Martial, monstrous and on the boundaries of mortal and immortal, Achilles in the greatest warrior in Greek myth. In this investigation of Homer's Iliad, Professor Chris Mackie looks into the background of a hero born to a goddess, raised by a centaur and yet destined to die young.

Copyright 2013 Gillian Shepherd / La Trobe University, all rights reserved. Contact for permissions.

Martial, monstrous and on the boundaries of mortal and immortal, Achilles in the greatest warrior in Greek myth. In this investigation of Homer's Iliad, Professor Chris Mackie looks into the background of a hero born to a goddess, raised by a centaur and yet destined to die young. Copyright 2013 Gillian Shepherd / La Trobe University, all rights reserved. Contact for permissions.

The Iliad and Achilles (handout)

In this subject students are introduced to the diversity of the ancient Greek achievement, which has exercised a fundamental and continuing influence upon later European literature and culture. The subject commences with a detailed treatment of Homer's Iliad and the myth of the Trojan war. This is one of the dominant myths in the Greek tradition and is narrated in some detail in epic poetry, in drama, and in art and architecture. We explore how myths are 'read' in their historical context, especially in the contexts of the Persian and Peloponnesian wars of the 5th Century BC. A variety of sources are treated to enable students to build up a picture of Greek society as a whole.

Share The Iliad and Achilles (handout)

Sign up to save your podcasts

The Iliad and Achilles (handout)

The Iliad and Achilles (handout)

More shows like Ancient Greece: Myth, Art, War

History of Children's Literature

Australian Aboriginal History

Diet and Nutrition

The Roman World

Ancient Greece: City and Society

Hume

The Philosophy of Descartes

Asia Rising

Biography