In the Homer universe, we know of the Homeric Code (of hospitality) that is quite similar to the Golden Rule. Treat others how you want to be treated. With a mix of Greek Mythology, you get the Homeric Code. If someone were to disrespect the Homeric Code in a home, revenge and justice would rain down. In Book 22, with the famous characters Odysseus and Telemachus, we find just that. Odysseus and his son find a way to bring justice to their house, through a test and great action. In this timeline, the first event leading up to the justice, and that has been foreshadowed, is the test. This is a test that prepares the revenge. Book 21 prepares us for the day. “Who sends an arrow through iron axe-helve sockets, twelve in line? I join my life with him,” (Page 393, Lines 79-83) Penelope, the wife of Odysseus, informs her suitors that whoever might shoot the bow through 12 axe-helms shall win her as a wife. However, this is an impossible test. After Antinoos’s attempt, he is murdered by Odysseus, which is the start of the revenge. …show more content…
The suitors run away, but Odysseus and Telemachus are ready for a fight for justice. “You took my house to plunder, twisted my maids to server your beds. You dared bid for my wife while I was still alive. Your last hour has come. You die in blood” (Page 410, lines 38-43). This all goes down to the Homeric Code and a bit of patience. If the suitors first would have waited for confirmation of the great warrior's death and if they had simply respected the home, this most likely wouldn’t have happened. But of course, the greed showed its way. Now, Telemachus and his father must show their strength in mind and body to carry out the
Heroic Code in the Iliad and the Odyssey In Webster's Dictionary, a hero is defined as a person noted for courageous acts or nobility of purpose, especially if this individual has risked or sacrificed his life. In the Iliad and the Odyssey, the code which administers the conduct of the Homeric heroes is a straightforward idea. The aim of every hero is to achieve honor. Throughout the Iliad and the Odyssey, different characters take on the role of a hero. Honor is essential to the Homeric heroes
“The Illiad” and “The Odyssey” are poems written by Homer, both poems discuss the idea surrounding the heroic code. According to the Oxford English Dictionary, a ‘hero’ is defined as a person who is admired for their courage, outstanding achievements, or noble qualities. Specifically, if an individual partakes in acts that can cause harm or even death. The heroic code of Illiad in the aforementioned poems is defined as a set of principles administering the conduct of the homeric heroes. The aim of every
The World of Odysseus was written by Sir Moses I. Finley, and it is an in depth analysis of the Iliad and the Odyssey. The period in history that helped to produce these two phenomenal works is veiled with uncertainty due to the fact that an actual written history doesn't exist. Homer put his history of the period together from the traditional custom of oral poetic story telling that originated from the late Dark Age and early Archaic Period. The first three chapters of Finley's text provide the
As is already known, Homeric literature served as the model for educating Greek boys and young men, as well male Roman citizens later on in Antiquity. The passages of Homer and Hesiod instructed a decorum which defined proper behavior as unyielding bravery in the field of battle, and the continuous desire for besting an opponent through strident competition, or agon in the Greek. Achilles defined this part of heroic conduct, while Odysseus, through his renowned ability for persuasion, defined the
Homer’s The Odyssey is an ancient Greek epic which chronicles the trials and tribulations of the crafty Odysseus as he journeys from the stallion-land of Troy to far-off Ithaca, spurred by the wrath and mercy of the gods. Upon reaching native soil, Odysseus must confront his final test; vanquishing the treacherous suitors which plague his palace. As with most classical Greek literature, The Odyssey has a deep foundation in mythology and within these religious aspects lies the motif of Xenia, a sacred
through time heroism was transformed into a hero that evokes pathos. In epic poetry, the narrative highlights the noble characteristics of heroes. The stories emphasize the characters’ actions which leads them from misery to triumph. In Homer’s The Odyssey, Odysseus travels back to his home in Ithaca to take charge of the house once again. He stumbles across the daughter
courageous acts or nobility of purpose, especially if this individual has risked or sacrificed his life. In the Iliad and the Odyssey, the code which administers the conduct of the Homeric heroes is a straightforward idea. The aim of every hero is to achieve honor. Throughout the Iliad and the Odyssey, different characters take on the role of a hero. Honor is essential to the Homeric heroes, so much that life would be meaningless without it. Thus, honor is more important than life itself. Throughout the
cohesive narrative that tied them to the past and propelled them towards the future. This narrative, The Aeneid, had its basis in local lore as well as ties to the older Greek epics of Homer. The Aeneid almost functions as an extension of The Iliad and Odyssey, with its protagonist, Aeneas, being a minor figure in the earlier poems, and the work itself academically divided into “Odyssean” and “Iliadic” parts. In this relationship Virgil owes a creative debt to Homer, and there is a resemblance that can
In Beowulf and all of the Homeric epics, there is a very broad theme displayed as the main focal point and that is heroism. Much of Beowulf is about specifying and illustrating the Germanic heroic code. It values strength, courage, loyalty, generosity, and the good reputation in all people. During this time, your family played a large part in determining your reputation. You were known by your parents and their nobility and rank. This heroic code was important to warrior societies as ways of understanding
Greek, with different tongues. In any case, it is in no way, shape or form sure that Homer himself really recorded the verses. The old epic sonnets were about the Trojan War and one warrior's excursion home from the war, individually Iliad and The Odyssey, which each schoolchild has considered—or if nothing else has seen portrayed in films and on TV. They're the most continuing legends known toward the Western world, matched just by the stories of the Bible book. That is why Homer is viewed as a decent
behind in how many of these characters behave. Within Homer’s texts, there are also numerous examples of characters rejecting or disregarding the concept of timé. Achilles’ ambivalence in the Iliad regarding timé shows the clashing of Mycenaean and Homeric Greek values. During Mycenaean times, when the Trojan War is believed to have taken place, Greece was healthy and prosperous. Economically, Greece was flourishing. In art, gold and other precious metals were very common, unlike in the previous Minoan
Homer’s epic poems “The Iliad” and “The Odyssey” are emerged from a patriarchal society, where fathers held the dominant role in a family. Both poems cover many fathers and sons relationships, however I will be focussing on the relationship between Odysseus and Telemachus, and Priam and Hector. The Iliad goes beyond tales of the Trojan war, it portrays the relationship between fathers and sons based on respect and pride that they have for each other. The Odyssey, on the other hand, portrays the strong
Hospitality was deeply embedded in ancient Greek culture. Hospitality was very important and seen as a code of conduct. The term used to describe the concept of Ancient Greek hospitality was xenia. Xenia is basically the generosity and courtesy shown to guests, strangers, or those far from home. Xenia consists of two rules. The first rule is from host to guest, in which the host must be hospitable to the guest and provide basic needs (food, drink, and a bath). The host also has to hold all questioning
Homer’s Effect on Greek Culture Homer, the son of Telemachus and Epikaste, was a Greek poet and court singer born sometime between the 12th and 8th century B.C. There is no certainty of his birth place, but it is believed that he was born somewhere on the Asia Minor coast. The language he uses in his poetry suggests that he may have been native to what is known today as Turkey. His is believed to be the originator of Europe’s first known literature, yet very little is actually known about him and
The Greek poet Homer portrays many hero’ in the epic’s the Iliad and the Odyssey. The main individuals that come to mind are Achilles and Odysseus, the two most famed and feared warriors in the epics. However, there is another hero; one that is seen by most as subjacent to the two main characters. In my mind this character has a better sense of responsibility and shows more honor to his men than Odysseus did. That mans name is Hektor. Another figure with a similar stature that comes to mind that