Odd Notes, ktl.*

The devotion to the duties of a host in Greek culture is wonderful. Achilles gets up himself to cook a meal for Odysseus and Ajax even though he clearly had servants who could do it for him. It is a rare instance of Achilles humbling himself to serve.


59.5 "Son, Minerva and Juno will make you strong if they choose, but check your high temper for the better part is in goodwill. Eschew vain quarreling, and the Achaeans sold and young will respect you more for doing so."
Achilles would not be a memorable as he was if he did not listen to his father, but he would have been a better man. Maybe he knew that and decided that he would discard respect for glory.


Messengers and heralds are very good at repeating word for word what was told them. No one ever summarizes the message being sent. Even if there are entirely superfluous rambles in the message, the bearer always repeats the same words to the one for whom they were meant.

*kappa tau lambda is the greek version of etc.