Epic Summer: The Iliad, post 8

Let's talk about metaphors.  Homer likes to use image-based ones (oral tradition thing, I assume) but what I really like is how he belabors them.  For instance, when the Greeks are bearing away the body of Patroclus, the Trojans "flew after them like hounds attacking a wounded boar at the lieu of a band of young huntsmen."

These days we might leave it at that, letting the reader imagine what that means, but Homer goes on to explain what he means: "For a while the hounds fly at him as though they would tear him in pieces. But now and again he turns on them in a fury, scaring and scattering them in all directions. Even so did the Trojans for a while charge in a body, striking with sword and with spears pointed at both the ends, but when the two Ajaxes faced them and stood at bay they were turned pale."

I guess this also has to do with what we think of as "good storytelling" or "good literature" these days.  The rule is generally "Show don't tell."  But I think that sometimes comes at the expense of enjoyment.  Explication can be beneficial! 

I recently saw a quote from Donna Tartt that said "The first duty of the novelist is to entertain. It is a moral duty. People who read your books are sick, sad, traveling, in the hospital waiting room while someone is dying. Books are written by the alone for the alone."

The question is how to do that.  Hmmmmm.

Book 16: Here's the part of the story I know best.  Patroclus goes to Achilles and berates him a little for letting his anger stand in the way of helping their friends.  Then he asks if he can take Achilles armor and the Myrmidons (Myrmidons?) and go fight, to which Achilles says "Sure, just don't get carried away in the heat of battle and try to kill Hector or sack Troy, because that's MY JOB!"  (Patroclus doesn't say "Well, then go DO IT, jerkwad."  But he probably thinks it.)

Patroclus goes into battle and the Greeks see this Achilles-looking guy and get all excited, and the battle turns in favor of the Greeks.  Patroclus is a mad-man, killing 27 Trojans at a time, crushing their brains, stabbing their shoulders, all sorts of death raining down.  He even kills Sarpedon, a son of Zeus it seems. But then he gets a little battle crazed?  And tries to take Troy and kill Hector?  So Apollo smacks him in the head, dazing him, and Hector stabs him in the gut.  Bye-bye Patroclus. 

Book 17: Now Hector gloats a lot and takes Achilles' armor, and everyone starts fighting over Patroclus' body.  This chapter is filled with the back and forth, the gods get involved a little (Apollo and Athena, each to their chosen side) and the Trojans fight their way back towards the Greek ships.

That's all I got for ya there.