Iliad Paper

8/13/2019 Iliad Paper

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Abhi Goyal

11/20/13

Literature Humanities Essay 1Revised again

The Royalty vs. the common man in Homers Iliad

A central theme of Homers Iliadis the clear and definite relationship between the

common men of the two armies and the more important figures, typically those of royalty or

those with important fathers. This dichotomy necessarily arises from the culture of the Homeric

Dark Ages, where the lesser kings could challenge the supreme leader, but where the common

menwere unable to challenge either. This division of authority is clearly seen in Books I and II

of the Iliad, where Achilles, a king in his own right, and Thersites, a clearly lower-class man who

does not possess any version of kalokagathia, each publically insult Agamemnon,

The differences in the listeners responses to both assailants of Agamemnon

readily demonstrate much about power divisions in the Iliad. However, Homer clearly did not

include these passages just to teach his audience about their own culture. Instead, these

passages serve an artistic significance. By having Thersites punished but Achilles only politely

admonished, Homer makes it clear to his readers the difference between a justified accusation

and an ignoble, anarchic one, and how each would be perceived within the Iliad.In addition,

within the same rank, it is seen that men are esteemed based on their excellence and beauty,

with those with ugly features or deformities being looked down upon. This description reflects

the cultural schema that external and internal characteristics are seen as one and the same.

In Book I, following Agamemnons stern dismissal of Chryses, and subsequent plague

upon the Achaeans brought down by Apollo, Achilles calls an assembly, something that

Agamemnon, as king of kings, is generally expected to do. Achilles openly claims himself to be


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the best of the Achaeans when he tells Calchas, No man so long as I am alive above earth and

see daylight shall lay the weight of his hands on you beside the hollow shipseven if you mean

Agamemnon, who now claims to be far the greatest of all the Achaeans (I: 88-91). By saying

that he is able to defend Calchas against someone claiming to be the best of the Achaeans,

Achilles is directly placing himself above Agamemnon in terms of strength, a virtue by which the

Homeric Greeks esteemed power and authority. In Book II, after Agamemnons blunder,

Thersites, a common man, stands and mimics Achilles words by denouncing Agamemnon and

claiming that Achilles is the better man. And now he has dishonored Achilleus, a man much

better than he is. He has taken his prize by force and keeps her. But there is no gall in Achilleus

heartotherwisethis were your last outrage (II: 239-242). Replicating the words and

accusations of Achilles, Thersites is blaming Agamemnon for being a terrible leader, instigating

a mutiny, and further claiming that Achilles is in fact the best of the Achaeans, not Agamemnon.

Achilles continues to berate Agamemnon. He then insists that Agamemnon return

Chryseis to her father to protect the Greek men, but Agamemnon sees this as adding insult to

injury, and moves to steal Achilles prize. The two engage in a heated verbal quarrel, during

which Achilles repeatedly mocks Agamemnon and diminishes his authority. Through such

lambasts as Always the greater part of the painful fighting is the work of my hands; but when

the time comes to distribute the booty yours is far the greater reward, and I with some small

thing yet dear to me go back to my ships (I: 165-168), Achilles is portraying Agamemnon as a

sort of parasite, leeching the prizes from those who did all of the work. Thersites does the same

in Book II, insulting Agamemnon just as Achilles had. Son of Atreus, what thing further do you

want, or find fault with now? Your shelters are filled with bronzeor is it still more gold you will


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be wantingis it some young woman to lie with in love...? (II: 225-232). Thersites makes the

same arguments that Achilles did, and both claim that Agamemnon is greedy and lustful, with

his mind ever on treasures and prizes.

Achilles adds a final insult, O wrapped in shamelessness, with your mind forever on

profit, how shall any one of the Achaeans readily obey you? (I: 149-150). Thersites mimics

him, and continues, My good fools, poor abuses, you women, not men, of Achaia, let us go

back home in our ships, and leave this man here in Troy (II: 235-237). In this final insult,

Achilles and Thersites are questioning Agamemnons right to rule, and either hinting at or

convincing others to mutiny and return home.

The listeners responses to both instances are starkly contrasting. The only responses to

Achilles insults towards Agamemnon come from Agamemnon himself and from Nestor,

another king of equal rank to Achilles. Nestor does not physically do anything to Achilles, but

instead berates both of them with words, by singing of the glories of the men of old, and

contrasting these ancient heroes with Agamemnon and Achilles. He then offers advice to both

on how to resolve the conflict. He says to Achilles, Nor, son of Peleus, think to match your

strength with the kingEven though you are the stronger manyet is this man greater who is

lord over more than you rule (I: 277-282). Thus the only reaction that Achilles receives from a

listener is one of advice from an older king to back down. He says to Agamemnon, You, great

man that you are, yet do not take the girl away but let her be, a prize as the sons of the

Achaeans gave her first (I: 275 277). The fact that Nestor also admonishes Agamemnon

emphasizes what Homer is trying to make his readers understand: that Achilles accusations

were justified. Further, the common men were not once mentioned in this quarrel. This was a


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quarrel between men of power, and the reactions of those beneath them are not worth

mentioning.

The reaction to Thersites monologue is considerably different. There was no pause of

stunned silence as there was when Achilles attacked Agamemnon; instead, brilliant Odysseus

swiftly came beside him scowling and laid a harsh word upon him (II: 244-245). Odysseus

recognizes that Thersites is an influential orator, though tells him that his words were foolish,

and warns him to learn his place and to not stir up unnecessary scandal by saying, if once more

I find you playing the fool, as you are now, nevermore let the shade of Odysseus sit on his

shouldersif I do not take you and strip away your personal clothingand send you thus bare

and howlingwhipping you out of the assembly place with strokes of indignity (II: 258-264).

Odysseus then physically assaults Thersites, who collapses, doubled over, and a round tear

dropped from him, and a bloody welt stood up between his shoulders under the golden

scepters stroke (II: 265-268). The other common men around Thersites were described as

feeling some sympathy, but laughed over him happily, saying, but now this is far the best

thing [Odysseus] has ever accomplishedto keep this thrower of words, this braggart out of

assembly (II: 270-276). Thus the reactions that Thersites receives include being beaten by a

king of considerably higher rank and to be laughed at by his fellow common men. This passage

serves to make clear the second half of what Homer is attempting to relay to his readers: that

Thersites, who, in contrast to Achilles, is given no supporter, was unjustified in his accusations

and deserved his punishments.

The reasons that the reactions to the two challengers of Agamemnon are so different

are not complex. Greek culture clearly dictates that only kings may speak among kings, while


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the common men should only listen and obey. In addition, Greeks granted respect within a

specific rank based on kalokagathia, highly esteeming those who are both beautiful and

excellent, and degrading those who lack these features, since they saw external phenotypes as

indicators of internal worth and personality. Thus, when Thersites is described as, the ugliest

man who came beneath Ilion. He was bandy-legged and went lame of one foot, with shoulders

stooped and drawn together over his chest, and above this his skull went up to a point with the

wool grown sparsely upon it (II: 216-219), it can immediately be assumed that he is disliked

and not at all respected by the rest of the Greeks, who would see him as also possessing the

ugliest personality. In contrast, Achilles is repeatedly described as the best of the Achaeans,

and thus would be seen as having the greatest internal worth. Although Homer neither had nor

developed the crasis kalokagathia, (a term instead arising from Plato) the term aristos,

pervasively present within the Iliad, encompasses both of these aspects of the respected Greek,

making Achilles the most respected of the Achaeans when he is given this epithet. For this

reason, he is neither beaten nor ridiculed. Another reason is that Achilles arguments are

considered just, as he was protecting his honor and pride from Agamemnons blatant insult of

stealing his prize. Thersites spoke without ever having been slighted directly, making him an

unjustified aggressor.

The inclusion of this dichotomy between royalty and the common man adds artistic

significance to theIliad.

It serves to contrast justified and unjustified accusations. Since Achilles,

as best of the Achaeans and seen as having the greatest worth, was attempting to preserve

his honor and pride, his accusations were considered justified, and he was only warned to

abandon his course of action. He was even granted a supporter in Nestor, who warned


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Agamemnon to heed Achilles words. On the other hand, Thersites, an externally and perceived

internally ugly man, was never insulted himself, yet he berated a man of considerably higher

rank. His actions were not deemed justified, and he was beaten and ridiculed by all around him,

and was not granted any support whatsoever.

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