Reading Diary B: Homer's Illiad

Here are some of my favorite things I took from reading the second half of the Homer's Illiad reading unit:

Favorite Story

My favorite story from the second reading of Homer's Illiad was The Rousing of Achilles. This involved the death of my favorite character from the first reading, Patroclus. I liked how Achilles felt badly for his role in the death of Patroclus. Patroclus was his best friend and he lost him due to an episode of jealously that could have been avoided. If Achilles would have just gotten over how he was wronged than he could have fought against the Trojans with Patroclus and likely saved him from being slain. I also enjoyed how all the Greek men decided to stay and fight to keep the Trojans from taken the slain body of Patroclus. I thought this was a great show of honor to Patroclus after he had shown the courage he did without the mighty Achilles to help him.

Favorite Character

My favorite character from this reading of Homer's Illiad was by far Achilles. In the reading of The Slaying of Hector I thought he did a good job of redeeming his childish and jealous qualities that he let rule over him in the first reading. His chase of Hector around the walls of the city show how much Patroclus' death hurt him and he showed how far he was willing to make up for it in this sequence. I especially liked his quote to the dying Hector regarding his best friend Patroclus:

"Hector, you thought not of me when you slew Patroclus and spoiled him of his arms. But now you have fallen, and the dogs and vultures shall eat your flesh, but to him the Greeks will give honourable burial."

Achilles slays Hector effectively avenging Patroclus' death! (Wikipedia Commons)