The Iliad (4)

If you were to change one event or chapter from the Iliad, and replace it with your own story, what chapter or episode will that be?

Write your “version” of the story.

Narrate how it will affect the entire story or ending of the Iliad.

Although the Iliad is perfectly written and composed, the opportunity to change any given event did strike my interest. Despite of the wide selection of chapters, I choose to rewrite the very first. Please don’t jump to the conclusion that I’m taking the easy way out by changing chapter one. I chose this out of all the other chapters because this is where the very first event triggered the chain reactions that lead to what we all know now as the Iliad. By changing this key chapter, I in turn change the whole outcome of the epic.

Chapter Zero

With the reason for Apollo’s anger uncovered by Calchas, Achilles turns to Agamemnon to give up Chryseis and stop the death and decay of their kingdom. With no other choice, Agamemnon reluctantly gives up Chryseis but instead turns his sight towards Briseis. Achilles boils up with anger and malicious intentions but instead, cools down and starts to think. With Apollo’s rage subdued, their kingdom can start to replenish. It would be unwise if he would rebel against Agamemnon at these times. He gallantly accepts Agamemnon’s choices and lives to fight alongside him for years more to come.

As the events would pass by, the Greeks continue their reign with king Agamemnon and mighty Achilles together with the same intentions. Agamemnon, seeing Achilles as one of his most loyal warriors puts aside his stubbornness just this once and returns Briseis to the rightful hands. Achilles is thankful and is now even more empowered to serve this kingdom and decimate all who oppose it. This loyalty takes form further as Agamemnon and Achilles fight against the people of Troy leading a path of blight as they triumphantly march across the battlefield.

That is how my version of chapter one would go. Needless to say, by just changing that crucial event whole new story would unfold. It would be distinct in all aspects but would not appeal to all who reads it.

The Iliad (3)

1. The Greeks strongly believe in FATE or DESTINY, that is, nothing happens unless it is destined to be so. Does this mean that, in the Trojan War, the heroes' free and strong will to win is immaterial? Do you agree that the victories of the Trojans (in books 12 and 17) and the Greeks (in 13, 14, and 16) are all willed by the Gods? Explain your answer. Cite textual details.

It is true that some things are destined to happen, things like death and aging, but people don’t just sit and wait for these to occur. They try direly to delay and avoid them. This is just what the warriors in the Iliad are doing. Even though some know they are “destined” to lose, they don’t just take it bluntly. They put up a fight and try their best to prove fate wrong. This can be loosely translated to the phrase “Never give up without a fight”. It’s human nature for one to stubbornly try to change what they don’t like.

To answer the question of if the heroes’ rebellion against destiny is foolish, no, what they do is not hallow or of no value. They honorably defend what is theirs even if it most certainly costs them their life. Letting their land be conquered and their citizens exploited while they do nothing just because someone foretold it will have been an act of abandoning their homeland. This treachery is something that these heroes just can’t live with.

Opposing to the first idea of inevitability, hearing the reason of “willed by the gods” seems very unlikely. I don’t agree that the victory of the Trojans and the Greeks were all of accordance to the plans of their gods. What if once they found out that it was their destiny to win so they didn’t even bother to fight and assure their victory? The Trojans and the Greeks didn’t win just because it was foretold, the Trojans and the Greeks won because they fought with their whole heart and soul. Every arrow flung, sword swung and command roared counted for their victory. Destiny alone can’t decide who wins in a battle of these proportions. I believe that if their gods have foretold it, it’s up to them to fulfill it.

The Illiad (2)

3. Wars do not only claim many lives but also spoil/destroy a man's character. Do you agree with this statement? Cite details from the book to prove your answer. 

I fully agree to this statement. War, like most great events in the world, can influence the character of a person. Those who fight with a calm mind and a solid objective hone their senses and gain honor, but some soldiers like Achilles tend to get lost in all the commotion. War can cloud the judgment of warriors. Hunger for power and self glorification, those are two of the biggest reasons why one changes through war. Blood lust during wars can harden the heart and eventually turn a person numb. They won’t have a second thought about ending a life or experience a hint of guilt after the swing of a sword. I imagine Achilles also went through this gradual change. I believe that Achilles was consequently influenced by the multiple clashes he fought in.

As a side note, a concrete example of the change of man’s character due to war would be the American veterans who fought in Vietnam. Their like has become a stereo type many sitcoms or TV shows. They are characterized as hard headed, paranoid and bitter towards company. These veterans are sadly permanently altered by their harsh experiences in their honorable battles.  

As for an example from the Iliad, this obviously points to Achilles, a glorious warrior but so full of turmoil. He maybe a great soldier but his character is far from honorable. He may be classified as a mercenary. He claims that he serves under no king because he says that all the glory for a victory belongs to him and not to an army that watches him as he leaves a path of devastation through the enemy lines. His ways are uncanny, decisive and swift. His actions do not flinch at the sight of a kingly figure for he knows that none can beat him and for that he should not bow to any mortal who claims to be higher than others. His mind set has become obscure through all the confrontations in the battlegrounds. Reason has become far from second nature and ultimately obsolete. Achilles has turned into this immortal warrior not only because of the famous dip in the river of sticks but because the war has completely shifted his mindset and so he feels no remorse.    

The Iliad

1. Narrate how King Agamemnon shows stubbornness of heart in books 1-5.

· Cite modern day examples/people who display the same stubbornness of heart.

Agamemnon chose his own satisfaction over the safety of his kingdom. He let Apollo rain down destruction over his city all because he didn’t want give up the love of his life. The devastation lasted for nine days before his subjects finally spoke up. King Agamemnon, personifying hardheadedness itself, did not head to their words. The only time he did was with a price and wasn't exactly what his followers expected. King Agamemnon relinquished his grip upon the daughter of Apollo’s priest and demanded that Achilles would surrender his spouse to him. Achilles had no choice but to concede for the safety of the kingdom but he did this with a heavy heart and the intent for vengeance. Agamemnon’s stubbornness has dealt his kingdom immeasurable devastation and has paved way to a new enemy against his rule.

Modern versions of Agamemnon exist within our nation today. The lust and craving for self satisfaction and the feeling of being the undoubted “right” keeps our politicians from admitting mistakes and correcting them. It’s the best way to keep themselves from shouldering the fault and having to deal with the solution. Stubbornness plays a big part in human nature, although it can lead to an image of endurance, in most occasions it just ends up as misplaced denial and leads to more problems.

Those who are alike Agamemnon are fairly common today not only in politics but also in the youth. This is a better example as this really speaks of stubbornness of the heart. When presented an option, an adolescent would keep his grip on a beloved instead of following orders or taking in other information. He becomes blinded and rejects anything contrary to what he believes is right. It can be related to how Agamemnon would not listen to his subject’s pleads thus leading him to be damned in his own mistakes.

                                                                            -Johan Castro  4-Versiglia