Literature and History

Episode 10: Homer's Gods (Homer's Iliad, Books 9-16)

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Mar 27, 2016
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ANECDOTE

Arachne's Challenge

  • In Ovid's Metamorphoses, Arachne challenges Athena to a weaving contest.
  • Her tapestry depicts the gods' crimes, angering Athena who turns her into a spider.
INSIGHT

Homer's Ambivalent Gods

  • Homer's gods are neither good nor evil, reflecting ancient Greek ambivalence towards morality.
  • This differs from later views where Zeus was seen as a figure of justice and order.
INSIGHT

Eris's Golden Apple

  • The Trojan War wasn't caused by Paris and Helen but by Eris, the goddess of strife.
  • Eris's golden apple, "for the fairest," sparked a divine beauty contest, leading to Paris's choice and the war.
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