The time-frame narrative of the Iliad

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What is interesting about the time-frame of the Iliad?
1) It embraces a ten year myth in a timescale of 50 days. 2) The days are not equally distributed across the books: Book 1 covers 23 days, Books 2-23 cover four days, and the end of Book 23 and Book 24 cover 25 days. 3) Within those time divisions, some l
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What examples are there for the past being revealed throughout the epic?
1) Helen's abduction is revealed in Book 3 as Paris reminds her of it. 2) In Book 9, Phoenix tells us about Achilles as a baby. 3) Patroclus' ghost recalls the background of his and Achilles' relationship in Book 23. 4) In Book 24, Achilles tells Priam th
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When are we reminded of the future?
1) In Book 6, Hector tells Andromache of the day when Priam and the Trojans will be destroyed, and she will go to Argos as a slave. 2) Hector is Troy's protector, when he dies it signals the city's forthcoming destruction. 3) In Book 24, Andromache forsee
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What is the Homeric Question?
The debate of whether Homer was one person, or a patchwork of stories put together over the years.
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What are some of the inconsistencies in the Iliad? (No. 1)
1) Apollo and Athena are in the action in Book 1 (he sends a plague and she prevents Achilles from attacking Agamemnon), but Thetis says that the gods are feasting in Ethiopia for twelve days. 2) Priam asks Helen the identity of the Greek leaders ten year
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What are some of the inconsistencies in the Iliad? (No. 2)
3) Why in Book 9 is Phoenix with Agamemnon and not already staying in Achilles' hut? 4) Why suddenly decide on single combat between the husbands this far into the war? 5) If Paris is so despised by the Trojans, why not just hand him over to the Greeks? 6
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What could these inconsistencies be due to?
Normal irregularities in oral poetry - not proof of multiple authorship.
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Card 2

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What examples are there for the past being revealed throughout the epic?

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1) Helen's abduction is revealed in Book 3 as Paris reminds her of it. 2) In Book 9, Phoenix tells us about Achilles as a baby. 3) Patroclus' ghost recalls the background of his and Achilles' relationship in Book 23. 4) In Book 24, Achilles tells Priam th

Card 3

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When are we reminded of the future?

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Card 4

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What is the Homeric Question?

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Card 5

Front

What are some of the inconsistencies in the Iliad? (No. 1)

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