Did anyone enjoy The Iliad, Lysistrata…?
From a different cultural background, when I read ‘Iliad’ and ‘Odyssey’ (in prose) I was rather excited and overjoyed. Then I read a lot of Greek mythology. the later day Roman versions are no match. Perhaps my enjoyment and identifying with the characters there, is because of the Indian tradition in which I was raised. ‘Raamaayana’ (Raama’s story) resembles it more, and with Raama’s wife carried away by his rival Raavan and the way he recovered her. ‘Mahaa Bhaarata’ (the Great Indian Story) comprising of 18 books is the largest epic written ever, a story with sub-stories each with several more sub-plots and episodes is really for a long-time enjoyment. The first of the 18 called ‘Genesis’ by itself can be a story. The 18 day war is the essence of it, with detailed description of military formations, the magic of the weapons and the heroes and their deeds like in Iliad. Thousands of movies were made in all Indian languages over the many episodes, while some depicting the whole of each
I didn’t read the Iliad or anything, but I have to read a Greek mythology book for summer reading. I think it’s pretty boring so far, but that’s because they’re still describing all the gods and everything. I enjoy stories about Greek mythology though, and the book I’m reading says that the Iliad and the Odyssey have stories that have to do with mythology.
It’s taste. Personally, I didn’t much like the Iliad – too much of it seemed like a catalog of all the different ways you can get run through in a battle. The Odyssey had a stronger story and I liked it much more. I’ve read all the surviving Greek drama, and Euripides is definitely my favorite. Although I don’t think he stacks up at all well compared to Shakespeare, some of it is quite powerful. The Trojan Women is my favorite Euripides play.
Absolutely! I never pass up a chance to see a Greek play if I can help it, and I see quite a bit more in the Iliad than just a big, gory football game. I just can’t decide whether I like the Iliad or the Odyssey better–whichever one I’m on at the moment. Have you read the Oresteia yet? When you get to the lock of hair on the tomb, just think of Clytemnestra and her children as redheads. Euripides can probably make you cry, and of course Sophocles wrote what may be the world’s greatest tragedy. Check in again! Edit: But Euripides wrote Medea, and Sophocles wrote the Oedipus plays.
