Today's the day we start The Iliad! In this episode, I summarize the action thus far, in Books 1-6. I also discuss a few key points that I've noticed in the reading:

1. The story opens in a way I really didn't expect: with the Greeks arguing amongst themselves after being at war with the Trojans for NINE years.
2. The names (something I mentioned last week) can really trip you up. But there's a reason for some of it, and it isn't what you might expect.
3. Homer, a Greek, is surprisingly evenhanded with good guys on both the Greek and Trojan side. In fact, Trojan Hector seems like he will be the moral center of the story.
4. Helen is, well, Helen is odd. Does she feel trapped? Does she even like Menelaus or Paris? I hope we hear from her more, but I don't have high hopes.

So, one-quarter of the way into the Iliad, it's been an interesting ride. It's very, very bloody, but it's a war book, so maybe that is just the way things are? We'll see--next week! We'll be taking a look at more of the Iliad, and we are also going to talk about what is missing. Next week: the Backstories of the Iliad.

BOOKS IN THIS EPISODE

The Iliad: Translated by Fagles, Rouse, and Wilson.

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