Meta Description: Join Dr. David Noe and Dr. Jeff Winkle on the Ad Navseam Podcast as they explore the tragic conclusion of Homer’s Iliad. Discover the meaning of ekphrasis, why Achilles’ shield is a microcosm of human life, and how the death of Hector reveals the brutal cost of war.
Introduction: The Phantom Menace of Homer
Welcome back to the “vomitorium,” listeners! In Episode 4 of the Ad Navseam Podcast, hosts Dr. Jeff Winkle and Dr. David Noe wrap up their artistic exploration of the Iliad.
If you’re wondering what the Iliad has in common with Star Wars: The Phantom Menace, the answer might be Thersites—the Homeric Jar Jar Binks who gets beaten down for speaking out of turn. But beyond the pop culture comparisons, this episode delves deep into the tragic heart of the epic.
The hosts begin with a quote from Bernard Knox, reminding us that only Shakespeare rivals Homer in creating characters that have obsessed readers for 2,500 years. From the rage of Achilles to the vulnerability of Priam, these figures aren’t just literary constructs; they are mirrors of the human condition.
The Superman Paradox: Fate vs. Divine Power
One of the central tensions in the Iliad is the relationship between the gods and Fate. Who is really in charge?
Dr. Winkle compares this to the 1978 Superman movie. In the film, Superman defies his father’s warning (“It is forbidden!”) and reverses time to save Lois Lane, prioritizing romantic love over destiny. The Greek gods, however, don’t have that luxury.
The Death of Sarpedon (Book 16)
When Zeus’s own son, Sarpedon, is about to die on the battlefield, Zeus contemplates saving him. But Hera warns him: if you break the rules of Fate, every other god will want to save their favorites, and the result will be chaos.
- The Lesson: Even Zeus, the king of the gods, must bow to Fate. Unlike the American myth where love conquers all, the Greek myth insists that death is an inescapable reality, even for the children of gods.
Patroclus: The Turning Point
The death of Patroclus in Book 16 is the lever that finally pries Achilles out of his tent.
- The Borrowed Armor: Patroclus begs to wear Achilles’ armor to scare the Trojans. It works—too well. He gets swept up in his own Aristeia (moment of glory) and pushes too far.
- The Death: Hector kills Patroclus, but not before Patroclus delivers a chilling prophecy: “You won’t live too long yourself… I see Death standing beside you.”
- The Irony: Hector strips the armor from Patroclus’ body—Achilles’ own armor. When Achilles eventually kills Hector, he will be staring at his own gear, a visual reminder that his rage is destroying everything he loves.
The Shield of Achilles: A World at War and Peace
With his armor gone, Achilles needs a new set. His mother, Thetis, asks Hephaestus, the smith god, to forge it. The result is the famous Shield of Achilles in Book 18, the first great ekphrasis (extended description of art) in Western literature.
What’s on the Shield?
Instead of monsters or gorgons, Hephaestus depicts the entire cosmos and human society:
- The City at Peace: Weddings, festivals, and law courts.
- The City at War: Ambushes and sieges.
- The Natural World: Sun, moon, stars, and fields being plowed.
Dr. Noe argues that the shield teaches a hard truth: War is not an aberration; it is central to the human experience, constantly in tension with peace. Dr. Winkle adds a tragic layer: the peaceful scenes on the shield represent the life Achilles is choosing to give up. He carries the world he can no longer have into the battle that will kill him.
The Death of Hector (Book 22)
The climax of the poem is the duel between Achilles and Hector. It is not a fair fight. The gods trick Hector, abandoning him when he needs them most.
- The Chase: Achilles chases Hector three times around the walls of Troy.
- The Realization: When Athena (disguised as Hector’s brother) vanishes, Hector realizes he is alone. “My time has come.”
- The Brutality: Achilles refuses Hector’s dying wish for a proper burial, saying, “The dogs and birds will maul you.” He then pierces Hector’s neck—the only weak spot in his old armor.
Achilles’ rage is so all-consuming that he drags Hector’s body behind his chariot for days. Yet, in a surreal twist, the gods preserve the body, keeping it pristine despite the abuse.
The Ransom of Hector (Book 24)
The epic doesn’t end with the sword; it ends with a conversation. In Book 24, King Priam of Troy sneaks into the Greek camp to ransom his son’s body.
- The Kiss: Priam kisses the hands of the man who killed his son—an act of supreme courage and humiliation.
- The Shared Grief: Priam asks Achilles to remember his own father, Peleus. For the first time, Achilles’ rage breaks. They weep together—Priam for Hector, Achilles for his father and Patroclus.
- The Resolution: Achilles returns the body. The poem ends not with the fall of Troy, but with the funeral of Hector, “the breaker of horses.”
Conclusion: Let the Food Fight It Out
As the hosts wrap up their tour of the Iliad, they leave us with a “Gustatory Parting Shot” from Mark Twain: “The secret of success in life is to eat what you like and let the food fight it out inside.”
Just as the Iliad is a clash of opposing forces—war and peace, rage and grief, gods and men—studying the classics is about digesting big, conflicting ideas.
Next Up: The hosts will dig into the archaeology behind the myths—the Minoans and Mycenaeans. Was there a real Troy? Tune in to find out!
Valete!
Note: This blog post was adapted from the Ad Navseam Podcast, Episode 4.
