The Iliad: A Live Performance

[TheArtistdancer]

That was very intertaining....bieng a Phil Hellene myself I am very inspired by Homer I am a painter and just finished a Trilogy of "Helen" ... you have a great speaking voice and portrayed the characters honestly! are you still performing this?

[equick1]

@TheArtistdancer I perform 4, 5 times a year mostly at the St Nicholas Ranch Greek elderhostle. But I am available for any group interested who can pay my transportation and a reasonable performance fee.

[amaxamon]

Fitzgerald is the best translation IMO.

[zergki11ar]

i wish he were my english teacher

[Bregowald]

This looks very good. I prefer Chapman's and Pope's poetical translations myself. I'd love to see those dramatised as well.

[equick1]

Having trouble posting replies, will work on it and post soon.

[Kakarot21591]

I would love to see this!

[equick1]

@Kakarot21591

DVDs of Books I and XXVI are available. Check out the Homerproductions Web site to get information on how to order them.

Eldon

[gingersful]

Achilles is young, just so young.

[spacecowboynj]

Terrific performance(s). Listen to scholar Robert Garland's "Greece and Rome - An Integrated History of the Ancient Mediterranean" and you'll see this world as it truly was. Average age: 25 Slaves didn't fight (although in some cases they were used as reserves). If your family had money, you had a horse and were infantry, if you were able to afford armor, you were a hoplite, if neither then you were in the navy.

You fought in wars about 3-4 months out of the year.

[415Sterling]

I would LOVE too see this. how could I?

[wackyal3000]

Very nice but you fell into the very simple trap almost imediatly. Homer, if he did exist, dis not create the Iliad. Home recorded the story which had been recited by bards for centuries.

[receiver2005]

i think im one of those few people who did read it start to finish...ever notice that everytime homer describes someone putting on amour, they always lose their fight?

[equick1]

I never noticed, that's wild, I'll have to check that out.

[receiver2005]

Homer describes Paris pulling on his amour to fight Menelaus, Paris is whisked away by Aphrodite. When Achilles is described putting armour on, he fights the sea nymphs and loses. Hector was also described, and was killed by Achilles.

[mako2869]

Outstanding! I am curious which translation you prefer/use?

[equick1]

When I first became interested in The Iliad, I was not aware that there were many translations. I bought a copy of Fitzgerald's translation because it was the only copy available at the bookstore.

Since then I have become aware of the many other translations. I still prefer Fitzgerald's translation. Fitzgerald was an amature actor and brought to his translation language that was very actable. Though I hear Lombard's transltion is excellent.

[Stagolee22]

I've got to go with Lattimore. It's age lends a sort of power and archaicness to the work. Making it too modern, I think, takes some of the force from it.

[MsASparrow]

love 2 c dis!!!

[jesuschristitsmike]

Whether Homer created the Iliad (i.e. from scratch) is debateable, many believe the Iliad was created and developed over a longstanding tradition. That Homer was out to make 'lots of money' is also questionable, and anachronistic. I personally doubt the Iliad was a entrepreneurial enterprise. There are many cultural factors that more likely had motivated the continuation of this oral traditon.

[equick1]

Whether Homer created the Iliad is debateable. Whether there was a Homer is debateable, Whether it was many who contributed to the creation of the Iliad is debateable. Never-the-less, the Iliad was created, and the creator, whoever, or whatever that was is known as Homer.

No Homer couldn't have been out to make lots of "money", "money", coin, isn't invented for that part of the world till sometime after Homer. But, I still maintaine that profit was his motive.

[James00359]

Well done Mr. Quick As a ancient history and cultures teacher I to have done what you portrayed on U TUBE

[rogueshdw]

He makes the characters stand out, but also so that u dig deeper into the modern emotions of the characters

[kyrkoss]

Would hope to find a performance in ancient greek sometime, but this "introduction" to the story is great albeit in english.

[rogueshdw]

i love the way Homer uses characters like Achilles and Hector to show how demi-gods and humans fight, but ultimately they are still mortal with skin, bones etc.

Also the use of taunts and arguements between gods and soldiers

[schwammy14]

This is a great idea!

[nikkolamur]

good acting this is.

[drillsargentadog]

Maybe not the greatest author, but ties for the greatest poet of all time with Whitman/Basho/Shakespeare/Neru­da. He is undoubtedly greatly infulential to ALL cultures and times though, so it is arguable that he is the greatest author of all time as well, but he has such competition!

[polymath7]

Whaaaa? Whitman, Neruda and Basho are the three greatest poets in history after Shakespeare?

You're serious with this?

[sensei48]

Wonderful intro to the epic. I'm embedding this on my class Mythology videos page.

[azarimanka]

Homer is quite simply the greatest author there has ever been.

[weepingforbrunnhilde]

Milton and Shakespeare are no slouches, either.