Iliad, 11th book

from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The eleventh chant - a term used since Johann Heinrich Voss for the individual ›books‹ of  the Homeric Iliad - is also briefly referred to as Λ (La [m] bda, Greek λά [μ] βδα), which is the eleventh letter of the Greek Alphabet is. It can also be divided into two thematic sections,

Λ 1 , (after Voss ) the Aristie of Agamemnon, which actually only comprises a section of this part, and Λ 2 , the Nestor - Patroclus - episode .

prehistory

The third day of the Iliad's battle begins with the eleventh chant and lasts up to and including Σ . Even after Odysseus 'and Phoinix ' attempt to persuade Ι (pronounced: ›Iota‹, neutr .) Achilles did not let go of his anger (= Greek μῆνις, fem .). The gods have not been involved in the fight since Zeus ' ban in θ .

construction

The first part (Λ 1 ) describes after a prelude - wake-up call of the Achaean heroes by Eris , arming of Agamemnon and the deployment of both armies - the great deeds of Agamemnon . Odysseus and Diomedes soon appear , but they are wounded, and Aias can no longer hold out either.

Suddenly the scene changes.

In the Nestor Patroclus episode (Λ 2 ) Patroclus is on instructions from Achilles with Nestor: He tells Patroclus to encourage Achilles to fight again.

content

In the following, the numbers indicate the lines of verse in this chant.

Λ 1 (1-595) : The Aristia of Agamemnon (›Ἀγαμέμνονος ἀριστεία‹)

1-66 (Prelude): After Eos , the dawn, has risen, Eris wakes the Achaean heroes and instills them with courage to fight. Agamemnon orders everyone to prepare and there is a detailed description of how he arm himself. Both armies are marching up; among the Trojans protrudes Hector forth.

67-180: The battle between Trojans and Achaeans is briefly introduced, in which the gods are not allowed to intervene due to Zeus' prohibition in Θ - Zeus now wants to support the Trojans - but Agamemnon's exploits soon become interested. Because he can kill six Troy heroes in pairs, his army reaches the gates of the city.

181-217: But the long scene is interrupted: Zeus sends Iris to Hector; as soon as Agamemnon was met, he was to advance until he reached the Achaean ships in the evening. This happens at the end of Ο (pronounced: omicron, neutr .)

218-283: Agamemnon can kill two enemy heroes before he is wounded, leaves the battle and drives to the camp.

284-400: Hector encourages his companions again, but his ensuing individual combat scenes in which he kills several insignificant Achaean heroes are interrupted when Odysseus and Diomedes spur each other on; The latter can push him back, but Alexandros (= another name for Paris ) incapacitates him with an arrow shot.

401-488: Left alone , Odysseus can only hold out for a short time until Menelaus and Aias are called to save the wounded and surrounded.

489-574: Aias still offers resistance until he has to give in more and more , also because Zeus frightens him; Meanwhile, Hector charges again, but avoids the duel with him. In the meantime (504-520) , in a scene inserted (according to W. Schadewaldt, according to the bucolic diheresis of verse 497), Alexandros has wounded Machaon , the doctor and Asclepius' son , with whom Nestor set off back to the ships.

575-596: When Eurypylos has come to Aias' aid, like Machaon, he is struck by an arrow from Alexandros.

Λ 2 (597-848) : The Nestor Patroclus episode

597-654: Achilles , who sees the wounded man in Nestor's car from a distance but does not recognize Patroclus, sent Patroclus to see who he was. Arriving at Nestor's hut, Patroclus recognizes Machaon and wants to go, but is stopped by Nestor. The actual purpose of the visit is being forgotten: when Patroclus returned to Achilles, there was no more talk of Machaon.

655-803: Nestor criticizes the attitude of Achilles, who ignores the suffering of the Achaeans due to the wounding of Odysseus , Diomedes , Machaon and Eurypylos : but because of his old age he can no longer counteract the events. He now tells (671-762) of a struggle in his early youth: even then he had excelled ; the contrast to Achill's actions becomes clear. Peleus as the father of Achilles had instructed him to be the best in the struggle, Menoitius as the father of Patroclus, to support them with good advice. Patroclus is supposed to bring this up to Achilles, but himself to enter the fight with his followers if Achilles cannot be convinced; it would then be easy for Patroclus to push the Trojans back.

805-848: On the way back, Patroclus meets the seriously wounded Eurypylos and speaks to him; He no longer believes in a victory for the Achaeans. Patroclus is at a loss. He treats Eurypylos.

Secondary literature

In the secondary literature the meaning of the 11th song of the Iliad , for example in relation to the Homeric question , is discussed.