Ancient Greatness

“Sing, goddess, of the anger of Achilleus, son of Peleus, the accursed anger which brought uncounted anguish on the Achaians and hurled down to Hades many mighty souls of heroes, making their bodies prey to dogs and the birds’ feasting: and this was the working of Zeus’ will. Sing from the time of the first quarrel which divided Atreus’ son, the lord of men, and godlike Achilleus.”

What an opening. This is the first paragraph of book 1 of Homer’s The Iliad, and has got to

be one of the best opening paragraphs of any book ever. The air quivers as Homer invokes the Muse to help him in his storytelling and already we feel the presence of divine spirits. We meet Achilleus, godlike Achilleus, my favourite hero who was responsible for the Greeks’ ruin and their salvation. We are told of the horror of war, of birds and dogs feasting on the unburied bodies of the brutally killed and the gods watching unmoved from Olympus above. Finally, we hear of Atreus’ son, Agamemnon, the ultimate bully that you love to hate. 

There is simply everything in this story, all human emotions and behavior are laid bare and ripped apart…and it is fantastic. 

I love this stuff, always have. Ever since I was little and had a picture book with the epic myths of Ancient Greece and Rome laid out in primary colours, I have loved them. The warriors and heroes, the crazy, vicious women and the magical metamorphoses; it’s all here, it’s all a bit mental and it’s all brilliant. I then went to university to study Classical Civilisation and my enthusiasm for the ancient, Achilleus in particular, grew and grew. 

I finally did my dissertation on ‘Achilleus in the 21^st Century’ which allowed me to follow him from his creation in our mythical past, through the ages of plays, oratory and vases finally to Troy, the 2004 film with Eric Banner as heavenly Hector and Brad Pitt as godlike Achilleus.

The reason my affection for swift-footed Achilleus has rekindled recently is because of one fabulous book. The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller tells the hero’s story through the eyes of his lover Patroclus. Troy had young Pat being Achilleus’ cousin, but most ancient sources, including Plato’s Symposium, acknowledge their relationship was much more romantic. Miller certainly takes this view and the focus of the book is much more on their relationship and how it affected the glory that Achilleus so ardently sought, rather than concentrating on the glory itself. She includes several myths surrounding Achilleus, and some about Patroclus, that I had never heard before which made it just as interesting a read as it was compelling. For those with the critical eye, I believe you will find this book a great combination of classical knowledge with wonderful story telling, and no blockbuster alterations.

What makes Miller’s book particularly special for me, however, is her incredible ability to capture the personalities of the famous Ancient Greeks. Never before have I felt that I am seeing so much of Achilleus’ character. Not just his unparalleled skill on the battlefield, not just his determination and desperate need for unforgettable fame, but also how he felt about those close to him. His relationship with his father and goddess-mother help explain his motivations and decisions but his relationship with Patroclus and the love he has for him allows you to know what made Achilleus smile, what he cared about and how he showed affection. Whilst I knew what was going to happen at the end, Miller’s writing kept me enthralled until the very last line and has awoken a passion for the heroes of the ancient world that I had forgotten. I only wish this book had been written when I was writing my dissertation. 

I definitely recommend you read this book, but I also recommend you have a go at The Iliad. I warn you, it is not easy going and you can easily miss out some parts such as the Catalogue of Ships. But, the story is still amazing and I think you will appreciate The Song of Achilles more if you have read his story in Homer’s words. 

If you manage that, there is also The Odyssey by Homer and The Aeneid by Virgil. Both involve a lot of piercing men through the nipple with spears and long-drawn-out heroic dressing scenes, but, if you like your fantasy stories full of monsters, gods, witches and heroes then you have to read the originals. Besides, it wasn’t fantasy back then, it was real. 

In the 21^st century, I’d like to recommend some other books of sort of the same ilk. 

Pompeii by Robert Harris tells of the tragic eruption of Vesuvius through the eyes of those that were there. Another great insight into the personalities behind the history.

Lindsey Davis’ series of books set in ancient Rome has Falco, a sort of Roman detective, solving the mysteries that troubled the great city.

Finally, one of my favourites, Gods Behaving Badly by Marie Phillips. The ancient gods are back…and living in north London. Things haven’t gone well for them over the centuries but they’re about to get a whole lot worse. Very funny, utterly charming and great for Classics nerds. 

I leave you with one of the best Homer quotes, which I have always wanted to say in a boring meeting but never quite had the nerve.

“There is a time for many words, and there is also a time for sleep”