Data Analysis Chapter on "Iliad in Homer's Iliad, the Meeting"

Data Analysis Chapter 5 pages (1716 words) Sources: 0

[EXCERPT] . . . .

Iliad

In Homer's Iliad, the meeting between Priam and Achilles in Book 24 can be seen as the epitome of the paradigm of change that functions throughout the narrative. There are two platforms of change: one on the divine level and the other on the human level. Both these platforms entail a fundamental change in relationship between the parties at either side. On both levels, change occurs in terms of cooperation. Between humanity and the gods, for example, the gods play a fundamentally cooperative role to not only help Priam on his way to Achilles, but also to keep him safe during and after his journey. On the human side, Priam and Achilles are on different sides of the battle. However, the unifying factor of loss tie them together in temporary cooperation, which nonetheless foreshadows a more permanent and all-encompassing change that is to come.

Priam's decision to travel to Achilles is fundamentally driven by his sense of loss. The "messenger from Zeus" that he tells his wife about at the beginning of the scene does not need to take much trouble to persuade him. Indeed, he informs his wife that his "…own heart and spirit are urging" him to go and ransom the body of their son Hector from Achilles. To this end, the gods encourage him to take gifts for Achilles, rather than to go to war against him. In this, the gods appear to encourage cooperation between the different sides, rather than a continuation of distruction. This is a fundamental change in the human paradigm.

Significantly, both Priam's wife and children are against the idea, as they fear for Priam's life. The clash that follows between Priam and his family is indicative of the dichotomy between the old and new paradigms. The old man's wife and sons appear to believe that nothing has changed or could change in the relationship between the sides. They assume that Priam will be murdered -- either by Achilles or other members of the enemy group. Priam, on the other hand, is immediately outraged at the lack of respect and sorrow his family are displaying towards Hector, and is even more determined to collect his son's body and bring it home. Priam assumes that the gods have his safety and favor in mind, and are therefore willing to promote cooperation between himself and Achilles. His family on the other hand lack such foresight and indeed faith. They assume, perhaps logically, that the old paradigm among the different parties remains and is unchangeable.

Priam and his wife however find common ground when she asks him to pray to Zeus. Because he has received the message from divinity in the first place, Priam is not opposed to this, and does pray. This in turn earns him the cooperation of the gods, and Zeus sends Hermes to accompany Priam and keep him safe. Zeus sends Hermes for a very specific reason; because his "favourite task by far / is acting in a friendly way to men." In other words, Zeus sends the god he knows will most kindly relate to human beings to keep Priam safe. This indicates a new attitude by the gods towards human beings. There is a sense of friendly cooperation rather than wrathful vengeance or haughty disregard. This indicates the fundamental difference that is being cultivated in the human/divine relationship.

Priam in turn has complete faith that the gods will protect him from all harm, despite the fact that he is afraid of what might happen to him along the way. He trusts that the gods will keep their promise and keep him safe. His words to Hermes show his trust: "But some god / holds his hand over me, to send me here / a traveler like you who comes to meet us…"

Furthermore, Priam sees the human relationship to the gods as a contract: "…it's good to pay immortal gods / what's due to them." Priam says this in reply to Hermes' reports that his son's body has been kept supernaturally clean and whole despite the rigors of the environment and lack of care it is exposed to.

When Hermes has safely led Priam to Achilles, he reveals his identity to him and leaves Priam to meet with Achilles on his own. Achilles is in a leisurely position, just having had his meal. The first meeting between Priam and Achilles shows the enormity of the change that Priam represents. He kisses Achilles' hands, which the text refers to as "man-killers," hands that had killed "so many of his sons." Yet Priam offers his humility and gifts as a sacrifice for peace and cooperation, despite the violence of the past, and also in an attempt to heal these wounds. Achilles and both his companions are absolutely astonished at the unexpected gesture.

Priam appeals to Achilles in terms of the common loss that they have both suffered. He reminds Achilles of his father. His speech includes great mourning for the sons he lost to "Angry Ares." The use of the war god Ares' name serves several functions here. First, it detracts from a direct accusation against Achilles, who had a direct hand in many of the killings Priam refers to. Instead, a god is used to personify the paradigm of war among human beings. In this way, the blame is mitigated towards an idea and a distant, angry god, rather than directly aimed at a person.

When he comes to the specific case of Hector, however, Priam simply states that Achilles has "just killed him." He does not however appear to mean this as an accusation; simply as a fact and a preamble to explaining his purpose for the visit. When Priam finishes his speech by referring to what he has endured in kissing Achilles' hands, he does not speak with anger, but rather with profound sorrow. This wakes the sorrow that Achilles is still experiencing for his own father, and the two enemies instantly find common ground.

After they have mourned together for their respective losses, Achilles begins to speak of the gods. He speaks of them in their traditional role as far removed from humanity, with an apparently senseless and random sense of humor. According to Achilles, humanity is subject to the whims of the gods and cannot expect anything from them but random blessings or curses. This contrasts with Priam's experience of the gods as kind and cooperative in the form of Hermes and to some extent even Zeus. Achilles indicates that the deaths and losses they have suffered are all the result of the random "gifts," either good or bad, that the gods see fit to bestow upon humanity.

Achilles is also somewhat quick to return to the old human paradigm of enmity when Priam begins to demand to see Hector. He warns Priam not to "provoke" him, as he has intended to give him the body of his son in the first place. He even threatens to kill Priam against Zeus' wishes should he provoke him further, which leads to a reaction of fear in Priam. Achilles also assumes that Priam might become angry once he sees his son, upon which Achilles himself might be moved to kill him despite all that has happened. In order to prevent his, he covers the body and moves it away from sight, but not before washing and anointing it.

When this danger was however removed, Achilles and Priam could once again meet on civil, common grounds. Achilles prepares a meal and they eat together. They also find that they admire each other for their nobility, and finally they make arrangements to sleep before Priam makes the journey home. Furthermore, Achilles also shows his willingness to cooperate and sympathize with the enemy by granting Priam the time required to bury his son before going back to war.

War is however never very far from the current reality, despite the initial indications of change. Indeed, while Achilles and everyone else in the camp are sleeping, Hermes speaks to Priam and warns him that the situation could become volatile. While Achilles has promised Priam immunity from his warriors while he takes the time required to bury Hector, this does not mean that others will have the same attitude. Agamemnon for example would never show Priam such respect, and Hermes perhaps truthfully warns that Agamemnon would not hesitate to capture or even kill Priam as soon as he learns that he is in enemy camps. Hermes then helps Priam to escape the camp unharmed and return to the road home. In this way, Hermes himself serves as a reminder that the old paradigms have not yet sufficiently changed to make way for the new.

In this way, the entire seen between Priam and Achilles serve as a platform to demonstrate the still-existing dichotomies of the old and new ways of interaction. Priam's unexpected actions lead Achilles to consider a more cooperative attitude, which he does by returning Priam's son and allowing him time… READ MORE

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