BOOK 18
A short summary of what is happening is that Patroklos (Achilles' best companion) has returned to the battle in place of Achilles (Book 16), wearing HIS armor. Interesting enough, before Achilles finds out that his companion has been killed, he has taken himself out of the battle due to his mênis (μηνις) or what can be translated as a SUPER, COSMIC ANGER (similar to that of Zeus). By having Patroklos be a substitute for Achilles, it shifts the direction of Achilles and the epic, since Patroklos was his therapôn (ritual substitute). Patroklos’ death is the end of his mênis, and the beginning of his akhos (αλγος; sorrow which will fuel his vengeance).
Book 18 is where Homer lays out what is to be followed should Achilles submit to his extreme nature (that of akhos). His mother, Thetis, warns him that should he kill Hektor, his death will follow (Il. 55-64, 95-96). Achilles has no problem with meeting his death (Il. 114-116). However, he cannot go back to battle yet, since he covered Patroklos with his old armor, and at the time of his death, Hektor took it upon himself to take it as his prize. Thetis realizes that she cannot stop her son from going back into war and avenging Patroklos, but she does decide to help him in any way she can (as a way to prolonging his death), by going to Hephaistos and bringing him a new armor (Il. 130-137).
The new armor will be the most important part of this book/chapter. The description of the shield is lines 468-616. (Figure below:
An illustration of the shield. More illustrations:
CLICK HERE.)
The usage of the word, δίκη, is only used once in the chapter. It is line 508, which reads: “τῷ δόμεν ὃς μετὰ τοῖσι
δίκην ἰθύντατα εἴποι.” The Lattimore translation reads: “…to that judge who in this case spoke the straightest opinion.” To get the context of the usage of dike in this line, is to begin at 497 where a quarrel breaks out between two men "disputing the blood price for a man who had been killed." As noted in the Overton article, Homer doesn't employ δίκη that often, but he will employ αμϕοτεροισι (dikáspolos); a term applying to a judge. It is found in line 502, "λαοὶ δ᾽
ἀμφοτέροισιν ἐπήπυον ἀμφὶς ἀρωγοί," which translates to "and people were speaking up on either side, to help both men." The application of dike in Book 18 mostly concerns the legal process.
Ate (Ατη), appears three times in different forms: κατηρεφέας(589), θυγάτηρ (398), ἀθανάτῃς (86) . In the first form, it means "covered over," in the second form it means "daughter," and in the third form it means "undying, immortal."
Notes on lines from Book 18:
- 86: "Achilles wishes that Thetis were dwelling with the Nereids and that Peleus had married a mortal wife, so that she would avoid suffering for her son." - Gentle Reproach
- 502: "As such, the trial scene is ordered in a series of circles, with the two litigants at the centre and surrounded by the judges who are then in turn surrounded by the onlookers. Furthermore, in the trial scene it is not just the litigants, judges, and onlookers who debate what would constitute justice in the case, but also the audience of the Iliad who are equally invited to take sides." - The Agony of Homer p. 9
- 508: "The judges, arranged in a circle, debate the right and wrong of both men’s claims, and two talents of gold are offered to the 'judge who in this case spoke the straightest opinion.'" - The Agony of Homer p. 10
- "The important point to bear in mind is that one elder will speak the straightest δίκε, [dike] not by agreeing with one litigant or the other, but by finding the most acceptable settlement (δίκε) somewhere between the two opposing claims (δίκαι) [dikai]. This may be difficult for us to understand since our judges usually decide either for the plaintiff or for the defendant, but Homeric judges normally declared compromise settlements (as they had to in noncompulsory litigation). The purpose of the trial here is to find the best compromise, and thus the one who speaks the straightest δίκε receives two gold talents as a fee." - Gagarin, "Dike in the Works and Days." p. 85.
- "Importantly, however, we never see the moment of judgment, nor do we know if the trial is resolved peacefully. We are instead left with the moment of contestation as an ongoing action, and not the narrative certainty of resolution. The litigants are forever engaged in bitter dispute. The judges are ever deliberating and competing with each other to be the one to speak the straightest dike. The heralds are always striving to keep the crowd in check and prevent strong emotions from bubbling into violence." - The Agony of Homer p. 15.
BOOK 19
Book 19 deals with Achilles' return to battle. In reading Book 19, the most critical part is the "truce" between Achilles and Agamemnon which began the epic.
To backtrack a bit, the
Iliad begins with its most famous lines,
SING, O goddess, the anger [mênis] of Achilles son of Peleus, that brought countless ills upon the Achaeans. Many a brave soul [psukhê] did it send hurrying down to Hades, and many a hero did it yield a prey to dogs
[5] and vultures, for so was the will of Zeus fulfilled from the day on which the son of Atreus, king of men, and great Achilles, first fell out with one another.
Up to Book 18, anger [mênis] has been the "guiding" force for Achilles' removal from the battle. All due to his humiliation by Agamemnon. But once Patroklos dies, so does his legitimacy(?) for continuing on with his [mênis], and what ensues is akhos. Two extreme emotions, which he cannot control.
Forms of dike: δίκης (181), αμϕοτεροισι (56, 159).
Forms of ate: βάτην (47; one that treads), ἄτην (88; bewilderment, infatuation), θυγάτηρ Ἄτη (91; daughter; bewilderment, infatuation), ἀπάτησεν, (97; cheat, deceit), Ἄτην (126, 129, 136; bewilderment, infatuation), ὀγδοάτην (246; 'the eighth'), πατὴρ (291), ἐλαφροτάτην (416; 'light in weight').
The Speech of Achilleus (Il. 19.56-73)
"Still, we must let all this be a thing of the past, though it hurts us, and beat down by constraint the anger that rises inside us. Now I am making an end of my anger. It does not become me unrelentingly to rage on." - 19.65-68.
The Speech of Agamemnon (Il. 19.78-144)
QUOTES:
"This is the word the Achaians have spoken often against me and found fault with me in it, yet I am not responsible but Zeus is, and Destiny, ad Erinys the mist-walking who in assembly caught my heart in the savage delusion on the day I myself stripped from him the prize of Achilleus. Yet what could I do? It is the god who accomplishes all things. DELUSION is the elder daughter (θυγάτηρ Ἄτη) of Zeus, the accursed who deludes all; her feet are delicate and they step not on the firm earth, but she walks the air above men's heads and leads them astray." 19.85-94.
"He caught by the shining hair of her head the goddess DELUSION in the anger of his heart, and swore a strong oath, that never after this might DELUSION, who deludes all, come back to Olympos and the starry sky. So speaking, he whirled her about in his hand and slung her out of the starry heaven, and presently she came to men's establishments." 19.126-131
"But since I was deluded and Zeus took my wits away from me, I am willing to make all good and give back gifts in abundance." 19.137-38.
COMMENTARY:
In his 'apology', Agamemnon doesn't apologize solely on his actions, but rather pits the blame on the gods (Zeus, Ate, etc) who led him astray. In
Order and History, Vol 2, pg. 174, it notes an interesting analysis on why Agamemnon has done this. Eric Voegelin writes, "With Homer a man's actions are his own only when he sees what he is doing; as long as he is blinded they are not his own and he is not responsible for them; but when in retrospect he sees again, then what he committed in blindness becomes his own through seeing and he compensates for his misdeeds."
In looking at this speech, it is vital to show the progression of Agamemnon on who/what he is blaming for his actions. In this speech, Agamemnon dwells his argument on being blinded by ATE, but why doesn't Achilleus refer to ate, having the same affect on his menis. At this point, it seems (and it is implied through the use of the word 'ate') that Agamemnon understood his actions more clearly than in the beginning, when he tried to solve the dispute. For example, in 2.375 he says, "Zeus of the aegis, son of Kronos, has given me bitterness, who drives me into unprofitable abuse and quarrels." Nothing about ATE. See Book 8, 9, 16.805.
