CLAS2700: Homer’s Iliad

Seminar 4: Paris and Menelaos

This seminar is designed to help you understand heroic values in general and these two
characters in particular. Their respective relationships with their own men, with their
families, and perhaps most of all with Helen, are at the centre of the plot of the poem. Paris
in particular is a complex hero, whose status and behaviour in the poem show that heroic
success and status come in many forms. The texts for discussion (below) provide their
‘storyline’, which provides one path through the long narrative of the poem.

Relevant texts
Book 3: episode: the duel between Menelaos and Paris
Book 3: episode: Paris and Helen
Book 6: episode: Hektor at the house of Paris and Helen
Book 6: episode: Paris returns to battle
Book 7: episode: the duel of Hektor and Aias (preliminaries)
Book 10: episode: night operations
Book 11: episode: Paris on the battlefield
Book 13: episode: Menelaos on the battlefield
Book 17: episode: Menelaos in the battle over Patroklos
Book 23: episode: Menelaos and Antilochus compete in the funeral games

Questions for discussion:

1. (Book 3) What does the duel reveal about the comparative status and qualities of these
two heroes?
2. (Book 3) What do Helen’s reactions to the two men tell us about their comparative status
and qualities?
3. (Book 6) Do the presentations of Paris in book 6 give a consistent picture of him? How
does he measure up to his elder brother?
4. (Book 7) How are both heroes presented in their respective ‘assembly scenes’ leading up
to the duel of Hektor and Aias? Are they equally impressive?
5. (Book 10) What insight into the character of Menelaos is given in the night operations
episode? What account of his younger brother does Agamemnon give to Nestor? How
does Menelaus measure up to his elder brother?
6. (Books 11 and 13): How do the battlefield exploits of the two heroes compare? Which is
the most effective warrior?
7. (Books 17 and 23): What do these two episodes indicate about the honour and status of
Menelaos?
8. How has the poet used these two characters within an ‘aidôs – hubris – nemesis’ story
pattern?
9. How has the poet set up these two characters in a parallel / balanced relationship within
the poem?
10. Which of these two, in your opinion, is the most successful hero? Why?