A. has written a lively, accessible and informative introduction to Homer's Iliad. In the preface, he states that the volume ‘seeks to offer a clear and stimulating introduction to Homer's Iliad, suitable for undergraduate students of Greek or Classical Civilization … It will also be of interest, I hope, to other students of literature and history, and to the general reader’ (p. 7). In this aim, A. has succeeded. In 70 pages, the book discusses most of the questions that regularly arise when teaching the Iliad to lower level students, supporting clear and engaging interpretative statements with relevant examples. The unpretentious and direct style makes the book welcoming to students, and even advanced readers will find insights that are new to them.
The book includes a short preface, a map of Greece and Asia Minor, five chapters, an epilogue (consisting of a single brief paragraph) and suggestions for further reading. Chapter 1, ‘Homer and Early Greek Epic’, discusses early Greek poetry and the position of the poet of the Iliad within that tradition. It defines the epic genre, surveys major theories about how the Homeric poems were written down, explores what a ‘traditional’ poem is like for both the audience and the poet, and discusses the relationship of the Iliad to historical events. This chapter – and the book as a whole – contains many beautifully stated insights, where a fundamental and correct point is made in language that is very clear. For instance, on oral composition, A. says, ‘“composition in performance” is extemporaneous, but also premeditated’ (pp. 16–17). This brief sentence effectively conveys the crucial point that ‘oral’ does not mean ‘improvisational’.
Although Chapter 1 contains many individual interpretations of value, overall I found it the least satisfying chapter in the book. This is because, despite the many correct points, A. repeatedly states as facts ideas that are contested among Homeric scholars, such as ‘it is clear that there is a single creative intelligence behind each poem’ (p. 12). Many would strenuously disagree with this formulation; offering it without qualification does a real disservice to the complexities of the debate about where the Homeric poems come from. This approach to Homer – a specific person whose poems were written down in his own lifetime – will bother some readers much more than others. But even for those who disagree, the usefulness of Chapters 2–5 is for the most part unaffected by this approach to the figure of Homer.
Chapter 2, ‘Language, Style, and Structure’, introduces the basic features of Homeric poetry and language, such as formulas, type scenes, similes and direct speech. The transition to similes on p. 28 is rather abrupt; this is one of several places where subheadings within the chapters would have been helpful. A. has achieved the impressive feat of making illuminating points about several complex subjects within just ten pages, although discussions of the poem's structure and of ring composition in the last two pages seem a little rushed. One of the most noteworthy of the chapter's points is, ‘with such a poet [i.e. a skilled one] there is no conflict between tradition and innovation; on the contrary, it is the traditional style which makes his individual creativity possible in the first place’ (p. 26). This is one of the best statements of the relationship between tradition and individual artistry that I have read. Similarly, in a discussion of the function of similes in battle scenes on p. 29, A. points out that ‘most of the similes depict turbulence, hostility, and suffering of various kinds and thus intensify (rather than negate) the force and violence of the narrative’. This observation makes a helpful contribution to an ongoing debate about the function of Homeric similes in battle scenes.
Chapter 3, ‘The Hero and Heroic Society’, begins with an incisive definition of what a hero is: ‘men from a distinct period from our own … characterized by their excessiveness, both for good and for ill … there is a tension within heroism itself in that the very energy which makes the heroes outstanding is also the source of their instability and danger (both to themselves and to others)’ (p. 35). This statement clearly encapsulates the major aspects of heroism in a compelling way that invites students to apply it both to the Iliad and to ‘excessive’ characters with whom they are acquainted from elsewhere (either literature or real life). It also sets up a key theme consistently stressed in the chapter, the relation of a hero to his social group(s). The chapter goes on to define the important Greek terms related to heroism, such as geras and timê. As the chapter proceeds, it explores the concepts explained at the beginning in relation to specific heroes, especially Hector (where the quantity of specific examples sometimes seems large enough to become plot summary rather than clearly relevant supporting evidence for the chapter's main ideas) and Achilles.
Perhaps inevitably, I disagree with some of the specific statements about Hector and Achilles, such as on p. 45: ‘the repeated [emphasis original] mutilation of Hector's body … and Achilles’ inability to escape his grief and self-loathing despite this ultimate humiliation of his enemy, show that his approach to vengeance is self-defeating'. Contrary to his usual practice, A. does not explain clearly how his evidence supports this claim. In my view, Achilles' behaviour after the death of Hector shows not that his vengeance is self-defeating, but how extremely powerful his grief for Patroclus is. Since students are prone to see Achilles as a ‘cry-baby’, as an undergraduate in one of my classes recently said, I would prefer that a volume intended for students do more to counteract that tendency by explaining how Achilles' behaviour can be seen in a positive light within the heroic world of the Iliad. Overall, however, this chapter is consistently strong and engaging, and will give students many useful tools for thinking about Homeric heroes.
Chapter 4, ‘Mortals and Immortals’, discusses what the gods are like, their family structures, double motivation (or double determination) and the relationship between Zeus and fate, which is a perennial stumbling block for students that is clearly explained here without being oversimplified. Somewhat unexpectedly, almost half of the chapter explores the Trojans' culpability for their own destruction. As this analysis proceeds, it seems to lose touch with the main focus on gods and mortal, even though it concludes with the relevant and illuminating statement that ‘Zeus’ feelings of pity at Troy's destruction and his conviction that the fall of Troy is right are not mutually exclusive' (p. 59). Chapter 5, ‘War and Family Life’, considers the relationship of gender and war (the overview from the first paragraph of the chapter is a better guide to its contents than the title). While noting that women are subordinate to men, both in peace and in war, A. points out that ‘the Iliad also insists on the positive value of women's roles’ (p. 65). More than the preceding four chapters, this one appears to describe fairly standard aspects of the issues it focusses on, rather than offering engaging interpretations of them. This is reflected in the suggested reading list for Chapter 5, which relies more heavily than any of the others on chapters from companions rather than on free-standing treatments. The suggested reading list – all in English, as one would expect for an Anglophone audience – includes a section on texts, commentaries and translations; one on general works; and lists of up to fifteen works for each of the chapters that consist primarily of recent books by influential scholars. My disagreements with A. are isolated criticisms that do not meaningfully detract from the overall quality of this slim but substantial and engaging volume.
