FRIDAY, AUGUST 7, 2026
He was delighting his heart: We've beaten the famous resource to death, but we promised we'd do it.
We promised we'd show you what comes next, after these treasured lines from Professor Fagles' translation of the Iliad:
BOOK NINE
The Embassy to Achilles
[...]
So Ajax and Odysseus made their way at once
where the battle lines of breakers crash and drag,
praying hard to the god who moves and shakes the earth
that they might bring the proud heart of Achilles
round with speed and ease.
The rage of Achilles now has that great warrior sulking in his tent. Nestor, the seasoned charioteer--he always gave the best advice--has directed Odysseus and two other men to go there and persuade him to return to the fight.
Understandably, they're praying to the god who moves the earth as they proceed down the shore. What do they find when the shelters in question, this is what they find:
[continuing directly]
Reaching the Myrmidon shelters and their ships,
they found him there, delighting his heart now,
plucking strong and clear on the fine lyre
beautifully carved, its silver bridge set firm,
he won from the spoils when he razed Eetion's city.
Achilles was lifting his spirits with it now,
singing the famous deeds of fighting heroes.
Across from him Patroclus sat alone, in silence,
waiting for Aeacus' son to finish with his song.
Achilles was lifting his spirits, delighting his heart, with thoughts of all the treasure, and perhaps of all the young persons, other heroes had stolen away.
That scene almost strikes us as comic relief. We've had a question in recent years:
Even now, is the Iliad taught this way?
Achilles acquired that lyre by armed robbery.
ReplyDeleteThe Achaeans were thugs.
ReplyDeleteAchilles and Patroclus were lovers.
ReplyDeleteEven now, is the Iliad taught this way?
Achilles exploited Patroclus.
DeleteAchilles abused Patroclus.
DeleteIt is explicit in Aeschylus’ The Myrmidons.
DeleteIt is considered educational malpractice to teach The Iliad this, or any other way. We are not breeding young warriors now.
ReplyDeleteSomerby complains about Kant's "A critique of Pure Reason" while bathing himself in this trash?
ReplyDeleteThe Illiad clearly has no lessons for our times.
ReplyDeleteThe lesson is “Don’t act like the Achaeans.”
Delete"Even now, is the Iliad taught this way?" You tell, us, Bob.
ReplyDeleteThe WNBA says they support the trans nonsense. Their sincerity is going to be tested.
ReplyDeleteEnes Kanter Freedom (he added the last name) is a Turkish basketball player who played 11 years in the NBA, retiring after the 2022 season. He is also a human rights advocate who has been nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize, is a wanted man in Turkey and has been critical of the Chinese Communist regime.
Today he announced for the 2027 WNBA draft, while wearing a WNBA hoodie:
https://www.powerlineblog.com/archives/2026/08/1st-nba-player-declares-for-wnba.php
He has been critical of the Chinese Communist regime.
DeleteThere are roughly 530,000 collegiate NCAA athletes. The president of the NCAA estimates that the number of transsexual NCAA athletes is less than 10. That explains why republicans are so focussed on this issue. There is no underestimating its importance.
DeleteFuck you, DiC.
DeleteI would certainly vote him in, provided, of course, that he is willing to be the receptacle of my sexual ambitions.
DeleteWho is Aeacus’ son?
ReplyDeleteHe is a make- believe figure designed to ferret out the nerdiest among us, who are recognized as such by virtue of their questions about him.
Delete