Dawn's Rose Tipped Fingers...

...and the Wine Dark Seas.

I participated once again in the Homer marathon. Read the Illiad and the Odessey straight through, up all night with at least 20 other people, and reading and listening to the first great legend. Been there every year. I love it...one of the most rewarding experiences of my entire college experience. Gathering around a fire at 4 AM as we journey with Odysseus through Hell...even if you're not big on the classics you have to admit that sounds kinda cool.

This year I was thinking about the effect that Homer must have had on the Greeks that heard his tales. What kind of culture comes out of the myth that lays the heritage of its civilization depends entirely on the nature of the myth. Spencer gave the English Saint George and the Dragon. Homer gave the Greeks the Illiad and the Odessey. Alexander admired Achilles, that man of war, the god-man who raged with unbearable fury. How would the world have changed if Homer had allowed the Trojans to survive? What if Hector had been our true hero, not merely a heroic man on the wrong side of a bad war?

And the best question brought up this year...why do so many people in the Illiad pity Patroclus? He's Achilles best friend...and the reason Achilles finally kills Hector is because Hector killed Patroclus...but I have a hard time understanding why the best friend of the god-man is respected and loved by so many. He stands by when Achilles misbehaves, and encourages him to the slaughter...yet he's called innocent. Its a good question.

Thank you Homer, for the myth you gave us.