The Iliad vs the Odyssey

In this video I summarise Homer’s Iliad and Odyssey, analyse theirmajor themes and then compare the two.

While the Iliad is the epic of irrational passion where courage is the main fuel in the tank, the Odyssey, however, is the epic of a rational man who is driven by loyalty to his wife and son. To put simply, the Iliad is the epic of physical strength while the Odyssey is the epic of mental endurance. The two epics can give us the picture of before and after when it comes to human agency and rationality. 

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🕔Time Stamps🕔
00:00 intro
02:03 Homer
05:00 Iliad Summary
15:34 Iliad Analysis
21:07 Odyssey Summary
28:15 Odyssey analysis
32:56 Iliad and Odyssey Compared

#theiliad
#theodyssey
#fictionbeast

[Garblegox]

"Homer was sitting at a distance, watching the whole thing I'm kidding _Homer is blind"_
Aaand subscribed

[idicula]

It is the enjoyment of the written world that carries with it the age old wisdom that man’s nature is yet to change through the many centuries. And it is in its philosophies where we are challenged to find in ourselves better nature that we may rise the problems and confrontations of the day.

[shahanology]

You somehow just listen to my wishes. I was going to read these masterpieces. But I randomly thought that it would be better if I saw an introductory video about them from your Channel. And it is here. Love begets Love ❤️

[chickencharlie]

God is the air force for human beings. Great way to put it. Homer would be proud. If he spoke English. And knew what an air force was. And still alive 2799 years later.

[Makaneek]

19:59 If the gods are themselves mythologized heroes, they would need to be hugely older ones than Achilles and Hector. We see linguistic cognates of the same deities in other Indo-European cultures, with Zeus and Charon honored by the Norse and Tyr and Odin, and the sky father Ouranos appearing as Varuna in India. Even ignoring Greece, Aesir and Asura are related terms for tribes of gods, but some less warlike nature gods Dionysus and Demeter seem to be native to Greece itself.

[MrChrisjohnjay]

Hello Fiction beast, Great breakdown of both epics!
I was wondering if you see our society at some point heading for another grand conflict/great reset? As you draw parrellels to "journey end of the night" & Homer epics

Fantastic content as always ✌

[nigelbryant]

Beautiful, Homer is beyond critique in my mind, interesting Socrates and Plato did not think so. Would love to also see a video on The Aeniad. Also, love the subtle dry humor throughout lol.

[cacadores]

Best commentry I've heard before. It's a little unschematc and ad hoc but you throw up so many great parallels and insights that I think I should read it again..

[andreassndergaard]

Great video! Although i've always been taught that the world view of the time where the Iliad takes place (or was told as a story of past events, fiction or not), the gods, even Zeus, where actually inferior to the godesses of destiny, the Moirae, in that they where infact incapable of changing the fates of the mortals, which were woven or spinned by the godesses as a thread. It is only later in greek history, for example in herodotus' depiction of The Persian Wars, in which Apollon intervenes as Croesus, the king of Lydia, is about to be burned at the stakes, that the Gods "become" at least partially capable of intervening with fate. What's your thoughts on that?

[OccamsRazor]

Do you still have plans to do Soren Kierkegaard? Love your channel!

[Whatever_Happy_People]

Hullo I have just finished the school for wife's and other plays by mollier that you mentioned in a previous video he is wonderful. Thanks for the recommendation.

[noras.]

Brilliant! And sense of humor!😂 It is understandable for new generation!

[nellidivina]

Was homer really blind? Or was it just rumor?

[maankawas]

Great video! We're currently reading Homer's Iliad.

[newintellectual.]

As an Objectivist, I like Odyssey over all ancient epics. :)

[austinquick]

It blows my mind that these are almost 3000 years old. Like wow. Older than Bible

[kyarden]

Your videos are very good and education and I enjoy most of them, including this one. But I disagree that the war started because of Helen or because of the three goddesses. It is true that the war started because of the whims of the gods, but really because of the goddess of discord Eris, who was not invited to the wedding of Thetis and Peleus (who happen later to be the parents of Achilles), while the other gods were all invited. Still, Eris showed up and tossed a golden apple with written τη καλλίστη (For the most beautiful) on the table. The three goddesses Hera, Athena and Aphrodite got into fight who was the one and asked Zeus to decide, but since he was afraid of the wrath of the two unchosen ones, he send them to the mortal prince of Troy Paris (who was still living on mouth Ida not knowing his station because of a prophecy). Hera said that if he grants her the apple, she will make him a ruler of whole Asia, Athena promised him great knowledge and Aphrodite promised him Helen, the most beautiful woman. Paris gave the apple to Aphrodite and she made Helen fall in love with him and then the whole story goes on. This episode is called “the judgement of Paris” and has been reproduced on multitude of artworks in Ancient Greece since its begging. Basically the whole war was because of discord and strife, as many things among humans, and Eris is just a personification of the discord. So I would disagree that it’s because the gods were bored or because of women.

[gracefitzgerald]

I’m always a sucker for the hero and romance.

[Sachie]

It’s amazing such a long story was told orally by one man. I love Greek myths but I didn’t know that the story of the Trojan horse is not in the Iliad. There may be a truth in saying wars are biologically inevitable but it’s a bit dark:)

[BitterDawn]

Several months ago I decided to reignite my interest in ancient Greece and Rome and listened to Odyssey audiobook for the first time (having seen various movies prior) and then I decided when in Rome (cringe on the dad joke) to follow it up with the Iliad but, other than describing some action scenes it was pretty dry and I didn't find it as enjoyable. Now I have rosey fingered dawn, bathing, getting oiled up and mixing water with wine burned into my brain.