Students are to complete the following assignment for Monday:
The Iliad-“The Arms of Achilles” Book 18-20pts
Write a reaction to Achilles’ behavior when he learns of Patroclus’ death. Where does he focus his rage? Is this appropriate? How important is the feud with Agamemnon?
"Son of warlike Peleus,you must hear this dreadful news—somethingI wish weren't so—Patroclus lies dead. Men are fighting now around the body.He's stripped. Hector with his gleaming helmethas the armour."
Antilochus finished speaking.A black cloud of grief swallowed up Achilles.With both hands he scooped up soot and dust and poured iton his head, covering his handsome face with dirt,covering his sweet-smelling tunic with black ash. He lay sprawling—his mighty warrior's massive bodycollapsed and stretched out in the dust. With his hands,he tugged at his own hair, disfiguring himself.The women slaves acquired as battle trophiesby Achilles and Patroclus, hearts overwhelmed with anguish, began to scream aloud. They rushed outsideand beat their breasts around warlike Achilles. Then all the women's legs gave way, and they fell down.Across from them, Antilochus lamented,eyes full of tears, as he held Achilles by the hand. Achilles' noble heart moaned aloud. Antilochusfeared he might hurt himself or slit his throatwith his own sword. Achilles gave a huge cry of grief.His noble mother heard it from the ocean depthswhere she was sitting by her ancient father.She began to wail. Then around her gatheredall the divine daughters of Nereus deep in the sea—Glauce, Thaleia, Cymodoce, Nesaea,Speio, Thoe, ox-eyed Halië, Cymothoë, Actaia, Limnoreia, Melite, Iaera, Amphithoe, Agave, Doto, Proto,Pherousa, Dynamene, Dexamene,Amphinome, Callianeira, Doris, Panope,lovely Galatea, Nemertes, Apseudes,Callianassa. Also there were Clymene,Ianeira, Ianassa, Maera, Orithyia,Amatheia with her lovely hair, and others,Nereus' daughters living in the ocean depths.fThey filled the glistening cave,beating their breasts.
"Yes, Mother,Olympian Zeus has indeed accomplishedwhat I asked. But what pleasure's there for me, when Patroclus, my beloved companion,has been destroyed, the man I honouredas my equal, above all my comrades. I've lost him and the armour, which Hector took,once he'd killed him, that massive armour,so wonderful to look at, which the godsgave as a priceless gift to Peleuson that day they placed you in the bedof a mortal man. If only you had stayedamong the eternal maidens of the seaand Peleus had married a mortal wife.But now there'll be innumerable sorrowswaiting for your heart, once your child is killed. You won't be welcoming him back home again. My own heart has no desire to live on,to continue living among men,unless Hector is hit by my spear first,losing his life and paying me compensationfor killing Menoetius' son, Patroclus."
Through her tears, Thetis then answered Achilles:
"My son, from what you've just been saying,you're fated to an early death, for your doomcomes quickly as soon as Hector dies."
Swift-footed Achilles answered her with passion:
"Then let me die, since I could not preventthe death of my companion.
How does Achilles turn the tide of battle without even fighting? What promise does he make to Patroclus?
He strode from the wall, then stood there by the ditch.But recalling what his mother said to him,he didn't mingle with Achaeans. As he stood there,he cried out. From far away, Pallas Athena added her voice, too, causing great consternationamong the Trojans. As thrilling as a trumpet's notewhen it rings clearly, when rapacious enemies besiege a city—that's how sharp and piercingAchilles' voice was then. When the Trojans heard it,that brazen shout Achilles gave, all their heartswere shaken. Their horses with the lovely manesturned back the chariots, anticipating troublein their hearts. Charioteers were terrified, seeingthe fearful inextinguishable fire blazing from the head of the great-hearted son of Peleus.For Athena, goddess with the glittering eyes,kept it burning. Three times godlike Achilles yelledacross that ditch. Three times Trojans and their allieswere thrown into confusion. At that moment, twelve of their best men were killed by their own chariots and their own spears. Achaeans then, with stronger hearts,pulled Patroclus out of spear range and laid him on a cot.His dear companions gathered mourning round him,Achilles with them, shedding hot tears when he saw his loyal companion lying on a death bed,mutilated by sharp bronze. He'd sent him out to warwith chariot and horses, but never welcomed himat his return.
_________________________________________________________
And now, Patroclus, since I'm journeying under the earth after you, I'll postponeyour burial till I bring here Hector's head,his armour, too, the man who slaughtered you,you courageous man. I'll cut the throats of twelve fine Trojan children on your pyre,in my anger at your killing. Till that time,you'll lie like this with me by my beaked ships,and round you Trojan and Dardanian womenwill keep lamenting night and day, shedding tears, the very women we two worked hard to winwith our strength and our long spears, by lootingprosperous cities of mortal men."
