Homer on Life and Death

by Jasper Griffin

This book demonstrates how Homeric poetry manages to confer significance on persons and actions, interpreting the world and the lives of the people who inhabit it. Taking central themes like characterization, death, and the gods, the author argues that current ideas of the limitations of "oral poetry" are unreal, and that Homer embodies a view of the world both unique and profound.

Genres: Classics, Nonfiction, Literature, Poetry, History, Literary Criticism

218 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1980

About the author

Jasper Griffin (born May 29, 1937), MA (Oxon), FBA, was Public Orator and Professor of Classical Literature in the University of Oxford from 1992 until 2004.

Jasper Griffin read Classical Moderations and Greats at Balliol College, Oxford (1956-1960) and was Jackson Fellow at Harvard University (1960-61). On his return to Oxford he became Dyson Junior Research Fellow at Balliol (1961-63), Tutorial Fellow in Classics (1963-2004), and Senior Fellow (2000-04).

His wife of nearly fifty years, Dr Miriam T. Griffin (née Dressler), is also a noteworthy classicist. They have three daughters: Julia, Miranda and Tamara.

Reviews

[Bogdan Raț · Rating 3 out of 5]

"Greek mythology is distinguished from others above all by the dominant position within it of myths about heroes. Heroes [...] illuminate, by their actions and their nature, not the Levi-Straussian problems of the relationship between nature and culture, but the position, the potential, and the limitations of man in the world. In the noble speeches and tragic insights of a Sarpedon, a Hector, an Achilles, we see both the terrible and unalterable laws of life and death, and also the greatness which man can achieve in facing them. The loyalty of Penelope, the endurance and resolution of Odysseus, the self-sacrifice of Patroclus, even the tragic dignity of the guilty Helen: all show us that amid suffering and disaster human nature can remain noble and almost god-like."

[Andrew Fairweather]

An indispensable book that bases much of its critical outlook in the *scholia* which is a refreshing approach. The most useful insights for me were the comparison of the ‘Iliad’ to other works of oral poetry, and how the ‘Iliad’ stands out among them. For instance, the listing of minor warriors and the focus on their deaths is unique to the ‘Iliad,’ with most oral epics solely focusing on the prowess of the hero or heroes, their victims being nameless fallen bodies. Not so with the ‘Iliad.’ Such an approach reveals further Homer’s concern for life amidst death, the paradox that we live only to die, or, in this case, that the warrior exists only to be killed.

I really liked the passages on *pathos* in the ‘Iliad,’ how the poem is able to have an “objective” style, yet bring about such emotion in the reader. Griffin describes Homer’s style as a “lapidary” one, reading like an epitaph, noting that, “the ‘obituaries’ allow the poet to show us parents, wives, and children, who could not otherwise be brought on the battlefield and seen in their suffering and pain. It is the universality of the Homeric vision which led to this highly exceptional device, which confers significance on the victims of great heroes, who in most warlick epics count for nothing.”

These epitaphs or obituary notices are not arbitrary, telling us about the “favorite color” or the dead, for instance, but influence our perception of the nature of heroism, and satisfy in an objective manner the portrayal of a deep emotion of loss and disappointment, producing in the reader or listener an effect of pathos or pity. The austere pathos of such lapidaria produces a consistently tragic view of human life, underscoring the fact that the Iliad is a poem of death, and life amidst the fact of death. Though there is plenty of fighting in the Iliad, it is fate, not fighting technique which is of interest to Homer. In such a way epic helps us to understand what the word is like and our position within it.

And yet, Homer’s style is incredibly emotional, even dispassionately emotional, a feat which is achieved not by explicitly revealing inner workings of a character, but through stark contrasts, such as the difference between “far away” and “home” in the epitaphs of the slain. The slain are caught between alienness and intimacy in their deaths, calling out to their friends who, despite their closeness, are unable to assist them. Parents who lack their children are evoked, as are orphaned children. Fathers had foresight into their sons' deaths, yet their foresight was in vain, unable to prevent their death. Such contrasts bring out the human folly and helplessness in the face of destiny.

Chapters which treat the relation between the gods and the warriors are also valuable. Griffin argues that the heroic deeds of the ‘Iliad’ can only be understood against a divine backdrop of two worlds, that of the gods who live in eternal radiant light, and that of the dead, who dwell in eternal darkness. “Gods enjoy eternal youth and energy,” says Griffin, “the dead are without power or activity; men are capable of rising to heroism and may be ‘god-like’, but for all men old age and death are eventual doom. Gods can be irresponsible in action and need fear no disastrous consequences; men are so placed that the end of all their actions is the departure of the soul, lamenting, leaving its youth and strength.”

So the crucial contrast between Achilles and Hector can only be properly understood in relation to the divine. For Achilles has real foreknowledge of his own fate, he knows he will die, which Hector, despite grasping this truth in whisps, is consistent in his hope that he will be victorious despite fate, and misinterprets prophecies that produces a disastrous overconfidence in him. Achilles, on the other hand, finds that no man can understand or control the workings of divine will. This is what makes Achilles stand out, not just in the ‘Iliad,’ but in the tradition of oral poetry in general.

Readers who are hoping to gain insight on how the ‘Iliad’ and ‘Odyssey’ compare will be especially rewarded—I, however, was not looking for such insight, so the passages on the ‘Odyssey’ were just a bit tedious for me. There’s undoubtedly some value to this work! Just not for me at this present time.

[Drew · Rating 4 out of 5]

A valuable read that helps to show that even while all the technical bickering on the Homeric question is bursting around us, there is still a fundamental reason why we keep returning to the Iliad and the Odyssey: they are epic stories that appeal to the heart and mind. I thoroughly enjoyed Griifin including the original text along with translations, plus the added bonus of extracts from various scholia. I had my Greek dictionary and (tired) memory on hand to try to read the text before turning to the translation. Total Classics Geek fun!

As another reviewer mentioned, the text could be slow to slog through. It read like a dense academic paper at times and I had to reread several passages as my mind wandered. At other times, the work kept me rapt and my slow pace was my enjoying a fine meal not a dull conversation. I didn't always agree with his interpretations but he made a good argument throughout. I will keep this well marked up book on my Homer shelf for a long time.

[Samrat · Rating 4 out of 5]

Far more interested in the iliad than the Odyssey, which made sense (to me) for the book's focus on death. The chapters (3 and 4) on how death is represented and analyzed through the poem was the standout. Those also tied in well in how the later chapters on the depiction and treatment of the gods in the poem, with how often they're identified with immortality.

[Matt McCormick · Rating 5 out of 5]

Although dated, it's a very good analysis of many of the concepts in the Iliad. As someone trying to self-learn classical Greek, the many passages presented in that language, the citations and the brief summaries provided a learning tool I appreciated. I liked how he compartmentalized topics such as "gesture" and "objects" to provide a deeper understanding of a specific theme.

[Mariana · Rating 3 out of 5]

I found this book a little too easy, but is totally my fault since I should have read this at the beginning of my studies. Even so, I think it gives really illuminating ideas, and I totally enjoy the read. Perfect for those who are starting a deep and close reading of the Iliad and Odyssey. (Not for a first-time reader of Homer of course).

[Jiang Yuqi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good one. But I wish the author could discuss Odyssey more. Now 80% of the pages are on Illiad...Also, not as deep as I expected.

[Ronald · Rating 3 out of 5]

Excellent little book that provides a much deeper understanding of the meaning behind the epics of the Odyssey and the Iliad. Life, death, what it means to be a hero, the relationship between the gods and humans, and other subjects are all treated in an objective and well-supported fashion. Read the epics first, then this book, then read them again.

[Jennifer · Rating 2 out of 5]

Good insights but very boring. I had trouble remembering the author's arguments and had trouble staying focused on the essays.