The world of Achilles

In this course we will seek to understand the nature of Classical Greek Epic and its supreme surviving specimen in Ancient Greek literature, Homer's Iliad. The poem is famously devoted to the "wrath of Achilles" - the Greek killing machine - but the poem manages to do much more than that, encapsulating one of the most famous conflicts in the history of Europe.

Aims 

This course aims to:  

• reach a good understanding of the story of Achilles  
   
• reach a good understanding of the context and form of this story in the poetry of Homer  
  and elsewhere  
   
• reach a good understanding of the concept of ‘Epic’ and 'hero' in antiquity 

Content 

Our first task will be to understand the historical context: what is the status of an ‘Epic hero’ in religion, myth and history? The etymology of the Greek word ‘hero’ suggests that they ‘protect’ (perhaps like the great goddess Hera) and in a world sharply defined by military valour it seems reasonable that these figures would come to occupy so much mental space. But it is also clear that there is a gap between our casual use of the word ‘heroic’ and the way these figures were thought to behave, particularly in ancient Epic poetry. We will examine carefully the role of Achilles in Homer’s Iliad but in order to get a fuller picture, we will also spend time discussing the context and form of Epic poetry within Greek society. 

Presentation of the course  

Each class will be presented as an informal lecture with PowerPoint slides and an accompanying handout. You are encouraged to ask questions at any time and are not required to bring anything to class. 

Course sessions 

1. Introduction: defining ‘Epic’ and ‘hero’  
    
2. Who was Achilles?  
    
3. Achilles in Iliad 1-9  
    
4. Achilles in Iliad 16-21  
    
5. Achilles in Iliad 22-24 

Learning outcomes 

You are expected to gain from this series of classroom sessions a greater understanding of the subject and of the core issues and arguments central to the course.  

The learning outcomes for this course are:  

• to gain an understanding of the definition of ‘Epic’ and ‘hero’ in Classical antiquity  
   
• to gain an understanding of Achilles in Classical antiquity  
   
• to gain an understanding of Homer’s Iliad 

Required reading  

Homer’s Iliad (Oxford World’s Classics or Penguin) 

It is important to consult more than one translation of a Classical text: Richmond Lattimore’s and Robert Fagles’s translations are excellent. 

Typical week: Monday to Friday 

Courses run from Monday to Friday. For each week of study, you select a morning (Am) course and an afternoon (Pm) course. The maximum class size is 25 students.   

Courses are complemented by a series of daily plenary lectures, exploring new ideas in a wide range of disciplines. To add to your learning experience, we are also planning additional evening talks and events. 

Evaluation and Academic Credit  

If you are seeking to enhance your own study experience, or earn academic credit from your Cambridge Summer Programme studies at your home institution, you can submit written work for assessment for one or more of your courses.  

Essay questions are set and assessed against the University of Cambridge standard by your Course Director, a list of essay questions can be found in the Course Materials. Essays are submitted two weeks after the end of each course, so those studying for multiple weeks need to plan their time accordingly. There is an evaluation fee of £75 per essay. 

For more information about writing essays see Evaluation and Academic Credit. 

Certificate of attendance 

A certificate of attendance will be sent to you electronically after the programme.