Keith McClure

(I’m rethinking the content of my website and it looks rather bare right now. I’ll continue with my reading blog of ancient literature, but will try to add other things. Today, I’m posting a movie review related to the Odyssey. Spellings of Greek names are from Barry Powell’s translation the poem). The Return, directed by Uberto Pasolini, stars Ralph Fiennes and Juliette Binoche, and is the finest adaptation of Homeric material I’ve ever seen....

The Return — movie review (I’m rethinking the content of my website and it looks rather bare right now. I’ll continue with my reading blog of ancient literature, but will try to add other things. Today, I’m posting a movie …

- Odysseus leaves Kalypso (I’m going into more detail here with some of Powell’s notes) The narrative returns to the council of the gods on Mt. Olympus, so the action in Book 5 takes place at the same time as Books 1-4, according to Powell. Shifting timelines and parallel narratives are not just an invention of modern storytellers! It will be interesting to see how the new movie version of the Odyssey (...

The Odyssey, Book V (lines 1-130) – Odysseus leaves Kalypso (I’m going into more detail here with some of Powell’s notes) The narrative returns to the council of the gods on Mt. Olympus, so the action in Book 5 takes place at…

Telemachos in Sparta Powell summarizes Books 3 & 4, in which Telemachos rebukes the suitors for their profligate ways. They are infuriated, but he takes supplies from the palace stores and escapes by night, sailing to Pylos. There he meets with Nestor, but he has no news about Odysseus, so Telemachos goes inland by chariot to Sparta, to enquire of Menelaos....

The Odyssey, Book IV Telemachos in Sparta Powell summarizes Books 3 & 4, in which Telemachos rebukes the suitors for their profligate ways. They are infuriated, but he takes supplies from the palace stores and esca…

Telemachos in Ithaca Tues. Oct. 30 Continuing my review of ancient literature, I move now to the Odyssey. I’m reading a modern translation by Barry Powell of the “essential books,” which isn’t in verse, but is very clean and forceful, maintaining the rhythms of the Greek — so reviews say, I only know a little Greek myself — but I find it more engaging and less stuffy than some older translations I’ve read....

The Odyssey, Book I Telemachos in Ithaca Tues. Oct. 30 Continuing my review of ancient literature, I move now to the Odyssey. I’m reading a modern translation by Barry Powell of the “essential books,” which isn’t in v…

Tues. Oct.1 The ransom of Hector’s body, and the end of Achilles’ anger. The gods intervene again, as Zeus sends Thetis to instruct her son to receive Priam, and sends Iris to persuade Priam to go to Achilles and beg for the return of his son’s body. Achilles is the victor, Priam the defeated, but when they meet over the body of Hector, they are both mourners, father and son....

The Iliad, Book XXIV-XXV Tues. Oct.1 The ransom of Hector’s body, and the end of Achilles’ anger. The gods intervene again, as Zeus sends Thetis to instruct her son to receive Priam, and sends Iris to persuade Priam to go …

Fri. Sept. 27 The funeral games for Patroclus. The shade of Patroclus appears to Achilles in a dream and demands proper funeral rites - the same rites he denied to Hector. These rites and funeral games provide a glimpse into Homeric culture, as they reaffirm the bonds between warrior and warlord through contests of skill and gift exchange, and the rules which govern them....

The Iliad, Book XXIII Fri. Sept. 27 The funeral games for Patroclus. The shade of Patroclus appears to Achilles in a dream and demands proper funeral rites – the same rites he denied to Hector. These rites and fun…

Wed. Sept. 25 The death of Hector. With the Trojan army safe within the walls, Hector determines to face Achilles. Then, as almost certain death approaches, he has second thoughts and runs for his life. This is a very human moment, and makes his ultimate heroism even more poignant. He is a mere mortal facing his fate at the hands of the implacable Achilles....

The Iliad, Book XXII Wed. Sept. 25 The death of Hector. With the Trojan army safe within the walls, Hector determines to face Achilles. Then, as almost certain death approaches, he has second thoughts and runs for his …

Friday. Sept. 13 (re-ordered) Achilles pursues Trojans on the battlefield down into the Scamander River, even contesting with the god of the river to claim them. Achilles asks for divine aid, arguing that his descent from Zeus is greater than the lineage of the river god. Ancestry determines status and privilege, even among the immortals. Achilles then encounters Lycaon, a son of Priam whom he had already captured once and sold as a slave, but who was ransomed for 100 cattle and returned to Troy....

The Iliad, Book XXI Friday. Sept. 13 (re-ordered) Achilles pursues Trojans on the battlefield down into the Scamander River, even contesting with the god of the river to claim them. Achilles asks for divine aid, argui…

Friday, Sept. 13 Achilles returns to battle, giving the advantage to the Greeks. Zeus allows the gods to help either side, to even the odds perhaps, but the Greeks are still winning. Apollo encourages the Trojan hero Aeneas to face Achilles, and they have a conversation. Achilles questions what has motivated Aeneas to seek him out, assuming he hopes to win favor with Priam, and maybe even win the throne if Hector dies....

The Iliad, Book XX Friday, Sept. 13 Achilles returns to battle, giving the advantage to the Greeks. Zeus allows the gods to help either side, to even the odds perhaps, but the Greeks are still winning. Apollo encoura…

Thur. Sept. 5 Achilles pursues Trojans on the battlefield down into the Scamander River, even contesting with the god of the river to claim them. Achilles asks for divine aid, arguing that his descent from Zeus is greater than the lineage of the river god. Ancestry determines status and privilege, even among the immortals. Achilles then encounters Lycaon, a son of Priam whom he had already captured once and sold as a slave, but who was ransomed for 100 cattle and returned to Troy....

The Iliad, Book XX Thur. Sept. 5 Achilles pursues Trojans on the battlefield down into the Scamander River, even contesting with the god of the river to claim them. Achilles asks for divine aid, arguing that his desc…

Tues. Aug. 22 After the death of Patroclus, Achilles and Agamemnon reconcile, with the mutual aim of revenge and ending the war. They blame the quarrel, and their own anger, on the gods and fate, not on each other, saying they had little choice but to do as they have done, given the warrior’s code they live by. Barry Powell, a modern translator of the Iliad, notes that the entire theme is the “anger” of Achilles (it’s the first word of the poem) and the disastrous consequences that follow for both the Greeks and Trojans....

The Iliad, Book IXX Tues. Aug. 22 After the death of Patroclus, Achilles and Agamemnon reconcile, with the mutual aim of revenge and ending the war. They blame the quarrel, and their own anger, on the gods and fate, n…