Iliad Book 11- lions, and dogs, and boars- oh my.
I noticed a great many animal similes in this chapter. My theory is that Homer wants the audience at this point to really root for the Achians, and so continually compares their leader to the king of the jungle. It begins at line 113: Agamemnon is like a lion, stripping his prey of their armor likened to ripping out the soft heart of a young deer. Even if the doe is near, she will not help because of fear- just as the Trojans were too afraid of the Argives at this point in the battle story. At 129 Agamemnon “rose like a lion” upon Peisandros and Hippolochos. Line 172 the trojans are compared to cattle, and the lion, Agamemnon, scares the whole heard and then horrifically kills them one by one as they flee. Line 239- Agamemnon, raging like a lion, beheaded? Iphidamas. The trojans then have a series of similes to dogs and other weaker animals which goes with the idea that the audience sees the Trojans as having more inadequate animal instincts: Starting at line 292 Hektor is described as a huntsman driving his hounds against a lion. Around line 321 Odysseus kills Molion, and then wreaks havoc like a wild boar amongst the hounds. Diomedes calls to Hektor (line 362) “once again you now escaped death, dog.” At line 382 the Trojans are bleating goats shuddering before a lion. And around line 411 Odysseus is a wild boar amongst the hounds. Perhaps though Odysseus is not a lion because he needs to be kept in his place in the hierarchy of the (animal) kingdom?
That is a really interesting point! I saw it as a way of giving characteristics and to help us visualize how the characters are acting and the way they are fighting, but I didn't think of it as Homer picking a side, or having more sympathy to one.
ReplyDeleteAfter reading book 12, I have since disproved my theory that Agamemnon is always the lion. Starting at line 40 in book 12, this time it’s Hektor as lion- going through the battle, rallying his men and not backing down. Though I did notice a lot of ‘Achians as trees’ similes in this chapter, suggesting to me their growing strength and new-found grounded approach in winning the war. I seem to keep finding reasons to 'root' for them.
ReplyDeleteI as well noticed a lot of animal similes throughout the Iliad. I agree that Homer's use of animals signifies almost a hierarchy of power and strength that corresponds to specific soldiers, but I also think he uses animals as a way to describe the state of war. Similarly as it is in nature with wild animals.
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