandered from town to town chanting his poetry to the from town to town chanting his poetry to the accompaniment of a lyre.accompaniment of a lyre.

• During Homer’s time, very few people could read During Homer’s time, very few people could read and write, and so stories were passed down orally. and write, and so stories were passed down orally. The Greeks of Asia Minor, known as the Ionians, The Greeks of Asia Minor, known as the Ionians, developed a tradition of heroic poetry. The developed a tradition of heroic poetry. The Homeric epics were regularly performed and were Homeric epics were regularly performed and were known to their audiences through performance.known to their audiences through performance.

bard[bahrd]–noun 1.(formerly) a person who composed and recited epic or heroic poems, often while playing the harp, lyre, or the like.

The Transmission of The Transmission of The The Odyssey Odyssey

• 5-45-4thth century B.C.E- The Greeks learned an century B.C.E- The Greeks learned an

alphabet from the Phoenicians. Scholars believe alphabet from the Phoenicians. Scholars believe that that The Odyssey The Odyssey was written down at this time.was written down at this time.

• 33rdrd century B.C.E.- Ancient scholars working in century B.C.E.- Ancient scholars working in Alexandria were responsible for the division of Alexandria were responsible for the division of The OdysseyThe Odyssey into twenty-four books. They were into twenty-four books. They were written on papyrus rolls. written on papyrus rolls.

• 22ndnd-5-5thth century C.E.- Our book form replaced the century C.E.- Our book form replaced the roll.roll.

• 1488- First printed edition of Homer issued in 1488- First printed edition of Homer issued in Florence. Before that, it existed only as a Florence. Before that, it existed only as a handwritten book.handwritten book.

So when does So when does The Odyssey The Odyssey take take place?place?

• The OdysseyThe Odyssey chronicles the adventures of chronicles the adventures of the Greek hero Odysseus during his 10-year the Greek hero Odysseus during his 10-year voyage home to Ithaca after the end of the voyage home to Ithaca after the end of the Trojan War (1184 B.C.E.) in the twelfth Trojan War (1184 B.C.E.) in the twelfth century B.C.E.century B.C.E.

12 years before 12 years before The OdysseyThe Odyssey……

• Odysseus, wise and Odysseus, wise and noble King of Ithaca, noble King of Ithaca, reluctantly sails with reluctantly sails with his army to take part his army to take part in the rescue of Helen in the rescue of Helen after she is kidnapped after she is kidnapped by Prince Paris.by Prince Paris.

Why was she kidnapped???

The Trojan The Trojan War : War :

it all started it all started with an apple.with an apple.

•The Trojan War has its roots in the marriage The Trojan War has its roots in the marriage between Peleus and Thetis, a sea-goddess. Peleus between Peleus and Thetis, a sea-goddess. Peleus and Thetis had not invited Eris, the goddess of and Thetis had not invited Eris, the goddess of discord, to their marriage and the outraged discord, to their marriage and the outraged goddess stormed into the wedding banquet and goddess stormed into the wedding banquet and threw a golden apple onto the table. The apple threw a golden apple onto the table. The apple belonged to, Eris said, whomever was the fairest.belonged to, Eris said, whomever was the fairest.•Hera, Athena, and Aphrodite all claimed the apple Hera, Athena, and Aphrodite all claimed the apple belonged to them. Zeus proclaimed that Paris, a belonged to them. Zeus proclaimed that Paris, a Trojan prince, would act as the judge.Trojan prince, would act as the judge.

The Apple of DiscordThe Apple of Discord

• All three goddesses bribed Paris. All three goddesses bribed Paris. Hera promised him power, Hera promised him power, Athena promised him wealth, Athena promised him wealth, and Aphrodite promised the and Aphrodite promised the most beautiful woman in the most beautiful woman in the world.world.

The Apple of The Apple of DiscordDiscord• Paris chose Aphrodite, Paris chose Aphrodite,

and in return, she helped and in return, she helped him kidnap Helen, wife of him kidnap Helen, wife of King Menelaus of Sparta. King Menelaus of Sparta. Stories conflict as to Stories conflict as to whether Helen fell in love whether Helen fell in love with Paris (with the help with Paris (with the help of Aphrodite) and left of Aphrodite) and left willingly, or if she was willingly, or if she was forcefully abducted by forcefully abducted by Paris. In either case, Paris. In either case, Paris carried off much of Paris carried off much of Menelaus’ wealth. Menelaus’ wealth.

•In Troy, Helen and Paris were married. This In Troy, Helen and Paris were married. This event set into motion the Trojan War (1194-event set into motion the Trojan War (1194-1184 B.C.E.) for the next ten years.1184 B.C.E.) for the next ten years.

The Trojan WarThe Trojan War• Odysseus was forced to Odysseus was forced to

fight because he was an fight because he was an old suitor of Helen’s. All of old suitor of Helen’s. All of the old suitors made an the old suitors made an oath that they would back oath that they would back Helen’s husband to defend Helen’s husband to defend her honor.her honor.

• Since it was their duty to Since it was their duty to help Menelaus recover help Menelaus recover Helen, the Greeks sent one Helen, the Greeks sent one thousand ships to Troy to thousand ships to Troy to recover Helen; hence the recover Helen; hence the saying, “A face that could saying, “A face that could launch a thousand ships”.launch a thousand ships”.

The Fall of The Fall of TroyTroy

• In the tenth year of the war, Achilles was killed In the tenth year of the war, Achilles was killed by Paris’s arrow that was guided by Apollo.by Paris’s arrow that was guided by Apollo.

• The war was not going well for the Greeks. The war was not going well for the Greeks. • Still seeking to gain entrance into Troy, clever Still seeking to gain entrance into Troy, clever

Odysseus (some say with the aid of Athena) Odysseus (some say with the aid of Athena) ordered a large wooden horse to be built. Its ordered a large wooden horse to be built. Its insides were to be hollow so that soldiers could insides were to be hollow so that soldiers could hide within it.hide within it.

• Once the statue had been built, a number of Once the statue had been built, a number of the Greek warriors, along with Odysseus, the Greek warriors, along with Odysseus, climbed inside. The rest of the Greek fleet climbed inside. The rest of the Greek fleet sailed away, so as to deceive the Trojans.sailed away, so as to deceive the Trojans.

The Fall of The Fall of TroyTroy

• One man, Sinon, was left behind. When the Trojans One man, Sinon, was left behind. When the Trojans came to marvel at the huge creation, Sinon pretended came to marvel at the huge creation, Sinon pretended to be angry with the Greeks, stating that they had to be angry with the Greeks, stating that they had deserted him. He assured the Trojans that the wooden deserted him. He assured the Trojans that the wooden horse was safe and would bring luck to the Trojans.horse was safe and would bring luck to the Trojans.

• The Trojans celebrated what they thought was their The Trojans celebrated what they thought was their victory, and dragged the wooden horse into Troy.victory, and dragged the wooden horse into Troy.

• That night, after most of Troy was asleep or in a That night, after most of Troy was asleep or in a drunken stupor, Sinon let the Greek warriors out from drunken stupor, Sinon let the Greek warriors out from the horse, and they slaughtered the Trojans.the horse, and they slaughtered the Trojans.