The Iliad: An In-Depth Guide
The Iliad by Homer is the foundation of western culture and a critical first read to understand history, philosophy, and literature. This video is an in-depth guide to The Iliad.
Topics include: why you should read The Iliad, how to read The Iliad, themes in The Iliad, and a detailed analysis of Achilles' character.
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Lectures cover historical context, key passages, philosophical ideas, and cultural influence.
LECTURE I: INTRODUCTION
0:00:00 Why read the Iliad?
0:02:12 How to read the Iliad?
0:03:00 What is the Iliad about?
0:05:04 Is the Iliad a true story?
0:07:49 When was the Iliad written?
0:08:34 The Homeric Question
0:09:05 The Books of the Iliad
0:10:00 Dactylic Hexameter meter
0:10:15 Favorite translation
0:11:23 Names in the Iliad
0:12:49 Summary of the Iliad
0:20:09 The Iliad is like a TV series
LECTURE II: FIRST 8 LINES OF THE ILIAD
0:21:08 The first 8 lines
0:21:59 "Rage" of Achilles
0:25:20 Homer's "Muse"
0:26:20 Singing the poem
0:26:45 Achilles' parents
0:27:41 Achilles' father, Peleus
0:35:39 "Doom" of Achilles
0:36:30 Achilles' mother, Thetis
0:39:35 The Achaeans
0:40:41 The Kings of Achaea
0:41:54 Hades, the House of Death
0:44:46 Importance of Bodies
0:49:33 The Will of Zeus
0:50:13 Who is Zeus, actually?
0:58:39 What is the purpose of the Trojan War?
LECTURE III: BOOK-BY-BOOK GUIDE
1:04:25 Book 1 - Achilles vs. Agamemnon
1:20:36 Book 2 - Catalogue of the ships
1:24:02 Book 3 - Paris vs. Menelaus
1:34:03 Book 4 - Simile & Philosophy of Absurdism
1:40:35 Book 5 - Aristeia of Diomedes
2:00:20 Book 6 - Hector & Andromache
2:02:03 Book 7 - Hector vs. Ajax
2:03:35 Book 8 - Zeus' Master Plan
2:09:28 Book 9 - Achilles' refusal of the gifts
2:15:09 Book 10 - Odysseus & Diomedes spy thriller
2:17:18 Book 11 - Patroclus hears the backup plan
2:21:51 Book 12 - Trojans storm the ramparts
2:32:08 Book 13 - Why do men fight?
2:46:23 Book 14 - Hera deceives Zeus
2:47:42 Book 15 - The Gods Feel Pain
2:50:04 Book 16 - Patroclus & Free Will
3:04:57 Book 17 - Shame of Hector
3:13:38 Book 18 - Fate & Shield of Achilles
3:27:59 Book 19 - Achilles Reconciles with Agamemnon
3:28:50 Book 20 - Achilles goes to battle
3:37:27 Book 21 - Achilles fights the river
3:42:07 Book 22 - Achilles vs. Hector
3:45:35 Book 23 - Achilles, the king who never was
3:47:12 Book 24 - Achilles & Priam
Translation: Robert Fagles
Publisher: Penguin Classics
If you’re self-studying the Great Books, Greek mythology, Ancient Greece, or Homer, this video is designed as a guided reading you can return to alongside the text.