Homer's Iliad

Claude Brügger, S. Douglas Olson, Benjamin Millis, Sara Strack

• Publisher: De Gruyter
• Year: 2018
• eBook ISBN: 9783110557190
• Edition: 1
• Topic: Literature
• Subtopic: Ancient & Classical Literary Criticism
• Index: Literature

The renowned Basler Homer-Kommentar of the Iliad, edited by Anton Bierl and Joachim Latacz and originally published in German, presents the latest developments in Homeric scholarship. Through the English translation of this ground-breaking reference work, edited by S. Douglas Olson, its valuable findings are now made accessible to students and scholars worldwide.

Commentary

The events of Book 16 of the Iliad (the aristeia of Patroklos, the so-called ‘Patrokleia’) take place on Day 3 of the battle depicted in the epic (i.e. on Day 26 of the overall storyline of the Iliad); the account of the battle extends across 8 Books (Books 11–18: STR 21 f. with figs. 1 and 2; cf. STOEVESANDT 2004, 58–60) and is held together by a great arc of suspense: in Book 11, Zeus promises Hektor that the latter will on that day advance victoriously to the Achaian ships (11.185–213). In this way, Zeus fulfils Achilleus’ plea that the god help the Trojans and push the Achaians back to their ships in a battle for life or death in order to make Agamemnon realize his mistake (1.407–412; cf. Achilleus’ oath at 1.233–247; Achilleus repeats and hardens his stance toward the Achaian embassy: ‘I will not fight again before Hektor has reached the ships of the Myrmidons’ [9.646–655]; on the origin and development of the ‘anger’-motif in the Iliad, see LATACZ [1985] 1996, 90–106). In fact, Agamemnon, Diomedes, Odysseus, Machaon and Eurypylos are forced to leave the battle due to injury, while Aias must retreat in the face of Trojan dominance (11.248 ff.). At this point, Achilleus, who is following the events on the battlefield from afar (11.599–601), expects a change: ‘Now, the Achaians will beg me on their knees; their distress has become intolerable’ (11.609 f.). He sends his companion Patroklos to Nestor to inquire whether Machaon the physician is one of those leaving the battle (11.611–615); this errand will become ‘the beginning of the end’ for Patroklos (11.604: prolepsisP). Nestor advises Patroklos to convince Achilleus to rejoin battle or, alternatively, to ask him to allow Patroklos to fight with the Myrmidons in Achilleus’ place (11.796–803). On his way back, Patroklos experiences the Achaian distress up close when he encounters and treats the wounded Eurypylos (11.806–848). In the meantime, the battle at the fortifications by the encampment of ships continues to rage, until Hektor manages to force open one of the gates (Book 12). The battle at the ships follows. Under divine influence, the battle surges back and forth (Books 13–15). Given the perilous situation, Patroklos finally leaves Eurypylos and hopes to persuade Achilleus to fight (15.390–404). Patroklos returns to Achilleus at the moment Hektor is standing at the stern of Protesilaos’ ship, as Aias alone is still managing to keep the Trojans from setting fire to the ship (15.704–746). Shocked and with tears streaming, Patroklos stands next to Achilleus (16.1 ff.). Although the Trojans have not quite reached Achilleus’ ships – i.e. given his announcement at 9.646–655 (esp. 655: ‘at my shelter and my ship’), Achilleus does not yet consider himself in a position to intervene in battle without losing face (16.61b–63) – he at least gives in to Patroklos’ plea to let the latter join the battle with the Myrmidons. At the same time, Aias is forced to retreat; the first Achaian ship catches fire (16.102–123). The aristeia of Patroklos begins and is recounted in detail (777n.).

This great arc of suspense has been the subject of much criticism up to the present day (detailed discussion including older bibliography in AH, Anh. on Il. 11, pp. 68–82; EICHHOLZ 1953; ALDEN 2000, 182–185; WEST 2011, 51–58; particularly sharp criticism in JACHMANN 1958, 56–77, 80 f.). Two bones of contention are highlighted here: (1) In Book 11, Achilleus is again awaiting an embassy and an offer of reconciliation from the Achaians – as though a delegation of leaders had not made representations shortly before in Book 9 (the so-called Presbeia) (PAGE 1959, 304–310, but see the interpretation of SCHADEWALDT [1938] 1966, 81 (transl.): ‘In I [= Book 9], the Achaians did not beseech Achilleus ‘on their knees’, i.e. at all costs, but had instead offered to settle’; cf. TSAGARAKIS 1971, 257–263; LLOYD-JONES 1981, 25–27; REICHEL 1994, 118–120 [with bibliography at n. 23]; 72b–73n.; on the links between Books 9 and 16 in detail, see 3–4n., 48–100n., 60–63n., 72b–73n., 83–96n.); (2) the wounded Machaon (see above) is not mentioned again in Book 16 after Patroklos returns to Achilleus, not even in the catalogue of the wounded at 25–27 (WILAMOWITZ 1916, 118 [transl.]: ‘One should not be surprised that no rhapsode inserted the Machaon of whom Patroklos had to speak’, but see the interpretation of BETHE 1914, 143–150 [transl.]: ‘It is thus Nestor’s counsel that matters to the poet, while Achilleus’ question regarding Machaon only serves to motivate Patroklos’ visit to Nestor’ [loc. cit. 144]; similarly, ROTHE 1910, 342 f.; REINHARDT 1961, 264; LESKY [1962] 1966, 74 f.). The underlying function of Patroklos’ errand is to keep Achilleus present in the narrative (or at least mentioned) and to set up the Patrokleia (VON DER MÜHLL 1952, 238; on the latent presence of Achilleus, cf. LATACZ [1985] 1996, 122–125; [1995] 2014, 304 f.; on setting up the Patrokleia, AH, Anh. on Il. 11, p. 50); narratologically, this goal is achieved via an effective picking up and interconnecting of storylines, as well as via ‘covering’ scenesP: in the present Book, see e.g. 1n., 101n., 102–123n., 124n. (SCHADEWALDT loc. cit. 74–79, 94; cf. schol. bT on 15.405 [on which, NÜNLIST 2009, 83–85]; HELLWIG 1964, 98–100, 103; Kurz 1966, 163; DI BENEDETTO [1994] 1998, 247 n. 22; RENGAKOS 1995, 29 f.).

An overview of the action of Book 16 (see also the tabulated overview, p. 8 f.) is facilitated by the following commentary entries among others:

5–100n. (with 7–19n., 21–45n., 48–100n., 60–63n., 83–96n.), 102–123n. (with 122–123n.), 130–277n./130–144n., 168–197n., 198–209n., 231–252n. (with 249–252n.), 255–256n., 268–277n., 278–418n., 306–357n., 358–418n. (with 394–418n. and 399–418n.), 419–683n. (with 431–461n., 492–501n., 508–536n., 563–568n., 569–592n., 608–632n., 633–683n.), 684–867n. (with 712–783n., 777–804n., 784–867n.).

Details:

• on Patroklos: the character of Patroklos and its genesis, 2n. (on P.’s function in the Iliad in general, see the brief but thorough treatment in LfgrE s.v.); apostrophes by the narrator addressed to P., 20n.; the designation of P. as nḗpios ‘fool’, 46–47n., 684–691n. and 833n.; P. designated as therápōn ‘battle companion’, 165n.; exchange of weapons motif (P. puts on Achilleus’ armor), 130–144n. and 278–283n.; the ‘chain of events’ Sarpedon–Patroklos–Hektor–Achilleus, 419–683n. (esp. on the motif of battling over a corpse, 496n., 569–592n., 754–782n., 762–763n., 781–782n.; on the parallels between the deaths of Patroklos and Hektor, 818–863n.); evaluation of P.’s conduct prior to his death, 684–867n., 684–691n., 685n., 745–750n. and 784–867n.;
• on other characters: Apollo, 94n., 513n., 666n., 700n., 715–726n., 791n., 844–850n.; Euphorbos, 806b–815n., 808n., 810–811n.; Sarpedon, 419n., 456–457n., 502–505 with n., 663–665n., 666–683n.;
• on similesP (selection): 7–11n., 155–167n., 259–267n., 297–302an., 384–393n., 406–410n., 428–430n., 589–592n., 633–637n., 742b–743n., 751–754n., 756–761n., 765–771n., 823–828n.;
• on type-scenesP, themesP etc. (in alphabetical order): ABC-scheme, 287–290an.; androktasíē (killing) scene, 306–357n. (also at 399–418n., 692–697n.); aristeia 130–683n.; arming, 130–144n.; battle scene, 284–290an.; contemplation of two options, 646b–655n. and 713–732n.; duel, 419–683n.; libation, 220b–254n.; ‘pattern of rebuke’, 538–583n.; prayer, 231–252n. and 513–529n.; preparations for battle, 130–277n.; speeches of triumph, 830–842n.; ‘thrice – the fourth time’, 702–711n.;
• on the names ‘Achilleus’ and ‘Achaian’, 21–22n.; on the ‘multiple uses’ of personal names, 345n.; on the ditch and wall of the encampment, 369n.; on neoanalytic interpretations, 419–683n., 684–867n., 806b–815n. (in each case at the end); on alternative storylines, ‘if–not’ situations and the notion of fate in epic, 431–461n., 434n., 646b–655n., 707n., 779–780n.; on drops of Zeus’ blood and the darkness on the battlefield, 459–461n., 567–568n.

1–100 Patroklos and Achilleus: Full of worry about the Achaians’ situation, Patroklos returns from his reconnaissance mission. After his urgent pleas, he receives instructions from Achilleus that he and the Myrmidons are to assist the fighters and drive the Trojans away from the ships.

1 ‘The battle for the one ship is, at the same time, a battle for the encampment as a whole’ (FAESI [transl.]). The reference is to t...

Table of contents

• Cover
• Title Page
• Copyright
• Table of Contents
• Preface to the German Edition
• Preface to the English Edition
• Notes for the Reader (including list of abbreviations)
• 24 Rules Relating to Homeric Language (R)
• Overview of the Action in Book 16
• Commentary
• Bibliographic Abbreviations