Chapters

Part I. Hour 9. The return of Odysseus in the Homeric Odyssey

Hour 9. The return of Odysseus in the Homeric Odyssey The meaning of nostos 9§1. The key word for this hour is nostos, ‘return, homecoming; song about homecoming; return to light and life’. The last of these meanings is mystical, having to do with ideas about immortalization after death. Our first impression is that such ideas are foreign to Homeric poetry. When we take a second look, however, we will… Read more

Part I. Hour 7. The sign of the hero in visual and verbal art

Hour 7. The sign of the hero in visual and verbal art The meaning of sēma 7§1. The key word for this hour is sēma (plural sēmata), meaning ‘sign, signal, symbol; tomb, tomb of a hero’. An important word that derives from this noun sēma is the verb sēmainein, ‘mean [something], indicate [something] by way of a sēma’. Modern words that derive from sēma include semantic and semiotic. 7§2. As… Read more

Part I. Hour 6. Patroklos as the other self of Achilles

Hour 6. Patroklos as the other self of Achilles The meaning of therapōn 6§1. The key word for this hour is therapōn, ‘attendant; ritual substitute’. And the key passage comes from a climactic moment in the Iliad when Achilles, while praying that Zeus should preserve Patroklos from harm, uses the word therapōn in referring to his nearest and dearest friend: Hour 6 Text A |233 “King Zeus,” he [= Achilles]… Read more

Part I. Hour 5. When mortals become ‘equal’ to immortals: Death of a hero, death of a bridegroom

Hour 5. When mortals become ‘equal’ to immortals: death of a hero, death of a bridegroom The meaning of daimōn 5§1. The key word for this hour is daimōn (plural daimones), which I translate for the moment simply as ‘superhuman force’. This word is used to refer to an unspecified god or hero intervening in human life. The word daimōn is to be contrasted with theos, ‘god’, which is used… Read more

Part I. Hour 3. Achilles and the poetics of lament

Hour 3. Achilles and the poetics of lament The meaning of akhos and penthos 3§1. There are two key words for this hour, akhos and penthos, and the meaning of both words is ‘grief, sorrow; public expression of grief, sorrow, by way of lamentation or keening’. A man of constant sorrow 3§2. The word akhos is connected with the name of Achilles in the Iliad. And the meaning of the… Read more

Part I. Introduction to Homeric poetry

Introduction to Homeric poetry 0§1. Before I delve into the 24 hours of this book, I offer an introductory essay that is meant to familiarize the reader with Homeric poetry, which is the primary medium that I will be analyzing in the first 11 hours. 0§2. Homeric poetry is a cover term for two epics, the Iliad and the Odyssey. The major part of this introduction will deal with the… Read more