Comments on: A Lasting War: Representing Troy in Ancient Greece and Medieval Europe

By: Annelisa Stephan

Annelisa Stephan — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 17:43:50 +0000

Hi Chris -- We don't currently have plans to stage another Homer reading event at the Villa, but the Readers of Homer, which co-presented the event, has an active schedule of readings around the world. Upcoming readings will take place in New York in the spring and (exciting!) in London during the 2012 Olympics.

By: chris conkling

chris conkling — Wed, 04 Jan 2012 13:33:49 +0000

when is the next iliad event to be held?

By: Mary Hart

Mary Hart — Tue, 01 Mar 2011 23:47:28 +0000

Dear Andrew,
You are absolutely correct – in the Iliad Athena hates the Trojans. But by the time Troy was sacked, the Greeks had committed so many crimes against her sanctuaries in Troy (including Ajax’s rape of the Trojan princess Kassandra as she clung to the sacred palladion of Athena, often represented in art) that Athena wanted only to punish them. If you look at lines 48ff. In Euripides’ Trojan Women of 415 B.C. you will see Athena articulating and defending her change of mind to Poseidon.

By: Mary Hart

Mary Hart — Tue, 01 Mar 2011 23:37:36 +0000

Dear Christiana,
Yes, it is fascinating, and true. If you walk around the Villa’s Men in Antiquity gallery you will see the warriors are represented as strong, fearless, intimidating and powerful. This is even more striking in the context of the Trojan war when they have also known to have committed sacrilegious crimes, in some cases, crimes for which the gods punish them. The art shows that the artist “glorying” in the glamorous violence is not far from an ancient way of looking at it.

By: Andrew

Andrew — Thu, 03 Feb 2011 15:23:21 +0000

In the Iliad, Athena did not seek to protect Troy. Quite the opposite – she worked with Hera to encourage the Greek army and even gave Diomedes near-godlike prowess to harry the Trojans (and even the gods who supported them).

By: Christiana

Christiana — Wed, 02 Feb 2011 15:53:25 +0000

It’s fascinating that the painter of the vase shows his own (presumed) ancestors as “merciless murderers.” But at the same time, the warrior holding the boy by his ankle is imposing, almost impressive, in his terrifying helmet, and with his powerful muscles. Isn’t the artist glorying just a bit in the glamorous violence of that soldier? Or is that a modern way of seeing?