Ancient History, Greek and Roman through Late Antiquity Commons^™

The Transactions Of Mortal Coil: Hellenic Meaning In The Suffering Of The Iliad And The Oresteia, Stephen L. Bothwell

Honors Bachelor of Arts

The meaning of suffering is enigmatic. To grasp at it cosmologically, I examine both Archaic and Classical Greek views of suffering via their primary literature and culture. Homer’s Iliad reveals the transactionality of suffering as it is embedded in the heroic code through an analysis of the Glaucus-Diomedes exchange. An investigation of Achilles’ development portrays both the Homeric system that equates honor and suffering and the unquantifiable suffering that critiques said system. Meanwhile, a study of Aeschylus’ Oresteia exhibits the interrelation of suffering and learning in Zeus’ law. The progression of the trilogy displays an accruement of wisdom by means …