The Iliad - Questions on Hephaestus

ASSIGNMENT TOPICS ON THE DIVINITIES IN THE ILIAD
You should write an assignment on one of the eight topics below based on the Iliad of Homer.For specific guidelines see the file “Assignment Requirements”
Read Buxton p. 135-136 and the summary of the Iliad posted on Blackboard to get a better idea on the plot of the epic poem and to put in context the actions and feelings of the divinities. The verses that are indicated here help you to locate the answers. You may find however that you need to read before or past these verses to get a fuller understanding of the actions and characters of the divinities.
• Part 1: Answer all the questions specified for each divinity
• Part 2: Read a secondary source, such as Buxton, on the specific divinity, consult your class notes and considering the information from your answers to the questions from Part 1, write a short piece explaining the deity’s character and nature as they are presented in the Iliad
• Part 3: Include an image relevant to your topic
-------------------------------------------------------********----------------------------------------------------------- Here are the questions under each topic (Part 1):
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1. Hephaistos, god of conciliation, god of creative and destructive fire
Answer the following questions based on the excerpts 1:568-600, 18:368-616 and 21: 324-383
Why and how does Hephaistos interfere in the quarrel between Zeus and Hera? What does he fear? What is his advice to Hera? Why do the gods laugh? What did that interference accomplish? Book 1 and book 18 contain two contradictory versions of the throwing of Hephaistos. What are the two versions? How is his physical appearance described in book 18? Which goddess is his wife and what does her name mean? What is your reaction on that union? Offer an explanation. Why did Thetis visit Hephaistos and what is she asking from him? Why is he indebted to Thetis? Describe the three robotic inventions Thetis sees in his workshop. What metals did he use to make Achilles’ shield? There is a long description of Achilles’ shield. Summarize its design in a few lines. What is its theme? Find a drawing of Achilles’ shield in a book or in the web and include it in your answers. Briefly compare the drawing to Homer’s description. Reference the source of the drawing. What other weapons did he make for him? In book 21, Hephaistos exhibits his power as a destructive fire god. What did Hera ask him to do and why did he obey Hera’s commands? Explain the two similes used to describe the devastating effects on the landscape
2. Apollo, the healer and the destroyer. Answer the following questions:
The first word of Book 1 in the original Greek text is menis which means anger, wrath. It is Achilles’ anger against Agamemnon. What is the reason of Apollo’s anger? Read book 1: 1-100, 304-317, 428-479, and 595610: What is Chryses asking Apollo to do in his prayer? (36-42). How is Apollo’s’ appearance, wrath and destructive force described in 43-54. Explain the simile “he came down as night came”. What does Apollo personify in this incident? In what different ways did the Greeks appease the god? How did Apollo show them his satisfaction? What is Apollo’s role on Olympos at the end of book 1? How are his healing powers exhibited here? In book 15:351-366 Apollo leads the Trojans to a temporary victory. What did he do? There is a wonderful simile in these lines. Describe it in your own words. Book 16 talks about the death of Sarpedon and the death of Patroklos: In 16:508-531, the Trojan Glaukos prays to Apollo. What is he asking and how was his prayer heard? Read 16: 664-865 what is Zeus asking Apollo to do for Sarpedon? In what ways was Apollo responsible for the death of Patroklos? Read book 21:433-478. What is your opinion on Apollo’s reaction to Poseidon’s provocation and to his sister’s insult? In book 22: 199-223 Apollo deserts Hektor. Why? Read
23:179-190 and 24:14-21: How does Apollo protect Hektor’s body? Comment upon Apollo’s speech and Hera’s reply in 24:31-63

3. Divine injuries and tears: The wounding and humiliation of Ares, Aphrodite and Artemis. Answer the following questions:
Read book 5:305-430, 825-909: Who wounded Aphrodite, why, where and how? How is the divine ‘blood” described? Why do you think the divinities do not have human blood? How did her attacker insult Aphrodite? How does Aphrodite feel? Which two gods help her go to Olympos? What is the name of Aphrodite’s mother and how does she comfort her? Her mother gives her three examples of gods that have suffered from men. Who are these gods, how did they suffer and who is the son of Amphitryon? What is the name of the Olympian healer? How did Aphrodite’s mother cure her daughter? What did Zeus say to Aphrodite? Who wounded Ares, how and what was his reaction when he was wounded? Explain the simile within verses 859-863. What is Ares’ complain about Athena to Zeus? What is Zeus’ opinion about Ares? How does he compare him to Hera? Explain the simile about the speedy healing of Ares. In book 15: 100-142 why was Ares angry and what was he about to do? How did Athena react physically and verbally trying to stop him? The part of book 21:383-
513 is called “Theomachy” (The battle of gods): How did Ares attack Athena and how does she fight back? How does she insult him? How does Athena attack Aphrodite? How does Hera knock out Artemis? What is the simile about Artemis’ reaction? What do you think about the Artemis –Zeus scene?
Note for the composition in Part 2: You should try to answer the following question: Why do you think Homer humiliates these divinities? What do they have in common?

4. Hera’s wrath: Her vengeful, deceptive nature and her love-hate relationship with Zeus. Answer the following questions:
Book 1: 494-610 deals with Thetis visit to Olympos and Hera’s dissatisfaction with Zeus’ decision. Show how troubled Zeus is about Hera’s anticipated reaction. What irritates Hera in Zeus’ behaviour (540-543), what is Zeus’ answer to her that confirms exactly that behaviour? Zeus is finally fed up with her! What does he say to her and how does she feel about it? In book 4:1-72 show how Hera’s strong hate for the Trojans is expressed by her and by Zeus. How far is she willing to go to destroy the Trojans? In book 14: 153-353, Hera seduces
Zeus. What is the purpose of Hera’s plan? Describe the different steps Hera takes to make herself irresistible to Zeus. What excuse did she give to Aphrodite to get what she wants? What exactly did Aphrodite give her? What did she promise Hypnos (Sleep) in exchange of his favour? What had happened in the past that made Hypnos hesitant to accept the proposal? How does Hera persuade him at last? How is Zeus’ desire described when he first saw Hera approaching? What unorthodox argument did he use to try and persuade her that he desires her very much? Why is Hera first refusing to go to bed with him? What is she proposing to him instead? Why? How is the element of fertility shown in lines 345-351? Read book 15: 1-142: Zeus realizes that he has been deceived. How does he threaten Hera? How does she react? Did she submit to his orders? Read book 24:1-76 and comment on the unbending nature of Hera.

5. Poseidon god of the sea, the earthquakes and wall-building. Answer the following questions:
Book 13 is dedicated to Poseidon helping the Greeks. Read verses 13: 1-35. How is Poseidon described as a divine being? What is the description of his palace and his horses? Whose form did he take to stir on the Argives (Greeks)? What did he accomplish with his staff? How did the two Aiantes recognize that there was a god in their midst? In 13: 345-360, explain why the two sons of Kronos had hearts divided against each other. In book 14:135-152, Poseidon continues to help. How does he appear to Agamemnon? How does he encourage him? How is Poseidon’s cry described? In book 15:157-219, Zeus orders Poseidon to stop fighting. What does Zeus think about Poseidon? What is Poseidon’s reaction to Zeus’ orders? In book 20:54-67 there is a description of the power of Poseidon as the Earth shaker. What was the impact of that power? Read lines 20:288-339: Why did Poseidon decide to save Aeneas, even though he is a Trojan? How did he save Aeneas? In book 7:442-463, book 12:1-33 and book 21: 435-469 we see Poseidon as a wall builder/destroyer: Why is Poseidon siding against the Trojans? How does he feel about the Trojan walls and why does he want to destroy the Greek walls although he sides with the Greeks?

6. Athena, the warrior, the wise counselor and the destroyer of mind. Answer the following questions:
Read book 1: 188-244: How did Athena descend from the sky and what did she physically do to control Achilles’ anger? Why? What was Athena’s advice to Achilles? Did Achilles follow the advice and how? How did she inspire Odysseus in 2:155-210, 278-282? Read book 4:70-140: What is the simile describing Athena’s descent between the two armies? What did the people think about it? Why did Athena decide to make Pandaros break the truce? What form did she take? How did she persuade him? Do you think that Athena was solely responsible for Pandaros’ actions? How did she save Menelaos? What is the simile used here? In book 5 Athena helps Diomedes to fight Ares and Aphrodite! Read lines 5:1-8, 114-132: How did Athena “granted strength and daring” to Diomedes? Read lines 733-747. How is Athena’s armour (aegis, helmet and spear) described? (See also 2: 445-454 and compare). Read lines 5: 815-861: What does she say to Diomedes and how is her presence apparent when Diomedes attacks Ares? Athena blindly helps the Greeks: in book 6:297311 what is Athena’s attitude to Trojan’s prayers? Book 22 describes the death of Hektor by Achilles. Athena helps Achilles by tricking Hektor. In lines 224-231, what form does she take and what does she urge Hektor to do? In 22: 289-305, Hektor understands that Athena had tricked him. How? What is his reaction?
7. Aphrodite: Passions, beauty and love. Answer the following questions:
Book 3 is dedicated to Paris and Helen and the duel between Paris and Menelaos. How is the character of Paris shown? Compare lines 15-20 with lines 30-37. What are the similes that show Menelaus’ urge to fight as well as Paris’ fear? What is Hektor’s opinion on Paris’ beauty? What is Paris’ answer to him? What is the Trojan elders’ opinion about Helen and how does Priam feel about her? (3:146-165). See lines 365- 382: Paris is about to be killed by Menelaos when he is saved by Aphrodite. How was Menelaus going to kill him and what did the goddess do to save him? In lines 383-420, Aphrodite appears to Helen. What form does she take? How did Helen recognize her? What is Helen’s reaction to the goddess? In lines 421-447, Helen meets Paris. What does she tell him and how does Paris respond? In book 14:186-223, Hera asks Aphrodite for a favour. What is it and why? How willing was Aphrodite and what exactly did she give her? In book 5:305-430, Aphrodite exhibits another aspect of love. What kind is it? How does she protect Aeneas from dying? What did she suffer by that action? What is Diomedes’ opinion about her (5:347-351) and Zeus’ advice to her (5:426-430)? The part of book 21:383-513 is called “Theomachy” (The battle of gods): In one scene Athena attacks Ares and Aphrodite comes to his help. What happened to Aphrodite afterwards? In book 23:184-191 how does Aphrodite care for Hektor’s body?
8. Thetis, Achilles’ mother: The loving, caring and sad Sea Nymph. Answer the following questions:
Book 1:348-430: What is Achilles’ request to Thetis? How did Thetis help Zeus in the past? Why did Thetis reply in tears? What do we learn about Achilles destiny? (For Achilles’ destiny see also 9: 410-414). Describe the physical pose she took when she met Zeus in 1:493-535. Why? Thetis made her request twice to Zeus. Why do you think Zeus was persuaded to grant her request? Compare the scene between Thetis and Zeus as described in the Iliad with the 19th century painting by Ingres (Click on the link below) . Read book 18:1147: Why and how does Thetis lament? Who are her companions that lament with her? What do we learn about one of her wedding gifts? What is her advice to Achilles? In book 18:368-468, Thetis visits Hephaistos. What is her request? Why is Hephaistos so indebted to her? (Compare with book 6:125-141 where Thetis helps to another god). What do we learn about Thetis’ unhappy marriage and grief in book 18 ? In book 19:139, Thetis brings Achilles’ armor. What worries Achilles and how does she solve the problem? In book 24: 65- 142, Zeus orders Thetis to come to Olympos. Why? Which goddess summons her? Where did she go to find her? What did she wear to go to Olympos? Why? How did the gods welcome her? What are Zeus’ orders to Thetis? How does Thetis persuade her son?