In What Ways Is The Odyssey A Post-iliadic Epic?

The Odyssey seems to possess an awareness of the magnitude of the Iliad; the text has an anxiety of influence. The context of the epic has moved to a time much different to that of the Iliad. This can be seen in the representation of the two protagonists, Achilles and Odysseus. The former is concerned with the kleos one gains from battle, willing to give his life to this, whilst the latter finds it through his metis and the ability to endure. For Odysseus, it is essential that he stays alive; indeed it is explicitly stated that if he were to die unknown between Troy and Ithaca, as Telemachus fears, he would not receive the fame he deserves. Even Achilles has evolved by the time of the Odyssey: he regrets the choice he made in the Iliad. The Iliadic heroic ethic is set aside and an alternative is given to fit this new world. Such a transformation of ideals is also reflected in the attitude of the gods; after the chaos of their involvement in human affairs in the Iliad, they have learnt to take a more distant stance. This is a new age in which there are different values and mores. The appearance of heroes from the Iliad through Telemachus' journey to Pylos and Sparta gives a broader account of the Trojan War and bridges the gap between the two epics, whilst the song of Demodocus transmits the past of the Iliad into the Odyssey. Another awareness of the preceding epic is shown by Odysseus' own narrative of an epic to the Phaeacians. This suggests that the eminence of the Iliad prompted him to play an active part in the future fame of his own life. The change in attitude of the gods is one of the most important differences between the epics which suggest that the Odyssey is set in a world post-Iliad. The Iliadic immortals frequently interacted with humans, usually without disguise. These are extreme gods who can switch from love to hatred very quickly, as Aphrodite implies in her response to Helen's audacious refusal to sleep with Paris. Most of the gods seem indifferent to the fate of Odysseus apart from Athena who, despite her apparent lack of involvement during his mythical wanderings, seems constant in her affection. There does not seem to be the same threat of potential hatred. Indeed her very cessation in helping him in the past is itself indicative of a new post-Iliadic world order. The gods in the Trojan War played a huge part: they were roughly divided into two equal sides to correspond with the Greeks and Trojans. Yet they were more than just supporters of each side; they put themselves through pain and anguish by warring on behalf of their mortal favourites. They are very involved in the conflict; twice Diomedes wounds the gods, first Aphrodite and later Ares. Poseidon is the only god in the Odyssey that resembles those of the Iliad. He wages a personal campaign against Odysseus on behalf of his son, Polyphemus, against the newly-defined norms of the gods' behaviour. Athena even pauses in her help for Odysseus because of Poseidon, ???? ?? ?? ?? ??????? ???????: ?????? ??? ?? // ???????????????. It is this sense of respect for each other that has emerged in the Odyssey but which was severely lacking in the Iliad. However, there are indications in even in the Iliad that the gods are beginning to realise the folly in fighting amongst themselves for the sake of mortals, as Poseidon suggests they withdraw. Thus the Odyssey makes clear from the beginning that there is now a much greater divide between men and the immortals. The opening speech is from Zeus as he complains that mortals still blame the gods for their own transgressions and troubles, ???? ?? ?? ????? ?????? ?????????? // ?? ????? ??? ???? ???? ???????. He regrets that they still are held responsible for mortals' affairs, with the insinuation that no longer is that applicable. The gods of the Odyssey exist in the wake of their actions in the Iliad. Undoubtedly this is a very different picture of that given in the Iliad where the gods overran the battlefield, changing the fate of men. Indeed even the death of a hero as important as Patroclus was instigated by Apollo, thus setting in motion the downfall of both Hector and Achilles. Book 1 establishes their interest in mortal affairs as Apollo causes the quarrel between Agamemnon and Achilles which shaped the rest of the epic. In contrast, there is a conspicuous absence of the gods in the Odyssey. It is the very departure of Poseidon that enables Odysseus to return home. Ideas that it is not right for the gods to play such an active role have become the status quo: Athena is the only god who is physically present to interfere in men's affairs. When the Iliadic scenes of battle in the hall commence, she removes herself from the action. They have learnt to leave mortals to their fate since the Iliad revealed how far they could let their conflict of interests go. Involvement caused the greatest and indeed only tension amongst them. The state of the gods on Olympus is that of peaceful stability in the Odyssey, unaffected by Odysseus' troubles. As a result of this lack of presence, mortals have less insight into divine affairs and thus omens become more important in uncovering this and indicating the transgressive nature of those who ignore them. They give hope to the protagonists but their main function is to warn the suitors; the Iliad on the other hand uses them to encourage warriors in battle. This is clearly a wholly different world. Indeed chronologically this is evidently post-Iliadic. The Odyssey recounts a journey which occurred after the events of the Iliad, a section of the Trojan War. Importantly, it acts as a bridge between the main events documented in the Iliad and those happening in the epic itself, by looking back to details not given. Demodocus tells an alternative story for the wrath of Achilles in Troy: he sings of his quarrel with Odysseus, which is stated to have been ??????? ???? // ????? ?? ??? ????????. He describes the story as ????? ??? ???? ??? ????? ??????? ????? ?????. The bard sings about the beginning of the Trojan War which by the time of the Odyssey is renowned in its far-reaching fame. This is almost a direct reference to the epic which preceded it. The narrator says that the Muse set the bard to sing klea a_)ndrwn; this recalls the literary tradition of the Trojan War. The reaction of Odysseus to hearing this tale is noteworthy; he covers his face and cries at what he hears, in strong contrast to the Phaeacians who applaud and encourage the bard in their enjoyment. Alcinous suggests that the bard ceases from playing so that they can ???? ????????? ??????...???? ???? ??????? ?????. These are men of the new age who can appreciate the song for being just that, a source of entertainment. Rather than fight in battle and engage in the games that are prevalent in the Iliad, they prefer to participate in ???? ?? ???? ??????? ?? ????? ?? // ?????? ?? ???????? ?????? ?? ????? ??? ?????. Indeed this shows an awareness of the Iliadic tradition which in turn they are rejecting. Odysseus on the other hand, a man from the heroic age of the Iliad, is aggrieved upon hearing it because he experienced the brutality of the War and now, in a world where warrior valour is a thing of the heroic past, he weeps in his duality as the character and audience of the story. Strikingly he is likened to a Trojan victim from this song: a woman, who sobs over the dead body of her husband, fallen in battle. It contrasts with the attitude of Achilles as he almost looks forward to the lamentation of Trojan women as he slaughters their men, since it will be proof of his immense valour. Furthermore, it is all the more interesting since the image clearly evokes Andromache from the Iliad, whose husband Hector, too, ?? ?? ??? ??????? ?????? ???? ?? ???????, // ????? ??? ????????? ?????? ?????? ????. Such an image of Andromache is not given in the Iliad but this descri ption of the husband is symptomatic of Hector and she knew she would be taken into slavery upon his death. Thus the simile looks back to an event after the Iliad and here illustrates the change in Odyssey between the two epics. Although he participated in it, he in turn is now a reader of the Iliadic tradition. When persuaded to tell his story to the Phaeacians, he emphasises his grief and completes his progression from the Iliadic world to the Odyssean by beginning the epic about himself. He has seen the impact of the Iliad, one which the epic itself was aware of, ????????????? ???? ??? ??? ?????? ????????? ???. Already it was clear that these events would live on through the mode of song. Thus Odysseus is now developing into a poet of himself, underscoring his alteration. The tales of Menelaus and Helen join in this creation of Odysseus' epic story. She acknowledges her inability to describe all his feats; evidently the picture presented in the Iliad is being criticised. The Odyssey aims to highlight his virtues and the role he played in the downfall of Troy, thus providing a secure background for his very positive portrayal in his own epic. It needs to establish the source of the kleos that he is traditionally associated with: the kleos of his metis, through which he contributed to the capture of Troy. She tells a story that does not appear in the Iliad, that of his undercover entry into Troy dressed as a beggar and his successful escape, ???? ???? ????????, ???? ?? ?????? ????? ??????. This addition of a new tale suggests an awareness of the preceding epic by avoiding the repetition of scenes. Helen's tale indicates his endurance and presents him as completely opposite to the other heroes of the Iliad; he is willing to act as the lowest human in order to be successful and gain glory. Achilles and Agamemnon on the other hand begin the book with a quarrel over dishonour and disrespect. These are heroes concerned with being admired for their nobility and distinction, in stark contrast to Odysseus. He is prepared to enter his own palace unknown, in the appearance of a beggar, and to receive numerous insults and much abuse from those consuming his livelihood. Furthermore, Athena herself retells his role in the Iliad by encouraging him to be the man he was then; he was not presented as a mighty warrior in the former epic and so the Odyssey seeks to rectify that portrayal. Menelaus' tale, too, supports Helen's descri ption of Odysseus as wily and clever; he tells the story of the wooden horse in detail, attributing the deceit to him. He claims that Odysseus ????? ?? ?????? ???????. Together the stories present him as playing a huge role at Troy, and they focus on the idea that Troy was taken by artifice not might, thus establishing the theme of the Odyssey, namely that this world appreciates metis over bia. Nestor's recollection further fills in time between end of Iliad and beginning of Odyssey. It takes stories of past and reconstructs them in Odyssean terms. As Telemachus states, all other men can be accounted for but for Odysseus, ?? ??? ??? ??????? ???? ??????? ?????? ??????. There is a gap in the events directly after the Iliad which this epic attempts to fill. However Nestor says that is would be impossible for someone to tell the whole tale, suggesting an awareness of the Iliad and even a criticism of its scope. The beginning of his story starts at a time post-Iliad; the city has been destroyed and the army was divided into two through a quarrel. An Iliadic Athena is hinted at, whose anger provided grief to many. Similar to the mortals of the Odyssey, Agamemnon is ignorant of the gods, ?? ??? ???????? ?????? ????? ??????????, // ??????, ???? ?? ???, ? ?? ????????? ???????, but this shows at least Nestor's understanding of the blindness of men. Zeus, too, is presented in a different light to that of the Odyssey; Nestor tells that he created discord amongst the army that left in their ships. This explicitly illustrates the difference of the gods between the epics. Previously they had taken a key role in mortals' affairs but now they are much less concerned. Nestor also gives another account of the Orestes story, documenting the fall of Agamemnon by his wife and Aegisthus upon his return home. This helps to continue the post-Iliad story but it has further implications. Its inclusion shows a distinct awareness of the preceding epic. Agamemnon's fate is notorious at the time of the Odyssey; thus themes of concern about a nostos and women are discussed here. For this leader, the events of the Iliad were brought to an end afterwards by his savage murder at home and so the Odyssey explores this anxiety in depth. When Odysseus encounters him in the Underworld, he warns him not to be too trustful of Penelope since women are treacherous and he might fall victim to a similar fate. Furthermore he gives instruction to make a covert approach home. Agamemnon voices concerns for a safe homecoming; he raises the questions of the fidelity of one's family which, shown by Odysseus' testing of his oikos, clearly has relevance for him. Thus the Odyssey is shown to be post-Iliadic in a number of ways. It describes events that chronologically happened outside the Iliad but also it looks back to those which were not documented in it. Such a lack of repetition of tales with an insertion of new stories clearly suggests an awareness of its predecessor. However it also acts as a subtle critic; the values that are so inherent to the Iliad are now replaced by a desire to live and create fame through survival. This is a new world, where the gods are much less involved since they have learnt from their quarrelsome behaviour during the Trojan War, and the pain of Iliad's war is repressed, both in Helen and Menelaus' tales and in the reaction of the Phaeacians. There are characters who now only know of the story of the Trojan War through song, not experience. They can enjoy the tales of their bard as he describes the klea a)ndrwn, indeed that which the Iliad created and preserved. Knowledge of the power of epic is recognized and indeed Odysseus takes a leading role to produce an epic of his own life by narrating events to the Phaeacian; undoubtedly the Odyssey has an acute awareness of the Iliad.