#irefy’s ​lit. notes

[irefy]

My favorite parts of the Iliad now that I’ve finished it for the first time:

Odysseus running around beating people with a scepter (and the amount of joy he got from it)

Agamemnon prematurely mourning Menelaus, who is standing right next to him.

Zeus telling Ares he hates him the most of all his children. God damn. He really did just say that to his face didn’t he.

Diomedes being a force of nature on the battlefield

Diomedes being a force of nature on the battlefield and everyone still treating him like he’s their annoying little brother who they unfortunately sometimes have to kind of listen to.

Diomedes.

“What are you talking about?” I laughed out loud multiple times because of this line. I don’t know what it is, but every single time it’s said I just imagine the most baffled/annoyed expression and tone of voice on whoever was saying it and I just. Lose it every time.

Helen being extremely passive aggressive the entire time she’s on the page. Seriously love her.

Helen believing her brothers didn’t come to war because they were ashamed of her, not knowing they have been dead for some time. It hurts and I love it.

Odysseus and Diomedes being sent on a spy mission and deciding that, after getting information from the Trojan spy, they are going to go to their camp and steal some horses. (And a chariot. And some armor, I think???) Utter chaos. They did not have to do this. This was A Choice.

Them coming back after stealing said horses and NOT A SINGLE PERSON QUESTIONS IT. IMPLYING THIS IS A NORMAL THING FOR THEM. AND THEY JUST,,,,,REGULARLY DO SHIT LIKE THIS.

Athena helping them.

The Trojans being annoyed with Paris

Nestor kicking Diomedes awake, who is, for some fucking reason, sleeping on the ground (?????)

Nestor.

Nestor going on long winded rants about His Day and his exploits. And everyone just kinda has to sit and listen to him talk.

Poseidon causing an earthquake so extreme Hades worried he was going to expose the underworld.

Artemis calling Apollo a baby for not wanting to fight Poseidon

Apollo ignoring her entirely. Peak sibling energy.

Achilles calling Patroclus’ ghost “true heart.” I know what you are.

Athena helping Diomedes in the funeral games.

Athena getting so mad Apollo made Diomedes drop his whip during said games she sabotaged Eumelus and made Diomedes’ horses run faster.

Antilochus threatening his horses into running faster.

This working.

Odysseus and Ajax wrestling and being so evenly matched that everyone gets tired of watching.

When they get up for round three Achilles telling them to “put not eachother further to such cruel suffering.”

The idea that Achilles was so sick of watching them that he compares it to actively being in pain.

Odysseus praying to Athena for help when he’s loosing the footrace.

Athena actually helping him.

Athena sabotaging Ajax and making him slip and fall face first into dung.

Ajax saying Athena hovers over Odysseus like his mother. Everyone finds this hilarious. Odysseus does not disagree.

Diomedes continually aiming at Ajax’s neck while fighting for a sword and armor. They are stopped by the rest of the Achaeans in fear for Ajax’s safety.

Yea, I’m convinced the Iliad is a comagedy. A comedic tragedy. A tragic comedy?

[irefy]

My favorite parts of the Odyssey (and things I took note of while reading):

Telemachus not understanding Penelope’s grief over Odysseus

Telemachus being So Done with the Suitors

Athena calling Odysseus her “old friend” twice while in disguise.

Athena disguising herself exclusively as Odysseus’ friends when appearing to Telemachus.

Athena’s utter disdain for Calypso. (It’s really funny, actually. She does just seem to hate her.)

Nestor (WHY IS THIS BITCH STILL ALIVE HE WAS OLD DURING THE TROJAN WAR AND ITS BEEN TEN FUCKING YEARS.)

Nestor being asked for news of Odysseus and admitting he doesn’t know anything, then immediately going on a rant about his own journey home.

Nestor having EVEN MORE SONS. WTF. WHERE ARE THEY COMING FROM.

Nestor saying he’s never seen a god more openly fond of anyone than Athena is of Odysseus.

SERIOUSLY HOW OLD IS NESTOR???? ITS SAID HES RULED FOR THREE GENERATIONS.

Menelaus going to Egypt and getting even more rich right after Troy, while Agamemnon was murdered in his own house.

Everyone bursting into tears over dinner when talking about Odysseus

Menelaus disguising himself as a seal.

The seal skins that they used for said disguise smelled so bad the goddess who was helping him put ambrosia under his nose

The old man of the sea saying he shouldn’t tell Menelaus who got home alright and then proceeding to tell him every little detail.

The first time we see Odysseus, he’s on Calypso’s island crying “as usual.”

The return of “What are you talking about?” Still laughing my ass off about this btw.

Nausica seeing a dirty, scruffy, naked man (he was wearing a branch but that doesn’t count) come out of a bush and getting annoyed at her maidens for being afraid.

Athena making Odysseus look young and hot to the maidens and Nausica. I don’t know why. She really didn’t have to.

Athena making Odysseus invisible but not telling him, so when he goes up to the phaeacian queen and Athena makes him visible again everyone is confused about where this random, scruffy, homeless looking man came from.

Seriously. They were eating dinner and then suddenly a guy was just there.

King Alcinous wonders if Odysseus is a god, and Odysseus is very confused about why he would think this.

One guess why he would think this.

Alcinous, after knowing Odysseus for like. A few hours. Asks him to stay and marry his daughter. He doesn’t even know his name.

Hermes telling Odysseus that he has to be careful or Circe will “unman” him

The men transforming back from pigs and being younger and hotter than before. Again. Why.

Them getting really emotional and crying with thanks for Odysseus saving them (seriously everyone is crying all the time. They all cried earlier too)

The sight is so pathetic that Circe, the notorious man hating goddess, takes pity and invites the whole crew to her palace.

Eurylochus spreading doubt and immediately folding at the expression on Odysseus’ face

Circe getting annoyed with all the crying and basically telling Odysseus to tell them to shut up.

Elpenor. Need I say more?

Oh my god they’re all crying again.

Ajax being a sore loser

Elpenor got a funeral!!! Yay!!!

EX-FUCKING-CUSE ME???!!!!??? WHAT DO YOU MEAN THE CATTLE MADE NOISE WHILE THEY WERE BEING COOKED????? IMAGINE YOUR STEAK JUST MOOS AT YOU. THATS NIGHTMARE FUEL.

Odysseus falling asleep immediately after getting onto the Phaeacian ship. What a mood.

Odysseus condemning liars while actively lying to Eumaeus.

Odysseus condemning liars while actively lying to Eumaeus and immediately after making up a story in which he meets himself.

Odysseus pounding on his chest and yelling at his heart to stop beating so fast.

His heart listens.

Theoclymenus immediately getting Murder Vibes from Telemachus and Odysseus and deciding to nope out

Telemachus defending Penelope from the suitors by saying her praises. I thought it was actually really sweet, because a majority of the time he was kind of rude to her. Shows he really did care and didn’t want to force her into anything against her will, despite the way he sometimes talked to her.

Odysseus stringing his bow and shooting through the axes (iconic)

Odysseus IMMEDIATELY AFTER stripping. He shoots Antinous naked. Everything out there. Telemachus must have wished he didn’t have eyes.

Penelope and Telemachus’ arcs (swapping viewpoints on Odysseus’ possible return.)

Athena holding off dawn so that Odysseus and Penelope could have lots of sex.

Odysseus and Penelope’s entire reunion

ODYSSEUS TREATING THEIR STRUGGLES AS EQUAL. YES.

ODYSSEUS TREATING PENELOPE AS HIS EQUAL WHEN EVERYONE ELSE UNDERESTIMATES HER.

Odysseus visiting his father and instead of telling him who he is immediately he decides to play a silly little game.

And by that I mean he makes up a random story on the spot when he doesn’t recognize him.

Laertes, used to the antics, doesn’t question this.

When Athena stops the fighting between the suitors families and Odysseus, and the suitor’s families begin to retreat, Odysseus chases them.

Zeus sends a lightning bolt to tell him to stop.

[irefy]

My Favorite Parts Of Persians

James Romm Translation

As Snapcube’s Eggman (Alfred) once said; “IM BACK IN THE FUCKING BUILDING AGAIN!” The obsession has only grown since reading the Iliad and the Odyssey, which is unfortunate for my free time.

Anyway, Persians is great. Here’s my notes/favorite parts

Persian advisers gather and express grief and worry about the war

Atossa’s ability to connect with her people; they don’t hesitate to ask what is wrong and she doesn’t hesitate to tell them about her prophetic dreams.

Persian optimism. Atossa has a dream where her son tries to get two girls in yokes (representing the Persians and Greeks) and is then thrown from his chariot. After hearing this dream, the Persians assure Atossa that nothing bad could POSSIBLY come of it.

One guess what came of it.

Atossa questioning why her son would want to conquer Athens, and wondering if he had enough troops to do it.

Why is she only wondering this now??????

Not even a page after this it’s revealed that the entire army is dead. So much for nothing bad happening.

“It’s an evil to first announce evils” —The Persian army’s messenger. Who’s gonna tell him?

The messenger then tells them everything, ignoring the other Persian’s cries of despair.

Most relatable character. I too share every little detail, especially when my friends cry in despair at whatever gossip I’ve dug up.

The old advisers decide they are too old for this and should be dead by now (mood).

The phrase “butt the stony ground.”

The messenger then goes on to describe how the Persians were tricked into the world’s worst game of bumper cars (then featuring boats!)

The blending of words with the Persian’s cries of despair. It has a pretty deep emotional impact—you can feel the full weight of the loss and grief they’re experiencing.

The (deserved) shade everyone is throwing Xerxes.

Wait what

Are they summoning a dead guy?????

WTF.

Darius has a tiara. Fuck yea. Tiara supremacy.

(I was a girl in the village doing all right, then I became a princess overnight. Now I gotta figure out how to do it right! So much to learn and see! Up in the castle with my new family, in a school that’s just for royalty. A whole enchanted world is waiting for meeeee!!! I’m so excited to beeeee DARIUS THE FIRST!!!! I’m finding out what being sleep deprived is all about!! DARIUS THE FIRST! Making my way it’s a new Greek tragedy every dayyyyy!!!! Darius… its gonna be my time Darius… to show them all that I’m DARIUS THE FIRRRRRRSSSSST)

Wait they’re summoning this guy just to tell him everything’s been destroyed? Damn. Poor dude.

Darius expresses his despair at the news, and tells his wife to gently reprimand their son for attacking Athens.

Xerxes returns in torn rags.

The people, half accusing, find him before his mother can.

Xerxes, grieving and defeated, takes the accusations without complaint.

The people thaw and they mourn together, forming a procession that follows Xerxes back to his palace.

Wow this one was extremely dark. I mean it is a tragedy based off of real events so yea that’s to be expected. Definitely deserving of its own serious analysis, will likely make another post.