The following assignment is due tomorrow:
The Iliad-Book 6 (20pts)
“Hector and Andromache”
Why is Menelaus ridiculed by Agamemnon in this scene? Do you think he made the right decision? Explain. Is this heroic to you? To the Greeks? Explain.
"Take me alive, son of Atreus—you'll getgood ransom. My father is a wealthy man,owns lots of things—bronze, silver, well-worked iron.So he'll give you a splendid ransom,if he learns I'm by Achaean ships, alive." [50]
Adrestus pleaded. Menelaus' heart in his chest was moved.He was about to hand Adrestus to his attendant, to take back captive to the fast Achaean ships. 60But then Agamemnon came running up to him,sharply criticizing Menelaus:
"Menelaus, you soft-hearted man,why are you sparing men's lives like this?In your own home, Trojans treated youexceptionally well, did they not?So don't let any one of them evadea terrible destruction at our hands—not even the young child still carried in his mother's belly. Let no one escape. 70Let everyone in Troy be slaughtered,without pity, without leaving any trace." [60]
With these words, by this appeal to justice,he changed his brother's mind. So Menelausshoved heroic Adrestus away from him. Mighty Agamemnon then speared him in the side. Adrestus fell onto his back. The son of Atreus placed his heel down on his chest and pulled the ash spear out.
Explain the significance of the dialogue between Hector, Paris, and Helen. How does Homer portray each character?
"Paris, you're a worthless man. It's quite wrong of you to nurse that angerin your heart, while men are being destroyed,fighting round the city, its steep walls.It's because of you the sounds of warfarecatch fire round our city. You would fight any man you saw avoiding battle, [330]fleeing war's brutality. So up with you,or soon our city will go up in smoke, 410with fire destroying everything."
Godlike Alexander then replied:
"Hector, your rebuke is not unfair, without reason. So I'll speak plainly. Listen and remember what I'm saying.I'm not sitting in my bedroom hereout of anger or spite against the Trojans. I want to grieve. Just now my wife urged me,using gentle words, to rouse myself to fight. And personally I think that would be best. For victory shifts from one man to another. 420Now, wait here while I put on battle armour. [340]Or go and I'll come later. I'll catch up with you."
Hector of the shining helmet did not reply.Helen spoke to Hector with soothing words:
"Hector, you are my brother, and I'm a horrible, conniving bitch. I wish that on that day my mother bore mesome evil wind had come, carried me away,and swept me off, up into the mountains, or into waves of the tumbling, crashing sea, 430then I would have died before this happened.But since gods have ordained these evil things, I wish I'd been wife to a better man, [350]someone sensitive to others' insults, with feeling for his many shameful acts.This husband of mine has no sense nowand won't acquire any in the future. I expect he'll get from that what he deserves. But come in, sit on this chair, my brother, since this trouble really weighs upon your mind— 440all because I was a bitch—because of thatand Paris' folly, Zeus gives us an evil fate,so we may be subjects for men's songsin generations yet to come."
Great Hector of the shining helmet answered Helen:
"Don't ask me to sit down, Helen. You're kind, [360]but you won't persuade me. For my heart's on fireto help the Trojans, who miss me greatly when I'm gone.But you must rouse Paris, and he, too, should hurry, so he can catch up with me inside the city. 450I'm going home, to visit my dear wifeand infant son, for I've no idea whether I'll be coming back to them again, or if the gods will kill me at Achaean hands."
What does the interaction between Hector and Andromache suggest about what is valuable in the lives of men and women at this time? What does it suggest about relationships between spouses at this time? Offer specific examples from the text.
With her came the nurse,holding at her breast their happy infant child, 490 [400]well-loved son of Hector, like a beautiful star.Hector had named him Scamandrius, but others called him Astyanax, lord of the city,because Hector was Troy's only guardian. Hector looked at his son in silence, with a smile.Andromache stood close to him, weeping.Taking Hector by the hand, she spoke to him.
"My dear husband, your warlike spirit will be your death. You've no compassionfor your infant child, for me, your sad wife, 500who before long will be your widow.For soon the Achaeans will attack you, all together, and cut you down. As for me, [410]it would be better, if I'm to lose you,to be buried in the ground. For then I'll haveno other comfort, once you meet your death,except my sorrow. I have no father,no dear mother. For lord Achilles killed my father, when he wiped out Thebe,city with high gates, slaying Eëtion. 510But he didn't strip his corpse—his heartfelt too much shame for that. So he burned him in his finely decorated armourand raised a burial mound above the ashes.Mountain nymphs, daughters of aegis-bearing Zeus, [420]planted elm trees all around his body.I had seven brothers in my home.All went down to Hades in one day, for swift-footed lord Achilles killed them all,while they were guarding their shambling oxen 520and their white shining sheep. As for my mother,who ruled wooded Thebe-under-Placus, he brought her here with all his other spoils.Then he released her for a massive ransom.But archer goddess Artemis then killed herin her father's house. So, Hector, you are nowmy father, noble mother, brother, [430]and my protecting husband. So pity me. Stay here in this tower. Don't orphan your childand make me a widow. Place men by the fig tree, 530where the city is most vulnerable, the wall most easily scaled. Three times their best men have come there to attack, led by the two Ajaxes, the sons of Atreus,famous Idomeneus, and Diomedes,Tydeus' courageous son, incited to itby someone well versed in prophecy or by their own hearts' inclination."
Great Hector of the shining helmet answered her:
"Wife, [440]all this concerns me, too. But I'd be disgraced, 540dreadfully shamed among Trojan menand Trojan women in their trailing gowns, if I should, like a coward, slink away from war.My heart will never prompt me to do that, for I have learned always to be brave, to fight alongside Trojans at the front, striving to win fame for father and myself. My heart and mind know well the day is comingwhen sacred Ilion will be destroyed,along with Priam of the fine ash spear 550and Priam's people. But what pains me mostabout these future sorrows is not so much [450]the Trojans, Hecuba, or king Priam, or even my many noble brothers,who'll fall down in the dust, slaughteredby their enemies. My pain concerns you, when one of the bronze-clad Achaeansleads you off in tears, ends your days of freedom.If then you come to Argos as a slave,working the loom for some other woman, 560fetching water from Hyperia or Messeis,against your will, forced by powerful Fate, then someone, seeing you as you weepmay well say: 'That woman is Hector's wife.He was the finest warrior in battle [460]of all horse-taming Trojans in that war when they fought for Troy.' Someone will say that,and it will bring still more grief to you,to be without such a man to save youfrom days of servitude. May I lie dead, 570 hidden deep under a burial mound, before I hear about your screaming, as you are dragged away."
With these words,glorious Hector stretched his hands out for his son.The boy immediately shrank back against the breastof the finely girdled nurse, crying out in terror to see his own dear father, scared at the sight of bronze, the horse-hair plume nodding fearfully from his helmet top. [470]The child's loving father laughed, his noble mother, too. Glorious Hector pulled the glittering helmet off 580and set it on the ground. Then he kissed his dear sonand held him in his arms. He prayed aloud to Zeus and the rest of the immortals.
"Zeus, all you other gods, grant that this child, my son, may become, like me, pre-eminent among the Trojans, as strong and brave as me. Grant that he may ruleTroy with strength. May people someday say, as he returns from war, 'This man is far better than his father.' May he carry backbloody spoils from his slaughtered enemy, 590 [480]making his mother's heart rejoice."
He placed his son in the hands of his dear wife. She embraced the child on her sweet breast, smilingthrough her tears. Observing her, Hector felt compassion.He took her hand, then spoke to her.
"My dearest wife, don't let your heart be sad on my account. No man will throw me down to Hades before my destined time. I tell you this—no one escapes his fate, not the coward, nor the brave man, from the moment of his birth. 600So you should go into the house, keep busy [490] with your own work, with your loom and wool, telling your servants to set about their tasks.War will be every man's concern, especially mine, of all those who live in Troy."
