Think About It!!!

Reading Dante’s divine comedy is very interesting and thought promoting. I would like to point out and share with the insight that i have got on some of the aspects from reading and studying this work so far.

I find it to be very interesting that Dante thought that without baptism a person can not live in the heaven with God. Even though the holly Bible does say in John 3:5

“Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.”

Does this imply also infants? Newly born baby’s? Apparently, Dante thought so! That doesn’t make sense to me! What do you think about it? If thats the case then it looks to me that God wouldn’t be a fear God. However, i believe that He is, and that there must be another way how infants can be saved into the kingdom of God!

As for myself, i believe that all infants that die go straight to heaven and there is no baptism for them needed. Maybe reason why sometimes infants die is that God has different plans for them on the other side of veil and the only reason why they were born at all is to receive a body?

Another question came in my mind….

at what age are people after they die? I mean, people die at all sorts of ages. Do you think that person stays for eternity in the age at what they die? That doesn’t sound right to me either.

There are many questions that can be raised from reading Dante’s divine comedy. These were just some. I am sure, that i will have some more as i continue to explore this fine literature.

The World of Underworld

Most of Greek epics describes underworld and illustrate a clear picture of it. The underworld in Greek epic adds to the content a lot and fulfills the meaning of certain events and actions and feelings of particular characters of the story. For instance, after the landing in Sicily, Aeneas’ fleet came to Cumae where Aeneas, led by the Sibyl, went to the underworld. There he met his father, and also Dido, who reunited with her Tyrian husband, and refused to talk to him. Some of those whom Aeneas met in the underworld belong to his past experience, but some other souls belong to the future. One of these was his own son Silvius, who had not yet been born as Dido being pregnant killed herself.

Why Dido refuses to speak to Aeneas? Didn’t the spell of Cupid work anymore in the underworld? Perhaps that was part of the reason. I consider also the chance that Dido met her husband there and showed her gratitude and love to him. Nothing can be changed. Aeneas cannot be returned back to her and the destiny is already determined for Dido, but Aeneas is still alive and feels sorry for what has happened.

Historians and specialist built whole maps of the underworld. One have to go to a long journey in order to get to the last destination and wipe away his/her sins by suffer. Some of them have even to wait until they are properly buried. Greeks provided an attitude to death as if they were alive. The water as a matter of living had to be poured on the ground where the person is buried by descendents. On the basis of the illustration of the underworld people accordingly fulfill the customs that might help the dead in his/her journey in the underworld.

Odysseus

Odysseus has everything for Homeric leader: strength, courage, nobility.  He is similar to other Homer heroes. Odysseus has sharp mind than the other heroes.  Odysseus’s quick thinking helps him out of some very dangerous situations, as when he escapes from the cave of the Cyclops in Book 9. As he is leader he can manipulate his audience with ease.

Like other Homeric heroes, Odysseus longs to win glory through great deeds, but he also wishes to complete his homecoming. He enjoys his luxurious life with Calypso in an exotic land, but only to a point. Actually, he wants to return home, even though he admits that his wife cannot compare with Calypso. He thinks of home while he is on Circe’s island. But for his proud, and for wish to win glory, he loses men in a process. He gets trapped there when the Cyclops returns, while they enjoy the free milk and cheese.

 Homeric characters are generally inactive.  Though they may be very complex and realistic, they do not change over the course of the work as characters in modern novels and stories do.

 

Unseen Danger!!!

“Beware of Greeks giving gifts!”

We all know what this statement is all about, what it means and what message it carries…..it teaches a great lesson to all!!!

As I have reflected and ponder on this matter there is one very well known quote that comes in my mind in relation with this:

” don’t judge the book by its cover!”

It can be said and applied on anything and anyone. Humans very often tend to look at things, people, life itself very superficially. That is and was people’s mistake back then, now and will be forever. Only when a subject is investigated, a book red, person gotten to know etc. one can make a wise and justified judgment about it.

It is crucial to take a look under the surface of everything that occurs in life, in order to be aware of the possible dangerous.

It is like with an iceberg when apparent is only a small part of it, and not seeing rest of it under the ocean it can bring, and, indeed, has brought a tragedies that people only wish had never happened.

Agape, Philos and Eros in Iliad

I have chosen these three types of love to explore in more depth the concept and meaning of love in the epic of Iliad. The words “Agape”, “Philos”, and “Eros” are taken from the Greek language and are three different expressions of love. This three types of love can be experienced either in one relationship in a couple or expressed to different people in different situations. Let’s see how these three loves dominated in the epic of Iliad.

Iliad is the epic that conveys not only the concept and picture of war. It also includes human feelings, their compassions and secret desires, and love. Love became a subject to war. But which type of love? I think that it was Eros love, which persuaded Paris to perform a treacherous action. Aphrodite promised him the most beautiful woman in the world and he could not refuse this even though his kingdom’s and his safety was in danger. He went for the beuty of Helen. As soon as the action was performed the feeling of danger, Paris’ and Helen’s feelings and emotional experiences made their love roots even deeper and stronger. As the result, they could not step back and leave each other for the sake of continuing destiny of two kingdoms. Their love was the most important issue in their lives illustrating Agape love. This feeling was stronger that Philos love (love for family, friends… brotherhood…) that Paris felt to his family, friends and soldiers, who died because of Paris’ action. This Agape love cannot be shaken or altered.

When we love and believe in something from the bottom of our soul, we feel stronger than the world and we are imbued with a serenity that comes from the certainty that nothing can conquer our faith.
Paulo Coelho

Giving a credit to the quote above even though a tremendous amount of fear was enclosed in Paris’ soul, the love to Helen made him to survive in the fight with Minelaus. More concretely, Aphrodite, the goddess of love saved him from death.

Iliad enclose few stories of love of different types, characters and experiences. This particular Paris’ and Helen’s love experience encloses their meaning of life. But is it worth of one couple’s becoming happy and putting to death thousands of people, who have families and feeling of love as well? By making a link to nowadays society I can argue that none or very few people risk so much in the honor of their love. In modern times people tend to love as long as they are safe and happy. People tend to split up in the case of the threat to their wealth, social status and other aspects of their lives. However, a long period in the history no one put to death and destroyed entire cities and paid so much patience because of love and honor, which also cannot be dismissed in the explanation of the subject to the war.

Today, Yesterday And Forever.

Some things never change.

It is very interesting to read a writing of much older time than ours and notice that people in those days were dealing with problems a lot alike to the problems of our day.

We learn not only about the problems people faced but also everything else about them, like what they were interested in, what they thought to be important, what made them happy, their perspective on life and so on.

Then we can compare that with ourselves…I am assert, that the more we do that, the more and more we find and come to conclusion that the only difference between us and them is the fact that they lived in a different time span. Otherwise, they were humans just like we are, and most of the things that were important to them are important to us as well.

I want to make one parallel and comparison with our days from Iliad’s scene with Proetus, his beautiful wife Anteia and Bellerophon participating that shows clearly that some things, indeed, never change.

Scene were Anteia “was madly in love with Bellerophon and wanted him in her bed” (page 45). However, Bellerophon made a choice, a wise one I would add, not to sleep with her. That made her very mad and disappointed to the point when she wanted his death. She made up some lies in order to convince Proetus to cause Bellerophons death. The parallel I would like to make might seem a bit amusing, though relatable for many since I have seen somewhat similar scenario happening in lives of others when dealing with relationships in our days.

For example one guy likes a girl. She refuses him and displays no interest in being associated or having closer relationship with him. That guy after being refused starts talking bad about the girl, saying offensive things to others about her, often lying accusing her without any reason. This is a true incident from our days, at least, in the part of the world that I live in, though, I do not think that location matters much, or changes behavior of people and the way they act and react on various happenings in their lives.

What a great thing that is to be able to read and find many relatable parallels with our day compare and learn that, indeed, some things that were significant yesterday are still relevant today and will be forever.

Sweet Similes

Although Homer’s main aim in reciting The Iliad is to relay the story of Achilles’ rage, he takes multiple opportunities to reveal his great talent as an artist. Homer uses different descriptions to take the readers/audience off of a page of mere written/spoken word. He uses animals (lions, falcons, eagles, deer, horses, wolves, etc.), and insects (flies, cicadas, etc.) likely common to the people of that time. The various asides in The Iliad show his ability to make a reader feel and see the scenes he is writing/telling of. Let’s take a look at the following similes to see what can be learned of Homer and 8th Century Greece.

…Where the river Caystrius branches out in streams…

Here we have an example of something that the people of that time would have known. Sometimes the hindrance in being a modern reader is that we do not get to read through the eyes of an 8th Century citizen of Greece. We do not know what it looked like for the river Caystrius to branch out in the 700’s B.C., and sadly enough, we’ll never know.

Picture a horse that has fed on barley in his stall breaking his halter and galloping across the plain, making for his accustomed swim in the river, a glorious animal, head held high, mane streaming like wind on his shoulders. Sure of his splendor he prances by the horse-runs and the mares in pasture.

A picture of Paris running from a high rock. This particular aside is loaded with all kinds of imagery of Paris. We know from the story, Paris was a very proud man and it seems here this shows in the description. I think a special aspect of this quote is the fact that Homer set up a scene behind a scene with the first bit. With the imagery of the horse, if only for one second, Homer takes the reader completely away from the plot and the strife, and battle.

Think of wolves ravenous for meat. It is impossible to describe their savage strength in the hunt, but after they have killed an antlered stag up in the hills and torn it apart, they come down with gore on their jowls, and in a pack go to lap the black surface water in a pool fed by a dark spring, and as they drink, crimson curls float off from their slender tongues. But their hears are still, and their bellies gorged.

Did this quote almost make you sick to your stomach as well? I think Homer displays his talents incredibly well here. I wonder if he had a difficult time writing it. I hope so. This is likely one of the asides most filled with gore, yet most captures a reader in its ultimate description of the Myrmidon warriors. Homer shows that he is an artist willing to describe for readers what people would rather remain ignorant about: the savageness of battle.

Passion sometimes blinds a man so completely that he kills one of his own countrymen. In exile, he comes into a wealthy house, and everyone stares at him with wonder.

For me, this aside was the most unique. However, the scene which it aids in setting up in incredibly tense. This is when Priam comes to retrieve Hector’s body from Achilles. Can you see and feel Achilles’ being so stunned? This aside especially almost adds to the tension of the readers and listeners wondering what will happen next. In the middle of the tension, Homer brilliantly asides to seemingly begin describing something so unrelated to the current situation. The best part is that this aside last for a few lines and then goes straight back into the story; but, the reader is left with a description of the kind of awe one of the character’s is feeling at the moment in the plot.

Indeed, Homer shows some of his true artistic genius in the similes of The Iliad. Instead of viewing these as unnecessary additions for Homer to show of his skill, rather we should read them to see if we can truly picture the scene. Read them carefully to be sure to understand the small details that add so much value and description to the rest of the words on the page.

Iliad: character of Hector

Hector is one of mightiest warriors in the Trojan army. He leads the assault that finally penetrates the Achaean ramparts, he is the first and only Trojan to set fire to an Achaean ship, and he kills Patroclus. Yet his leadership contains visible fault. He can often become emotionally carried away as well, treating Patroclus and his other victims with rash cruelty. Later, swept up by a rupture of confidence, he foolishly orders the Trojans to camp outside Troy’s walls the night before Achilles returns to battle, thus causing a crucial downfall the next day.

But although Hector may prove more than usually impulsive and insufficiently prudent, he does not come across as proud or imperious, as Agamemnon does. Moreover, the fact that Hector fights in his homeland, unlike any of the Achaean commanders, allows Homer to develop him as a tender, family-oriented man. Hector shows deep, truthful love for his wife and children. Indeed, he even treats his brother Paris with forgiveness and indulgence. Hector never turns violent with him, simply aiming frustrated words at his cowardly brother. Moreover, although Hector loves his family, he never loses sight of his responsibility to Troy. His rejection to flee even in the face of vastly superior forces makes him the most tragic figure in the poem.

Iliad: character of Agamemnon

Agamemnon, king of Mycenae and leader of the Achaean army, look like Achilles in some respects. Though not nearly as strong, he has a similarly hot temper. When Agamemnon’s insulting demand that Achilles relinquish his war prize, Briseis, causes Achilles to withdraw angrily from battle, the suffering that results for the Greek army owes as much to Agamemnon’s inflexibility as to that of Achilles. But Agamemnon’s pride makes him more egotistical than Achilles. While Achilles’ pride flares up after it is injured, Agamemnon uses every opportunity to make others feel the effects of his.

He always expects the largest portions of the raid, even though he takes the fewest risks in battle. Additionally, he insists upon leading the army, even though his younger brother Menelaus, whose wife, Helen, was stolen by Paris, possesses the real criticism against the Trojans. He never allows the Achaeans to forget his kingly status.

Agamemnon also differs from Achilles in his appreciation of subtlety. Agamemnon remains fundamentally concerned with himself, and he has the cunning to manipulate people and situations for his own benefit. He does not trust his troops blindly, but tests their loyalty, as in Book 2.

Agamemnon demonstrates a skilful ability to keep him—and others—under control. When he commits wrongs, he does so not out of blind rage and frustration like Achilles, but out of amoral, self-serving cunning. For this reason, Homer’s portrait of Agamemnon ultimately proves cruel, and the reader never feels the same sympathy for him as for Achilles.

Iliad: character of Achilles

As I want get very high mark I would like make 3 weblogs as teacher will understand and I guess will get extra mark. After reading an Epic Poem of Homer I would like to describe three different characters. They are 3 heroes and lots of events are happening around them.

Even if Achilles posses superhuman strength, agility and has a very close relationship with gods, he may be not so heroic to the modern readers. (His mother Thetis is Goddess and was nymph of the ancient one of the seas in the historical vestiges of most Greek mythology)

He has all the marks of a great warrior, and indeed proves the mightiest man in the Achaean army, but his deep-seated character mistakes constantly slow down his ability to act with nobility and integrity.

 

He can not control his superiority and rage that surges up when his pride is injured. This attributes so poisons him that he abandons his friends and even prays that the Trojans will kill them, all because he has been slighted at the hands of his commander, Agamemnon. Achilles is driven primarily by a desire for glory.

Part of him desires to live a long, easy life, but he knows that his personal fate forces him to choose between the two. Ultimately, he is willing to sacrifice everything else so that his name will be remembered.

Like most Homeric characters, Achilles does not have a spiritual transformation of the epic. Although the death of his friend Patroclus makes him to seek compromise with Agamemnon, it does not increase his rage, but redirects it toward Hector. After that Achilles is not purposeful or self-reflective character. Bloodlust, wrath, and pride continue to consume him.