Book 6 of The Iliad: Hunting for Epic Similes
Comments(14) As you read through Book 6 of the Iliad (and, for Tuesday’s class, Book 9), be on the lookout for what are called “epic similes.” We haven’t yet talked about these in class, but once you know what they are, they’re easy to spot–and they’re all over the place.
Let’s start off by defining what a simile is. Merriam-Webster defines “simile” as “a phrase that uses the words like or as to describe someone or something by comparing it with someone or something else that is similar.” Here are a couple of examples: “the cake was as light as air”; “her dress was as white as snow.” Think about the thing being described in each example (cake, a dress) and what features of it are being emphasized through the simile (lightness, whiteness).
In epic poetry, including The Iliad, similes are often used to make the action more vivid. They can really help us picture what is happening on the battlefield. These similes are often long–rather than being just a few words long, as in the examples above, they can be several lines long. We call these “epic similes.” Here is an example from Book 6 (lines 171-175): “Like the generations of leaves, the lives of mortal men. / Now the wind scatters the old leaves across the earth, / now the living timber bursts with the new buds / and spring comes round again. And so with men: / as one generation comes to life, another dies away.” In this epic simile, the thing being described is “the lives of mortal men.” In order to tell us something about mortal men’s lives, the poet is comparing them to “the generations of leaves.” How might this comparison work? What does it tell us about the lives of mortal men?
Here’s another example, from the opening lines of Book 9: “As crosswinds chop the sea where the fish swarm,/the North Wind and the West Wind blasting out of Thrace/in sudden, lightning attack, wave on blacker wave, cresting, / heaving a tangled mass of seaweed out along the surf–/so the Achaeans’ hearts were torn inside their chests” (ll. 4-8).
Your assignment for this week (due by 11:59 pm on Sunday night) is to find an epic simile in EITHER Book 6 or Book 9 and to tell us 1) what is being described and 2) what it is being compared to. Finally, you must propose an answer to the question, “what does this comparison tell us about the thing being described?” So, to take one of our first, simplest examples, you would answer 1) the cake 2) air 3) we’re being told that the cake is really light and fluffy. Please find a new epic simile, rather than using either of the two examples from The Iliad that are provided above. (Hint: look for the words “Like” and “As” followed several lines later by “so.” And for those who are really stuck…there’s a nice epic simile on page 212.)
This assignment will be key to getting started on your first essay assignment, about which we’ll have more to say in class next week. Please add your thoughts as comments on this post, rather than as new posts to the blog. They can be short or, if you feel inspired and have a lot to say about the simile you’ve found, feel free. Please limit your comments, however, to 300 words maximum. Good luck!
Epic Simile Book 6
As the stallion full-fed at the manger, stalled too long- so down from Pergamus heights came Paris, son of Priam, glittering in his armor like the sun astride the skies, exultant, laughing aloud, his fast feet sped him on.
Paris is a prince of Troy; son of Priam and Hekuba; brother of Hector. Paris fights effectively with a bow and arrow; however, he is not great when fighting with a sword. Paris lacks the spirit for battle and prefers to sit in his room in the presence of Helen while others fight for him. His reputation is that of a “pretty boy”. The warriors of either side did not admire his softness as a warrior, and they often accused him of cowardice. Paris’ description in this particular part of the poem is that of a different man. Now, he is extremely motivated, and mostly because of the strong words said to him by Hector and Helen. Paris is on a mission. He is ready to show all the Trojans that the retreat against Menelaus was a plan of the Gods and he had no control over it. His comparison to a stallion shows the anger, the strength, and the desire that he has to join other Trojan warriors led by his hero and brother Hector, in order to regain the glory and honor lost in the eyes of all. In addition, his comparison to the sun astride the skies, shown the importance of his return to battle is crucial for all the Trojans, by motivating and unifying them. Paris now is the light needed to outshine the darkness brought by the Achaeans. Paris shows that even after all that evil which was done by him he still tries to rebuild his Honor.
Book 9, 15-20
Lord marshal Agamemnon rose up in their midst/streaming tears like a dark spring running down/some desolate rock face, its shaded current flowing./So, with a deep groan, the king addressed his armies:/“ Friends… lords of the Argives, all my captains!…
In this epic simile, Agamemnon’s teary countenance is being compared to an empty and defeated rock, and his tears are being compared to the gloomy current from a nightly spring. This conceit is saying that Agamemnon’s face is flooding with tears that are shaded. The words “dark,” “desolate, “and “shaded” have a negative connotation, most likely meaning defeat, emptiness, and utter poignancy. Therefore, Agamemnon is discouraged, disheartened and subdued, and he addresses his fellow comrades and men a defeatist speech with sorrow and pain.
I returned to this specific passage countless times. Every time I go back to this passage, I think to myself, “Is Homer trying to get the audience to pity Agamemnon for infuriating Achilles?” or “Is Homer trying to get a good laugh from the audience by exaggerating the tears of the king of kings—Agamemnon?” Perhaps, this could be Bathos, instead of Pathos, in which Homer is “milking” the audience so that they can sympathize with his predicament.
“Like a mother bird hurring morsels back to unfledged young/whatever she can catch/but it’s all starvation wages for herself”
In this epic simile, Achilles is rejecting Odysseus’s offer of him coming back to the Achean lines. Achilles forcefully rejects this idea. In the simile, Achilles is comparing himself, someone who worked so hard to protect his own, to a mother bird who would do anything to protect her own. Yet, while she feeds her baby birds, the mother is left with little to no food. Achilles feels the same way about the Achean army. He worked so hard to protect them, yet he got absolutely nothing out of it. He was explaining that after all of his hardships, he got nothing in return. So he forcefully rejects Agamemnons offer to return.
Book 9:390-395 (P.262)
“After suffering hardships,year in,year out,staking my life on the mortal risks of war.
Like a mother bird hurrying morsels back to her unfledged young-whatever she can catch-but it’s all starvation wages for herself.”
This was part of Achilles’ response to Odysseus’ persuasion.Agamemnon wanted Achilles assistance to conquer the city of Troy.Hence,he sent Odysseus and Ajax to persuade Achilles and offered him lots of gifts such as tripods,gold,decent racers and women including Briseis who was taken away from Achilles by Agamemnon.
However,Achilles refused to go back to the battle.He then pointed out that he fought hard in battle but Agamemnon claimed all the prizes,and nothing left for himself.He compared his situation like a mother bird collecting morsels for her babies.No matter how much food the mother bird have found,there is nothing for herself but starvation.Achilles was comparing himself as the mother bird,worked so hard but nothing left for him.I think Achilles believed that he deserved more prizes not only because he did most of the job for Agamemnon(fought most of the battle),but also he considered himself a better warrior,or man than Agamemnon.
Epic Simile – Book 6 Page 212
“ As a stallion full-fed at the manger, stalled too long, breaking free of his tether gallops down the plain – so down from Pergamus heights came Paris, son of Priam.”
In this epic simile the character being described is Paris. He is being compared to a stallion. When I think of a stallion, I think expensive, majestic, beautiful and the best version of a horse. Being that Paris is always described as “Magnificent Paris,” his comparison to a stallion makes perfect sense. This simile emphasizes Paris’s beauty and grace when he moves or in this particular case ride off to war. I think it also touches on how oblivious Paris is on the severances of the war and how the Trojans are losing. Though in the book we hear that Paris is a great soldier, this simile mocks that. All the soldiers have been fighting for years; they are angry and tired and want to go home. While in the case of Paris “full-fed at the manger” he does not seem to be suffering any of the wars consequences. Now that his brother has asked him to go out and fight the war he has started, he rides off excited like an animal that has been kept tied up and finally gets a chance to run free. This comparison shows us how insensitive Paris is to what is happening around him.
“As a stallion full-fed at the manger, stalled too long, breaking free of his tether gallops down the plain, out for his favorite plunge in a river’s cool currents, thundering in his pride–his head flung back, his mane streaming over his shoulders, sure and sleek in his glory, knees racing him on to the fields and stallion–haunts he loves–so down from Pergamus heights came Paris, son of Priam, glittering in his armor like the sun astride the skies, exultant, laughing aloud, his fast feet sped him on.”
1) What is being described in this epic simile is Paris’ charge into battle from his palace in Troy.
2) Paris’ run into battle is being compared to that of a beautiful, galloping stallion free from the bondage of a stable and running through a field with full energy.
3) This comparison is depicting the gracefulness and beauty that Paris radiates as he runs from Pergamus heights into the battlefield. It can even go so far to compare Paris’ long hair to that of the stallion’s mane “streaming over his shoulders” as well as how the stallion is “thundering in his pride” just like Paris as he “exultant,” and, “laughing aloud”.
These epic similes, especially this one, just give such a perfect image of what is occurring. It is as if Homer is saying to himself, “maybe instead of trying to describe Paris with a stallion in mind, I will just describe the stallion, and say it like Paris.”
Book 9 Epic Simile
“Like a mother bird hurrying morsels back/ to unfledged young-whatever she can catch-/but it’s all starvation wages for herself. So for me.” (ll. 392-394)
In this specific passage, Achilles is utilizing the simile to describe himself. He’s comparing the sacrifices he’s made for the Achaeans, for Agamemnon fighting in countless wars, to what a mother bird does, making sacrifices for her young, feeding them while she has barely anything for herself, like he barely gets anything by fighting for Agamemnon.
This comparison is rather inaccurate because a mother bird makes these sacrifices for her babies willingly, while Achilles just sounds extremely bitter, making sacrifices and expecting prizes and recognition in return. He was only a soldier – it’d make sense that Agamemnon, who was the king, would receive the lot, as mentioned further in the passage. Achilles may be the best warrior but he has no reason to be bitter – he is just a pawn in the grander scheme of things, in a sense. ***Additionally, if he knew his place, Agamemnon would not have seized his beloved bride.
Epic Simile
Page 205
“Hecuba went down to a storeroom filled with scent and there they were, brocaded, beautiful robes…/lifting one from the lot, Hecuba brought it out for great Athena’s gift, the largest, loveliest, richly worked, and like a star it glistened, deep beneath the others.”
What is being described in this epic simile is the robe made by Sidonian women.
The robe is compared to a shining star.
The author want to tell us the robe is really shiny and beautiful. It is the best one in town for Athena’s gift.
Book 6 Epic simile
“son of Priam, glittering in his armor like the sun astride the skies, exultant, laughing aloud, his fast feet sped him on.” (page 212 line 600)
At this moment Paris comes out of his bedroom ready to fight. This is after Hector, his brother, insults Paris once again for not fighting in the war. His wife Helen told him winning and imspirational words to bring him back to battle and he comes out in his gleaming bronze armor which is the thing being described here in this epic simile. The armor is being compared to the bright sun which extends across the sky. The comparison of Paris’ armor and the sun shows that he wants to looks good even in battle because that’s the type of person he is, he wants to look good and that is what he is known for. More importantly this comparison shows that he is a coward for the simple reason that, his armor is gleaming like the sun, meaning it is clean and it hasn’t really been used to fight. Most of the time it is just sitting there untouched since Paris isn’t out there fighting in the war but staying in his cozy home and letting others fight for him.
Book 6 Epic Simile
“As a stallion full-fed at the manger, stalled too long, breaking free of his tether gallops down the plain, out for his favorite plunge in a river’s cool currents, thundering in his pride–his head flung back, his mane streaming over his shoulders, sure and sleek in his glory, knees racing him on to the fields and stallion–haunts he loves–so down from Pergamus heights came Paris, son of Priam, glittering in his armor like the sun astride the skies, exultant, laughing aloud, his fast feet sped him on.”
This simile is comparing Paris rejoining battle to a graceful, majestic stallion running through the meadows. This comparison embodies Paris’s image and reputation as a powerful leader. However, Homer is presenting irony and humor in this simile. Paris may look majestic and skilled but in actuality he knows little about the realities and horrors of war, considering he has not felt the consequences himself. Homer’s intentions are further hinted at by “his armor like the sun astride the skies, exultant, laughing aloud, his fast feet sped him on”, adding an unseen humor to the Trojans . We rarely see any of the Greeks laughing, so this is a first, allowing the reader to see Homer’s intended irony.
“a servant holding the boy against her breast, in the first flush of life, only a baby, Hector’s son, the darling of his eyes and radiant as a star…”
1)Hector’s son.
2)The boy is compared to a star
3)Here, the baby, Hector’s son is being described as a star that his face is so bright and glows like a star in Hector’s eyes. And his background, as a son of Hector, who “was the lone defense of Troy” that townsmen called him the Lord of the City, is noble like a star in the sky.
“She Joined him now, and following in her steps a servant holding the boy against her breast, in the first flush of life, only a baby, “Hector’s son, the darling of his eyes and radiant as a star…”” page 209, line 274-275. Hector’s son is being described as a star. We’re being told that Hector’s son is radiant as a star.
Epic simile book 6
“Zeus, all you immortals! Grant his boy, my son, may be like me, first in glory among the Trojans, strong and brave like me, and rule all Troy in power and one day let them say, ‘He is a better man than his father!’ – when he comes home from battle bearing the bloody gear of the mortal enemy he has killed in war – a joy to his mother’s heart.” (Page 211)
The lines are to describe after Hector came home from the war to give a message to his mom for a go to Athena with robes and some riches and pray for her about protecting Troy if Athena had pity on Trojan. Then after Hector finished telling a message to mom for Trojan, Hector went to his wife and watched his son and started praying to Zeus to tell about his son to live well as Hector did even though after Hector dying. Hector wanted to his son to be proud of after died. Hector was comparing between himself and he’s a son. Hector wanted a son to grow better than him as powerful and brave.
Like a mother bird hurrying morsels back…to unfledged young.. whatever she can catch.. but it’s all starvation wages for herself.
In this quote Achilles is comparing himself to a mother bird. I thought about how a mother bird acts. She hustles for food to give to her babies, as the babies wait in the nest waiting for their food. I feel as if Achilles is comparing this scenario to his relationship with Agamemnon and the Greek. He feels as if he is the mother of Greece, going out and fighting in these wars. He brings back what Greece waits for, honor and success. He is expressing that the mother makes sacrifices, but that may not be entirely true in Achilles case. Achilles gets the honor he deserves, and is not afraid to boast about it. Even in book 9 where I got this quote, it shows how cocky Achilles can be because Agamemnon is asking for Achilles to come back and fight, and he responds in this rant about himself.