CLASSICS 1B03 Lecture Notes - Lecture 3: Helenus, Augur, Simile
26 Jan 2017
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Overview: two sides meet, helen, men(cid:495)s space vs. women(cid:495)s space, brother(cid:495)s contrast. Begins with simile: homeric style (warriors -> birds: natural world + obscure myth, invokes noise and confusion of battle. Menelaus and paris: paris: not a warrior (ridiculous) only for show, takes war lightly/as a joke. Duel: menelaus vs. paris: recreating origins of war, both sides not eager to fight, look for solution. Helen: summoned by iris (rainbow, helen(cid:495)s tapestry work: war. Guilt for causing suffering (cid:494)the face that launched a thousand ships(cid:495: naming of the greek kings: priam is kind, women: crazed for beauty, blamed for it. On the battlefield: sacrifices and prayers (no risk, soldiers eager to not fight and go home, menelaus far stronger -> aphrodite intervenes -> threatens helen. Gods are petty, always need to win: helen angry with paris -> gives in: reenacting original seduction, menelaus furious (battlefield vs. bed: juxtaposition, trojans happy to turn paris over -> no resolve.
