Prep For Essay Exam 3

Almost forgot!

See the post below for directions. Make sure you actually READ the prompt :)

But think about the following for your essay exam preparation:

1. How are the character's portrayed. why? (Hercules, Cheiron, Hades, Persephone, Deaneira, etc)

2. If something is funny or cheesy, why is it?

3. What do the goals of the directors/producers seem to be for this show?

4. Who is the intended audience? Do you think the show works for them?

5. Consider the errors/inaccuracies of the show. Do these ruin the show or does it still work in spite of them? How so?

Reminders :)

Hi Everyone!

I hope you've all had a good week. Here are a few reminders for you...

1. The 3rd essay prompt is on COMPASS (http://compass.illinois.edu). There is only ONE prompt this time, which means this is the EXACT prompt that will appear on the exam, so prepare accordingly.

2. You need to watch the Hercules TV episode on Compass in order to prepare for the third essay exam. You need REAL PLAYER in order to view it, so if you don't have that program go to the library and watch it with your headphones there. There are 2 parts to this episode, make sure to watch both of them.

3. Friday's class ended early because only a handful of people had watched the episodes. I handed back the 2nd essay exam. So, if you want yours back come to my office hours on Thursday 11-1.

4. Don't forget the 3 homework assignments that are due by MAY 14th. They are 3 points each. The should be about 1 page long each. Search your email for the directions, or email me and I can resend them.

Have a good week!

Google Earth ROME!

Check it out... http://earth.google.com/rome/

Prep For Essay Exam 2

Hi Everyone!

Good luck today on Exam 2. The following are a few tips for this week's essay exam.

1. I will not be there for the ADE 1 pm section. My advisor for next year has invited me to a lunch with a guest lecturer which I don't want to miss. Amy Norgard, the head TA, will be administering your exam. Be nice to her!

2. For the shield of Achilles prompt... I know there are online sources that cover this topic. Be aware that there are mistakes in these sources as well. Furthermore, I expect that you will be able to discuss this passage and it's relation to the rest of the poem in deeper detail than Sparknotes or Wikipedia does. I understand that you might need help reviewing, but that's why I gave you my Iliad notes on this Blog :) I suggest that you re-read the end of Book 18 several times over and look at class notes and my Blog notes. Feel free to ask me any questions you may still have.

3. Passage quotations. Although you are not required to use direct quotations, you should be able to refer to specific examples and passages. If you choose to use direct quotations, please use the following citation example: "Sing Muse of the Anger of Achilles...." (Iliad, 1.1-5)

4. Remember that the more specific examples you can use to support your argument in your essay the better off you will be. Giving me examples like "Well, Achilles was angry at the beginning and stopped being angry at the end" are too basic and elementary without further explanation. Go for QUALITY over quantity.

5. Remember you guys have 2 works to review for the essay exam: Nietzsche and the Iliad. I know Nietzsche is hard but don't just assume that you can get away with only knowing the Iliad. If you weren't there in class, review my notes and a friend's notes from that day in class.

BB King as another example of ecstasis

Thanks for the link Roshan :) Please tell me you guys know who BB King is... 

Feel free to suggest other examples if you find any which you think are better. They would be much appreciated.

Modern relations to Maenadism, Ecstasis, etc.

Hi Everyone,

Here are the links to various things related to our discussion today. I would REALLY appreciate it if you would take the time to post a comment which rates these links.

Link on Psychological term "Flow"

NY Times article on Out of Body Experiences

Modern Maenadism (Or what they claim to be modern maenadism) from the Pagan Forum (go figure, huh?).

And now for a bunch of YouTube Videos...

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Comments & Reminder: Nietzsche's article this week!

Hi Everyone,

I have a few comments for you all...

1. Exit Slip 2 has been graded and sent to Amy Norgard to be uploaded to Compass. This was graded out of 7 points with the following break down per question:

Part (A): 1 point for answering the question "What do you believe is the relationship between emotion and religion?"

Part (B): 2 points for answering "After viewing the human sacrifice scene from Pasolini's Medea, what is your immediate reaction to human sacrifice? Why is it done?

Part (C): 4 points for answering "Discuss the elements of emotion, irrationality, and enthusiasm in religious cults (enthusiasm here in the Greek sense of the word: en + theos).

Many of you did not receive full credit because the answers were incomplete. I tried to be fair but I also took into account the fact that you had 2 days of lecture to write this, which means the answer was expected to be more in-depth and thought out than the usual Pre-Quiz. If you want to contest your grade, you will need to email me to schedule a time to discuss your assignment.

2. There have been a lot of absences and missing assignments recently. For the most part, I'll give you credit as long as you turn it in. Remember that the reading responses are 10 points total for the discussion grade and that attendance is 11 points total. So although they may seem trivial, not doing 5 of them will drop you a HALF letter grade. Just keep that in mind as the semester comes to a close. There's only 6 weeks left, you can make it!

3. Web Searches & Pre-Quizzes, Grades in general: I know these seem stupid but you do actually have to do them and put some amount of effort into them. I will not give full credit to one sentence answers or a list of 5 web sites. So, if you want to make sure you get the maximum possible points, make sure you do your part to correctly and thoroughly complete the assignment. They really shouldn't take more than 20-30 minutes to complete. On the other hand, you SHOULD expect to spend more than 5 minutes. Remember, your grade reflects the amount of effort YOU put into the assignment, so don't complain if you're not willing to put in the effort.

4. We're reading Nietzsche's The Birth of Tragedy this week. This is a bit of a rough article. Make sure you actually try to read it or class this week will be horrendous.

Need a Class to take for next Fall 09?

Professor Ariana Traill is teaching the Heroic Tradition (CLCV 221).

She's a great professor and it should be a fun class. I believe it also satisfies more Gen-Eds :)

I'd be happy to answer more questions.

Mistake!!!!! Ahhh :)

Hi Everyone,

So in today's 9:00 section I think I may have said that Phaedra is the sister of Europa (from the story about Europa and the Bull). However this is actually incorrect.

The real deal:

Europa & Zeus = story of Europa and the Bull, where Zeus becomes white bull with whom Europa becomes enamored and decides to take a swim in the sea on his back. Zeus, as the white bull, takes Europa to the island of Crete where he reveals himself and seduces her. She then becomes the queen of Crete.

Europa also has a son, Minos. He becomes the king of crete and marries Pasiphae. They have several children: Ariadne, Deucalion, Phaedra, Androgeus, etc.

Minos was supposed to sacrifice a bull to Poseidon but thinks it's too pretty. Poseidon, angry on account of the dishonor, causes Pasiphae to fall in love with the bull (The Cretan Bull). She has a wooden cow created in which she can fit in order to have an affair with the bull. Out of this consummation comes the Minotaur, a monster half-man and half-bull.

Minos locks up this monster in the Labyrinth into which Theseus is later thrown to be killed by the Minotaur. Of course, Theseus, with the aid of Ariadne, actually ends up killing the Minotaur and running away with Ariadne instead.

Anyway, sorry about the mistake. 2 different bull stories from the same family :)

Iliad Review 19-24

Book 19:

Achilles gets his new armor... 5-15

Achilles & Agamemnon are reconciled

Briseis speaks... 287-300

Briseis claims that she was "engaged" to Achilles. Proof that she's not actually his wife!!

Neoptolemos... 326-327

Achilles son. Neoptolemos is the one who actually kills King Priam. This story is also found in the Aeneid and NOT in the Iliad. Don't be confused by the movie Troy, in which Menelaos kills Priam, because it's wrong.

Achilles Arming scene... 367-399

Compare to arming scene of Patroklos and Hera

Xanthos (Achilles' horse) speaks... 400-424

Hera allowed Xanthos to speak. So, Xanthos prophesies Achilles' death.

Achilles RAGE elevates to a divine level, thus he speaks with Xanthos without noticing that his horse actually spoke to him.

Book 20:

Zeus assembles the Gods... 13-40

a. Gods return to battle because of Achilles' unfair advantage

Achilles reappears... 42

Apollo urges Aineas (Aeneas) to fight Achilles...86

FLYTING between Achilles and Aineas... 156-258

Poseidon must choose whether to save Aineas... 310

a. What do we already know about Aineas' fate? (i.e. Virgil's Aeneid)

b. How does he escape death at the hands of Achilles?

Achilles kills Hektor's brother, Polydoros... 419

First Interaction between Achilles and Hektor... 365

Apollo saves Hektor... 440

a. Achilles rushes the mist 3 times and fails, 4th time he breaks into it but isn't able to harm Hektor

Achilles kills a lot of people... 455-500

Book 21:

Lykaon... 35

River Skamander (a.k.a. Xanthos River)... 214

a. Gets mad at Achilles because of the number of corpses in the river.

b. Tries to drown Achilles

c. Achilles says WTF... 275

d. Hephaistos sends an "inhuman fire" to fight the river

-- Fire vs. Water battle = ELEVATED POETRY

-- 365-512 Arguments & fighting between Gods

Agenor (Trojan) fights Achilles... 544

Apollo saves Agenor in a "mist". Achilles chases them... 595

Book 22:

Achilles & Apollo interact. Apollo tells Achilles to back off... 5-20

Priam sees Achilles & begs Hektor not to fight him... 25-76

Hecabe/Hecuba also begs Hektor not to fight... 77-89

Hektor's internal debate... 90

Hektor sees Achilles & flees. Achilles chases him 3 times... 135

Gods look down & debate over who should win... 165

Hektor tries to bargain with Achilles but does not succeed... 255

Achilles kills Hektor... 325-360

Hektor begs not to be fed to the dogs... 338

Achilles strips Hektor of his armor & Achaians stab his corpse

Achilles drags Hektor's body... 395

Andromache learns of Hektor's death and mourns... 437

Andromache mourns & bemoans the future of Astyanax (son)... 485

Book 23:

Funeral preparations & pyre for Patroklos

-- a pyre is a structure on which you place a body in order to burn it (i.e. ancient cremation)

Funeral Games for Patroklos (in his honor)

Book 24:

Thetis & Achilles... 133

Priam finds Achilles in the Achaian camp... 468

Priam's Speech to Achilles... 485

Achilles lets go of his anger... 512-516

Achilles speaks to Priam... 560-570

Achilles helps Priam get Hektor's body ready to carry back to Troy... 590

Achilles calls out to Patroklos not to be angry... 592

Kassandra is first to see her father, Priam, carrying Hektor's body... 699

Hektor's funeral & end of the Iliad... 778

Coming up on Friday: GREEK THEATER!!

Iliad Review 13-18

Book 14:

Hera's arming scene... 153-223

Aphrodite lends her the "zone"

Women's arming scene is a bit of a parody on Book 2's Catalogue of ships.

Also compare to arming scenes of Patroklos and Achilles

Seduction of Zeus...292-360

Is Zeus really omniscient/omnipotent?

How do the divine affairs parallel human affairs?

What can this scene tell us about Greek social norms for women?

Book 15:

Zeus's prophesy... 5-77

Zeus wakes up from his seduction nap... 4-91

Book 16:

Patroklos' arming scene with Achilles' armor... 130-154

Achilles prays to Zeus... 220-248

Zeus Hears Achilles' prayer. He grants ONE wish but NOT the second... 249-256

Zeus, Hera, Sarpedon... 419

Zeus tries to interfere with the fate of Sarpedon (his son)... 433-461

What does this tell us about fate?

What would happen if Zeus DID interfere?

Death of Patroklos = Death of a SUBSTITUTE!!... 816-end

Book 17:

Menelaos defends the body of Patroklos...6-105

Apollo encourages Hektor... 69-81

Menelaos is forced to surrender the body of Patroklos to Hektor... 89-105

Menelaos talks to Aias about getting the naked body back (armor was stripped)... 120

Aias stops Hektor from decapitating Patroklos' corpse... 125-131

Hektor gives Achilles' armor to the Trojans... 130-131

Aias protects corpse of Patroklos... 132-139

Glaukos shames Hektor on the behalf of  Sarpedon... 140-168

Glaukos suggests a barter with the heroes' corpses... 156-164

-- If the Trojans could have secured Patroklos' body, they could have bargained for Sarpedon's body with the Achaians.

Zeus comments on the action... 198-208

Fight over Patroklos' corpse ensues... 237-581

Menelaos saves the corpse of Patroklos... 574-581

Achaians carry the body of Patroklos back to the ships... 735

Book 18:

"Achilles is told of Patroklos' death. Achilles mourns Patroklos and Hephaistos makes him a new shield"

Nestor tells Achilles the news... 15-21

Achilles mourns Patroklos... 22-31

Achilles speaks with Thetis... 50-145

Funeral Preparations for Patroklos... 343-353

-- example of ancient Greek funerary practices

Thetis persuades Hephaistos to make Achilles a new shield... 424

Hephaistos makes Achilles a new shield... 474-616

Bronze, gold, silver, tin... 474-477

sky, constellations... 483-489

Two cities... 490-540

** focus on 497-508. Compare blood price feud to Achilles' situations.

Agricultural scene... 541-560

Vineyard scene... 561-572

Oxen... 573-586

Ocean River... 605-607

A Few Minor Issues

Hi All,

I hope you had a great Spring Break. I have a few comments on your most recent reading responses and a few reminders...

Reminders First:

1. The next essay exam is a week from this Friday. It will cover the Iliad, Hippolytus, and Venus & Adonis. Now would be a good time to make sure you're caught up on readings in order to prepare for the exam.

2. I'm missing a lot of Reading Response 7 & 8. I am also missing lots of other random assignments. I can only give you credit if you turn them in, so don't forget!

3. We have about 6 weeks left in the semester. It would be awesome if you did your 3 homework assignments BEFORE the last day of class. Of course, like the assignment says, they are not actually due until the last day of discussion. These are pretty much 9 free points so make sure to take advantage of them.

Comments on Reading Responses 7 & 8:

1. RESPONSE 7: A lot of the descriptions of the new shield of Achilles were not so great. If you were in class on March 20th, make sure to review your class notes and the blog notes (coming up next). If you were not in class, ask for someone's notes. This is not to insult anyone. Instead, I want to make sure you are able to discuss the shield in depth in case you get an essay prompt about it.

Things to note:

-Sky, Earth, River Ocean, Stars & Constellations

- 2 cities: one at peace, one at war

-one at peace has a dispute over a blood price ** compare to Achilles' situation

-agricultural scene

-vineyard scene

-bovine scene

-dancing

- 3 metals

2. RESPONSE 8: A lot of people told me that the Trojan Horse story is found in the movie Troy. Yes, but that's not the answer Solomon or I wanted. It's actually found in the Aeneid, written by Virgil.

3. RESPONSE 8: Even more people seemed to misunderstand WHY Homer ended his story where he did... Recall the first 7 lines of the Iliad:

"Sing Goddessthe anger of Peleus' son Achilleus and its devastation which put pains thousandfold upon the Achaians hurled in their multitudes to the house of Hades strong souls

of heroes but gave their bodies to be the delicate feasting of dogs of all birds and the will of Zeus was accomplished since that time when first there stood in division of conflict Atreus' son the lord of men and brilliant Achilleus" (Iliad, 1.1-7)

So rather than telling the story of the fall of Troy, or even Achilles' death, Homer immediately tells his audience that he intends to share the story of Achilles' anger. Thus, as we discussed in class, the true climax of the Iliad is in the scene between Priam and Achilles (Book 24,lines 480-517). The most important lines being the following:

"Then when great Achilleus had taken full satisfaction in sorrow and the passion for it had gone from his mind and his body, thereafter he rose from his chair and took the old man by the hand..." (Iliad, 24.512-515)

So then the ending is appropriate for the story Homer wanted to tell even though it doesn't actually include the death of Achilles or the fall of Troy. 

See the next post for exact line numbers to review!