Book 12 The Omen
In Book 12
of the Iliad, there is a foreshadowing or omen I found interesting. The Trojans
were about to march down to tear down the Achaean’s wall to get to their ship,
when an eagle with a red snake appeared
in the sky. Homer writes, “As they were urgent to cross a bird sign had appeared
to them…” (line 200-206). The warrior took this as a sign to retreat and go
back. The Trojans interpreted the bird as the Achaeans and themselves as the
snake that falls still fighting. What surprised me about this scene was that
when everyone was scared and wanted to retreat, Hector took this as a sign to
keep fighting for his people. Hector says, “One bird sign is best: to fight in
defense of our country” (line 243). In other words, Hector is reminding his men
why they are fighting for in the first place. Homer is in a way depicting
Hector as a nationalist and he stands true to his word.
I had a different take on the bird sign when I first read it. I thought that the Trojans were the bird, and that perhaps it was a foreshadowing that even though the Acheans/snake was being defeated currently, they would ultimately retaliate in the end. I’m curious what other people’s interpretations are considering that it is not clear (to me) in the text that this sign was sent directly from Zeus.
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