13 Eylül 2013 Cuma

Who do you think you are? Watch your Language, I am Achilles!



I was introduced to Homer’s Iliad in my first grade at the department of Classics at Istanbul University. I remember as if it happened yesterday, how I was affected by the verses of the poet and the story. The epic starts with the following verses:
The wrath sing, goddess, of Peleus' son, Achilles,
that destructive wrath which brought countless woes upon the Achaeans,
and sent forth to Hades many valiant souls of heroes,
and made them themselves spoil for dogs and every bird.[1]
Well, this is neither the story of Achilles nor of the Greeks or the Trojans but the story of the ‘recusant’ rage of Achilles, the son of Peleus. Now, the Greeks should also cope with his rage which becomes the main persona of the epic, along with the Trojans.
            Why is Achilles in a rage? The Greek army is cursed by Apollo. For Agamemnon, the king of men, refuses to give back the daughter of a Trojan priest of Apollo although the ransom offered and keeps her as a captive. Achilles summons all the Greek commanders to discuss the problem. The solution would be solvable if Agamemnon, the chief of the leaders, were not so arrogant and accepted to give Chryses back to her father. Agamemnon is finally obliged to return the poor girl to the priest in exchange for taking Achilles’ captive, Briseis. Achilles’ daring and witty speech drives Agamemnon out of his mind and he never intends to take a step back, losing one captive but getting another one in return.
            The tension between them escalates and Achilles makes his famous speech: he is not in Troia to fight against them for the Trojans have done wrong to him; the Troians never stole his cattle or his horses. He, in fact, has nothing to do with the Troia and the Trojans except that he is here to get back Helene for Menelaus and for Agamemnon; however Agamemnon tramples over this and only cares about the prize he will get. This speech is, according to me, is the most crucial moment of the epic. After that, Achilles retreats into the deep silence and remains inactive to death. Not a gift nor a friend persuades him to fight against the Trojans at all until his beloved friend, Patroclus is killed in a battle.
            Well then, what is the importance of Achilles’ speech? It is a clear manifestation of an intentional protest against authority, and its content is never out of date: It wouldn’t be a  surprise that at least one soldier must have asked himself once what he is doing in Afghanistan or in Iraq, what benefit does that war do to him, and so on.
            Moreover, Achilles is the first hero in Greek mythology, who knowingly throws himself in the fire even before Prometheus rising against the gods and stealing fire for humanity. Prometheus is a symbol of intelligence and has metaphorically been honoured as a pioneer of civilisation. On the other hand, Achilles has not been appreciated enough because of his anger and rage.
            Now, let this short writing dignify his anger and all good and anger people who work for humanity against all the odds and let the readers fit this story into the right place.  
Best wishes,
Nilufer
Dublin, 13.09.2013

Hüzün

Bu kavram, bu duygu bir türlü peşimi bırakmıyor, senelerce aklıma gelmiyor ama bir anda ve özellikle zayıf bir anımda beni yakalıyor. Hem gü...