12:37 A.M.: This is when I can finally continue my reading. Go off and do something quick. Count to five on your fingers. Ha! That didn't take too long. Now I'm done with the reading.
This continues very smoothly from the previous chapter. The gods all go to sleep after a party. But wait... what's this? Poor ol' Zeus is having trouble catching some Zs. An almighty god of Olympus has trouble sleeping. Omnipotence is not what it's cracked up to be I guess. But I digress.
We all know why he's having trouble. He needs to find a way to bring honor to Achilles. You know... to teach Agamemnon a lesson but good. I kind of like his plan. Send Dream, who now is an entity instead of just something we do in our sleep, to lie to Agamemnon about how he's going to beat the Trojans into the ground. Dream does a beautiful job with this. He takes on the likeness of Nestor, who just happens to be Agamemnon's favorite counselor (tricksy gods playing with mens' favorites... shame shame). He spits out Zeus' words verbatim. Now the great king's ego grew three sizes that day. Now the king is ready to assemble the men. First he has council with the "high-hearted princes." He repeats the dream verbatim also. (I wish I had the memory that these people have. I find myself going back time-and-time again to check facts to avoid the wrath of some anal retentive "Iliad" lover. Cute fact: I just looked up "anal retentive" on Wikipedia. Turns out it is a product of Freudian psychology. I should be learning more about that later.) Back to business.
Now Agamemnon decides that he will assemble all the men. But this isn't the usual pep talk. He actually tries to frighten the living hell out of them. (You know.... to test them) And laughably enough... it works. His stupid plan back fires. Everyones panicking like a bunch of Japanese after they see Godzilla. They run straight for their ships. EINS, ZWEI, DREI PUUUUUSH! (translate: German for 1, 2, 3)
But of course this can't be where it ends. Hera sees all this confusion and panic. She then sends Athena to calm the confusion. Athena has Odysseus calm the Achaians. He runs into Thersites "of the endless speech," who is speaking against Agamemnon. I thought that Thersites had made some excellent points. But Odysseus puts him down. (Not dead. But with his face in the dirt.) Then he speaks with Agamemnon concerning the Achaians behavior.
Now a sign appears. A great black snake eats a sparrow's eight children and then her. Kalchas then gives Agamemnon some good news (for once) from this sign. Apparently the great "bird interpreter" believes this to be a sign that the nine birds just eaten represent the nine failed years to conquer Troy. But now in the tenth year there shall be victory. (I wonder what it would mean to him if a woodpecker started pecking at his thick skull. Maybe... that opportunity was knocking?)
Enter Nestor, whose words are more bitter than sweet this time. He give the fleeing Achaians a good scolding. Now everything is back on schedule. They all burn sacrifices to help escape the "grind of Ares." Agamemnon makes a nice little prayer to Zeus. But little does he know of the god's treachery.
Now they march. This was nearly unbearable, having to read the descriptions concerning the tribes. It literally read about as well as an instructional manual. (But less helpful) And of course Achilles' men do not march. Achilles' feelings are still hurt.
After the boring descriptions we now come to learn of Iris' visit to the Trojans. She warns of the sheer size of Agamemnon's forces. And instructs that only the leaders who speak their mens' own language should lead them. (DUH!!) Now the Trojans are assembled outside the walled city. This should be fun. BRING IT ON!!!
No comments:
Post a Comment