Another movie about Odysseus’ return to Ithaca came out in December, it’s called The Return, with Ralph Fiennes and Juliette Binoche. Previews looked pretty good, haven’t seen it yet.
Off-topic a bit here, but I bought the book From you guys online. "The Essential Classics." I think that's the title. I bought it for myself. I have a young son, an EE engineer at a nuclear power plant. I commonly joke that all his books look like greek.... Nothing but's scigrigly math. I bought this for myself. He opened it while he was visiting thinking that it was a package for him, some computer stuff... He asked me about the book and I told him to keep it. " There are people who know you by what you do and how you live. There's also the person on paper. Learn some new Greek stuff It'll make you better in both spheres." After telling him I want the book back. We were traveling by car over Christmas and his oldest sister saw him reading What are you reading? He was burning through it. He held it up cover forward. She was confused. What? You told her" It's a slow read but it's pretty good." She asked if she could read after him. There is hope!
There is an argument to be made -- and has been made, but, unfortunately, I do not remember by whom right now -- that Odysseus' lie to Laertius was the outcome of disposition (he has been employing this technique to save his skin throughout the epic) and foresight. He has been away for 10 years and has overcome many struggles and adversity. He can, for sure, assume his father's love and loyalty, but nothing is certain, nor even whether that would be his father and not another ploy of the gods. Thus, true to his character, he employed his nous to 'test' his father (also, from a poetic standpoint, as Aristotle notes in his poetic, a nice recognition can go a long way).
Lastly, and for this, I turn to classicist Jaeger, the Ancient Greek world was/become immensely Anthropocentric (Humanocentric); for the Ancient Greeks, "above man as a member of the horde, and man as a supposedly independent personality, stands man as an ideal” (Jaeger, Paideia, pg xxiv), and as he suggests, every aspect of Greek culture (poetry, philosophy, literature, plays, etc.) can be understood as an intellectual search for and interest in the true nature of Human; what it means to be Human?
So, yes, I would certainly agree with the notion of the Homeric Epics being a means for a psychological reflection on Human action and psyche.
(references: Jaeger, W., 1973. Paideia - The Ideals of Greek Culture (Volume I). Oxford: Oxford University Press. see pages: xxii-xxiv & 279-286)
Different times. Everyone without the largest sword was a sex slave. It's bad enough for men at the time. Horrible for women. It's horrible in the rear view mirror but I believe that everybody expected it. They just wanted to survive.
Different time indeed regarding both sexual slavery and expectations of fidelity. I believe Odysseus initially humored Calypso by sleeping with her willingly but didn’t love her and wanted to leave. Then, of course there’s Circe to explain. Odysseus sure had a lot of sexual attachments to overcome to get back to his wife culminating with resisting the sirens by summoning the willpower, waxed ears and bindings needed to prevent his sexual impulses from destroying him completely.
Another movie about Odysseus’ return to Ithaca came out in December, it’s called The Return, with Ralph Fiennes and Juliette Binoche. Previews looked pretty good, haven’t seen it yet.
I've heard really good things! It's surprising no one is talking about it... what a cast!
It is on my 'to watch' list for next weekend!
(hehe)
Let us know what you think!!
Off-topic a bit here, but I bought the book From you guys online. "The Essential Classics." I think that's the title. I bought it for myself. I have a young son, an EE engineer at a nuclear power plant. I commonly joke that all his books look like greek.... Nothing but's scigrigly math. I bought this for myself. He opened it while he was visiting thinking that it was a package for him, some computer stuff... He asked me about the book and I told him to keep it. " There are people who know you by what you do and how you live. There's also the person on paper. Learn some new Greek stuff It'll make you better in both spheres." After telling him I want the book back. We were traveling by car over Christmas and his oldest sister saw him reading What are you reading? He was burning through it. He held it up cover forward. She was confused. What? You told her" It's a slow read but it's pretty good." She asked if she could read after him. There is hope!
I am an avid movie goer and I wanted to see it. Unfortunately, it had a short shelf life. I bet that means it's good....
There is an argument to be made -- and has been made, but, unfortunately, I do not remember by whom right now -- that Odysseus' lie to Laertius was the outcome of disposition (he has been employing this technique to save his skin throughout the epic) and foresight. He has been away for 10 years and has overcome many struggles and adversity. He can, for sure, assume his father's love and loyalty, but nothing is certain, nor even whether that would be his father and not another ploy of the gods. Thus, true to his character, he employed his nous to 'test' his father (also, from a poetic standpoint, as Aristotle notes in his poetic, a nice recognition can go a long way).
Lastly, and for this, I turn to classicist Jaeger, the Ancient Greek world was/become immensely Anthropocentric (Humanocentric); for the Ancient Greeks, "above man as a member of the horde, and man as a supposedly independent personality, stands man as an ideal” (Jaeger, Paideia, pg xxiv), and as he suggests, every aspect of Greek culture (poetry, philosophy, literature, plays, etc.) can be understood as an intellectual search for and interest in the true nature of Human; what it means to be Human?
So, yes, I would certainly agree with the notion of the Homeric Epics being a means for a psychological reflection on Human action and psyche.
(references: Jaeger, W., 1973. Paideia - The Ideals of Greek Culture (Volume I). Oxford: Oxford University Press. see pages: xxii-xxiv & 279-286)
Were his stories true? A guy comes home ten years late and tells his wife he was held as a sex slave for seven years. Enough said?
Different times. Everyone without the largest sword was a sex slave. It's bad enough for men at the time. Horrible for women. It's horrible in the rear view mirror but I believe that everybody expected it. They just wanted to survive.
Hey Bill,
Different time indeed regarding both sexual slavery and expectations of fidelity. I believe Odysseus initially humored Calypso by sleeping with her willingly but didn’t love her and wanted to leave. Then, of course there’s Circe to explain. Odysseus sure had a lot of sexual attachments to overcome to get back to his wife culminating with resisting the sirens by summoning the willpower, waxed ears and bindings needed to prevent his sexual impulses from destroying him completely.
That was great! I've never heard about this conspiracy theory! Loved it! Thanks!