What's the point of the Iliad? (or why book 24 is actually the climax)

[@fairycat23]

She say, "Do you love me?" I tell her, "Only partly. I only love Patroclus And my mama. I'm sorry." -swift-footed Achilles

[@sticks4632]

Swift-worded Achillies

[@summerain]

hahah i love this

[@emma-lj6cg]

this made me laugh, while i'm in the middle of confusion because the fuck i just finished the iliad

[@Music-dd7lv]

Drachilles

[@fabulouschild2005]

So spoke Swift-Footed Achilles, son of Peleus

[@Noroh____0]

Another important thing to mention is that just like the Greek language has different words for love it also has different words for anger. Menis is not simply rage, but divine rage, and so more broadly the story is about Achilles coming to terms with the fact that he is not a god, and divine rage is inappropriate for him. What Priam helps Achilles realize is that he is not some god who is owed devotion and obedience, and who can make sweeping decisions on a petty whim, but a man who must respect other men, because even the best of men is still a man and will live a comrade to man, and will die a man like his comrades.

[@alexalexides8947]

Ian Banchs thank you. Also, the gods had decided it was time for the mênis (which Zeus had been sanctioning) to...end. So many of these videos leave out the, well, main drivers of the plot, the gods.

[@myway8576]

Such an intelligent comment

[@Boss_Isaac]

Homer's _Odyssey_ also appears to continue with this anti-war bent, as Akhilleus felt entitled to gaining honor and glory through war, but he dies like any other man and in the end he finds himself with... nothing. All of his supposed fame and glory, to be found through killing men and enslaving women by the hundreds, were for naught as Akhilleus is left with nothing. It's a tragedy, this glorification of violence and conflict.

[@xanv8051]

Good job guys

[@neo-filthyfrank1347]

@@Boss_Isaac To say the either of the poems is anti-war is stupid. Showing the devastation war causes is not the same as being anti-war, and to say it is is to completely ignore the realities and mindset of people at that time.

[@caitlinbrewer4843]

Burrito of rage is the best description of Achilles ever.

[@firagabird]

Except this was in the Mediterranean, so Achilles is more of a shawarma of rage

[@vasilikikakara3092]

I'm greek, born and raised in Greece and we do some parts of the Iliad at the second grade of middle school. Not in literature. Iliad is it's own subject for some reason as is the Odyssey. I always had this theory that the ministry of education puts the Odyssey in the first year of middle school because it's a "calmer" piece of literature. After all, it's about a guy who's trying to get to home and it's taking him 10 years and we just start our journey as middle schoolers trying to graduate middle school and then highschool... And then in the second grade they give us the Iliad, a story in which the angry guy in the end UNDERSTANDS and talks calmly with A FUCKING PARENT. NOW IF THAT'S NOT A METAPHOR FOR GROWING FROM AN ANGRY TEEN TO A SENSIBLE PERSON WHO FINALLY UNDERSTANDS HIS/HER PARENTS I DON'T know what it is. (( φαντάζομαι όλους τους Έλληνες στα σχόλια να σιχτιριζουν την ώρα και τη στιγμή και να απαιτούν να τους δοθεί πίσω ο χρόνος που σπαταλησαν από τη ζωή τους διαβαζοντας ερμηνευτικές για την Ιλιάδα και την Οδύσσεια στο Γυμνάσιο 😂😂))

[@varana]

The Odyssey is also by far the better _story_ . Fantastic things happen, Odysseus goes on an adventure - if you boil it down a bit, it's basically a form of fantasy quest. That's ideal for younger readers.

[@vasilikikakara3092]

varana312 for some reason everyone I asked ( not only in my class or school) liked the Iliad more. I liked them both for what they were. And yes, I agree Odyssey is far better for youngsters. It made us feel adventurous when we were in a really transitional period of our lives. And my classmates enjoyed Iliad more in the second class because they had got used to being middle-schoolers

[@conker690]

"NOW IF THAT'S NOT A METAPHOR FOR GROWING FROM AN ANGRY TEEN TO A SENSIBLE PERSON WHO FINALLY UNDERSTANDS HIS/HER PARENTS I DON'T know what it is" Literally though. It's the text on forgiveness and chilling the fuck out.

[@nadiaxantho]

Ήταν όντως πολύ κουραστικό τότε σαν μάθημα του σχολειου 😂😂 αλλά τώρα που άρχισα να ασχολούμαι από ενδιαφέρον και μόνο, ομολογώ πως είναι πιο διασκεδαστική η Ιλιάδα.

[@teargasmuffinz6657]

Do you read it in modern or ancient greek?

[@ManuTheGreat79]

The Illiad is not the story of the Trojan War, it's a story set in the Trojan war. I'ts similar to Saving Private Ryan. It skips the first 90% of the war. It doesn't have fall of Berlin, it omits the Enigma decoding, ... It tells a fictional story during one of the crucial moments of the end of the war, with that war as a setting

[@roysmith5711]

This is the most interesting comparison that I encountered in the comments section.

[@KeepCalmContemplateYourChoices]

Or Titanic, it's not a story about the Titanic, it's a love story that takes place on the Titanic

[@gazlator]

Excellent comparison, I think.

[@michaelramon2411]

Oddly enough, I also use Saving Private Ryan as my go-to example of what the Iliad is. It doesn't provide much context because the audience already knows the context.

[@sakarain]

It's really funning seeing this comment after my humanities professor recommend watching Saving Private Ryan while we are going through the illiad. my professor seems to think the same

[@Mariant819]

where were analyses like this 10 years ago when my teacher would tell me that the illiad was about Achilles rage and never proceed to elaborate why so i never understood why untill this very day? Thanks overly sarcastic productions you just resolve a very deep personal question as a reader for me

[@eldorados_lost_searcher]

Marian T Also check out Lindybeige, specifically his video "The Iliad- what is it really about."

[@glamourgirl656]

This was my favorite scene in the whole thing honestly. The humility Priam shows for the sake of his dead son, the initial unwillingness of Achilles to cooperate being broken down by the appeal to his humanity. The big hero brought down to the level of this frail old man, seeing eye to eye. Its a conversation that shows honestly one of the best sides of humanity, a side media rarely portrays as meaningfully as this, if at all. Despite how cruel and destructive this war was for both sides, two people in mourning show the people behind the conflict, not the soldiers, but a father and a friend, and how despite the events found truce. Achilles' rage was fueled by his love of Patrolcus, Priam's willingness to show respect to the hand of his son's murderer was fueled by love, and the truce they held was caused by the love they both understood. Gog I fucking love this scene

[@bashsibda6289]

And then later Priam takes revenge through the hand of his son Paris.

[@emblemblade9245]

Gog? Do I smell a MH4U reference?

[@VladTevez]

Interestingly, all heroes' names have etymologies that fit to their character: Achilles: _"The sorrowful wanderer"_ or _"the sorrow of enemies"._ (Debatable) Odysseus: _"The hated one"_ Agamemnon: _"Unbowed"_ Menelaus: _"The wrath of the_ (armed) _people"_ Hector: _"Holding fast"_

[@AGrumpyPanda]

From what I remember of my literary studies, that's a *very* common trait in basically everything Greek, e.g. Daedalus basically meaning 'skilled craftsman.'

[@VladTevez]

AGrumpyPanda Every ancient Greek name has a certain etymology, usually it's a compound of two words

[@remimaloney2028]

Odysseus is "The Hated One"?!?!

[@VladTevez]

Remi Maloney Cause he is hated by Poseidon

[@remimaloney2028]

Goddamn Gods telling us how to think

[@GameGuruNT]

So the point of the Iliad is... You wouldn't like Achilles when he's angry.

[@johanrunfeldt7174]

Achilles doesn't like Achilles when he's angry.

[@laureneras9523]

Don't touch Patroclus or Achilles gonna Achilles

[@froilandragon5693]

The irony cuz Eric Bana who plays Hector also plays Bruce Banner. I'm deaaad

[@leitmotif7268]

That scene between Achilles and Prium on its own is excellent. “But even enemies can show respect.” Goosebumps.

[@jeffsmith7416]

Because sometimes history is kind to us. *looks at where the library of Alexandria should be* THANKS HISTORY

[@kylepietrusiewicz2749]

Bernhardinski also greatly eggagered its importance, there were other library's in the world at the time, the great library Of Alexandria was far from the only receptical of knowledge

[@Malanthar]

too soon

[@gakeon963]

Thanks blue you mean, you at the video where they apologize for everything that they have done

[@merrittanimation7721]

*looks at Baghdad* THANKS MONGOLS!

[@MhmdRdam]

Well he did say ''sometimes''.

[@v.v365]

Achilles was one angry boyo

[@bluestar8779]

V.V BOIYO

[@the_tactician9858]

Well, Hector did kill his... *ahem*... 'cousin'... so yeah, kind of reasonable to be an angry boyo.

[@Brainlessbian]

Angry burrito boyo

[@michaelsampson8876]

1:53 aww why not the L'iliad?

[@mollym.3096]

Great video, but I'm a little disappointed you didn't think to say that Troy got des-TROYed at 2:03

[@ravioliravioli118]

Achilles: aw darn my wifeys gone oh well gonna go take a nap Also achilles: i'm sorry patroclus is W H A T OH NOW SOMEONES DYING

[@nowifate]

You say 'someone' heh..heh...

[@whyudoit4009]

“What has Hector ever done to me?”

[@cdevans97]

Oh wow, the story that starts with the line "SING THE RAGE OF ACHILLES" is about Achille's rage. Who would've thought?

[@Jono997]

Tbh, the Illiad should have been called the Achillead or something

[@willtherealremipleasestandup]

I WAS THINKING THE SAME THING

[@magmanaught4532]

Oh frig blue is talking about literature

[@ekgguy727]

Magma Naught HISTORICAL literature (I guess?)

[@timothymclean]

He's talking about the history of literature...loophole?

[@ianmills9266]

Isn't this usually reds area.

[@finnelhumano6096]

Sing, Muse, of the rage of Purple's daugther Red

[@Ratchet4647]

Finn El Humano Purple!?!? There's a tertiary character!?

[@pishposh1504]

The Iliad is an anti war book. Homer shows us the pointlessness of the loss of life by telling us the life stories of individual (and not at all important to the main story)soldiers who are eventually killed in the war. As well as glimpses as to how he believes war should be conducted like with the one on one fight between Paris and Menelaus . Having the people who started the war be the only ones who fight. But then brings us back to reality when Aphrodite saves Paris at the last minute to remind us that that's not how things are.

[@Joey-pb6ul]

Homer also does that thing where he introduces a character to the audience with a 1 paragraph introduction and then immediately kills them off in the next paragraph.

[@boombreeze5274]

Aaaaa this is a good analysis

[@pishposh1504]

Nameless Person those were among the life stories I meant. They're lives could be summed up so shortly because they were young men who didn't have time to accomplish much before they died.

[@SonofSethoitae]

I don't know that it's fair to call it "anti-war", but it certainly does acknowledge the complexities of war.

[@Hypernefelos]

It's even more tragic when you think about its context. This is the culmination of the Heroic Age. We have all those lineages of kings and heroes, many of them appearing in other stories, and then this happens. The heirs to all those lines, all those stories, face off in a battlefield and die quickly; messily; in horribly banal ways. The Greeks of Homer's time knew that centuries ago there was an age of incredible sophistication compared to their own, and they knew that it ended. This war signified the beginning of the end for that age. It was when it all started to crumble, and its heroes died with it.

[@inthexis2088]

"Overly Sarcastic Productions has uploaded: 'What's the point of the Iliad? (or why book 24 is actually the climax)'" Me: "Oh cool another Red video!" *Opens video* *Blue starts talking* Me: "This isn't right"

[@johanrunfeldt7174]

I was a little confused too for a few seconds.

[@intergalactic92]

My suspicions were first raised when I saw that Blue was in the thumbnail

[@hyacinthlover9370]

“Achilles is one _angry boio_ ” what a wonderful way to describe it

[@harrywompa]

I've always understood the Illiad as an anti-war piece, kind of showing how it corrupts and destroys. Achilles rage is definitely the center piece though, and Troy was such garbage.

[@stephenskinner7207]

The Iliad is a lot more complex than just being anti-war: one of the reasons Homer's epics survived so long is that they show ALL the aspects of war. They detail the blood and the carnage, the countless lives lost, old and young, the foolishness and the ultimate futility of war, but they also detail the honor of soldiers, the comraderie, the glory, the deeds of heroism and impressive feats of valor, even in the face of death. It shows people who carry war too far, the dissidence felt within a single army, the balancing of loyalties and trust in your commander, and the fear of young people about to dies finding courage in their companions. It shows everything from espionage to slavery, the widows, the orphans, the fathers and mothers who lost their children, the children of veterans who try to live up to their parent's reputation. And all this in a very serious discussion of human mortality.

[@jimbohalpert6647]

Harry Wompa Although the entire piece focuses on achillies' rage.the subject of his rage is Hector the greatest men,perhaps not on the battlefield but in everything human while he fights among deities and titans he is merely a man fighting to protect his homeland,people,and the sound imperfections of everyday human life.There is a reason he is of the nine nobles and that's because he is the focus of the Iliad and he is the most tragic figure of the Iliad right in front of achillies. The movie Troy portrayed this theme very well and therefore is one of my favorite movies and isn't a bad movie by any means.

[@KumaoftheForest]

Harry Wompa I always took it as a war of men being used by the Greek gods as a game

[@kakhagvelesiani3877]

+Jimbo Halpert That movie is complete garbage. Also Greeks are there portrayed completely unsympathetically and have no real redeeming characters or qualities. There are no Gods in the movie as well. ( so theme about fighting among deities doesn't work and never portrayed ).While Trojans are portrayed as noble, kind and generally victims of evil Greeks. However, in the Iliad Hector gets help from Gods as well. Apollo saved him from Diomedes and Apollo also injured Patroclus. Hector didn't kill Patroclus in 1vs1 fight face to face. He stabbed him in the back, while he got injured by Apollo and other warrior. After that, Hector wanted to feed his body to dogs and stole his armor. Only thanks to Menelaus, Hector wasn't able to feed poor Patroclus body to dogs. Once he sees Achilles, Hector runs away like a little bitch and actually goes in circles 3 times, before getting tricked by Athena. Also, Diomedes is far better than Hector. Hector couldn't defeat Ajax, while in the movie he did ( because FUCK GREEKS ! TROJANS ARE THE BEST ! right ? )

[@garretthochmuth4522]

I never actually took time the really even consider that. Thank you Harry Wompa, you have give me a lot to think about.

[@claireb153]

Thank you so much for this, it is such a lovely tribute to a poem that I adore! Could I add something else, though? See, IMO, it's not just about Achilles's anger; it's also about anger in general. I mean, Achilles isn't really onscreen (onpage?) that much, which is odd if it's All About Him. Instead, we get a lot of scenes of other people fighting, involving a great deal of Our Heroes a) killing people who are actively begging them for mercy, and b) standing over the bodies of their dead enemies gloating about how sad their parents and wives are going to be and how great that is. And none of this is seen as problematic, or even commented on particularly. Plus, Homer is a Greek writing for a Greek audience, and he panders to that audience in pretty obvious ways; but all of those ways are about making the Greeks seem more badass than the Trojans. You often see Trojans humiliated and terrified, but you almost never see Greeks like that, for example. Basically, this seems to be written both about, and for, a warrior culture where badassery is the main thing that matters, and mercy comes in pretty much nowhere. So when Achilles shows mercy to Priam, he's not just letting go of his own anger, he's stepping outside of the boundaries of his entire culture. And the audience sees (hears? reads?) him - the greatest warrior ever - do that. Then we end on Hector's funeral; again, if it was all about Achilles letting go of his anger, shouldn't it end in his tent, when he gives Hector's body back? But it doesn't. We go ahead and see the thing that Our Heroes have been gloating about all through the book: the grief and mourning of the loved ones of a dead enemy. And... maybe it isn't so much fun when you actually get to watch it? So this is Homer, after having presented the warrior culture without comment throughout the story, gently asking his audience if, maybe, being like this might be a bit of a bad idea. So while this is, one one level, a really moving personal story about one guy letting go of his rage, it's also very much a story about the very beginnings of a shift in a culture. Away from brutality/rage as a driving force, and towards the possibility of mercy. It is, so far as I'm aware, the very first recorded example in human history of someone writing sympathetically about that: the possibility of mercy, even to an enemy. Which is one of the reasons I love it so much.

[@emblemblade9245]

It’s one year late, but by god this comment WILL be recognized. That is to say, I really liked reading it and it’s the first time I’ve seen The Iliad talked about in this way so it was an interesting and fresh idea for me!

[@claireb153]

Thank you so much! I'm glad you enjoyed it. :-)

[@connorwhyte3028]

Telogony is actually fairly interesting because it’s the conclusion of Odysseus’ curse by Poseidon. He can’t stay at home and thus has to journey inland; where his son by Circe kills him. Thus he didn’t get to go home fully.

[@connorwhyte3028]

Still haven’t seen Troy. All my Classics teachers (both at A-Level and Uni) straight up said NO! Thus I haven’t seen it.

[@aurydoesstuffs]

Just a little side note on the Odyssey since you brought up the original version. It’s first word in ancient Greek is Άνδρα (I probably messed up the accent) which means “man” so, yeah, the Odyssey is the story of a man (actually two because there’s Telemachus, but he doesn’t really do much). Sorry if I misspelled something buut I’m Italian and damn is English tough to learn. Toodles ٩( ᐛ )و

[@VladTevez]

Aurora Ilardi the word is right, but the first verse is an invoke to the Muse to tell the story "of a (resourcesful) man"

[@aurydoesstuffs]

V. Athanasiou Oh... thank you. I’ll have to check again since it’s been a while. I anyway wouldn’t translate πολυτροπον with resourceful. I prefer versatile (it’s Italian but I think that there is a very similar word in English), I think it suits him better.

[@VladTevez]

Aurora Ilardi mindful, fraudulent, cunning, moody are all correct translations of πολύτροπον... the meaning is the same... the literal translation is "the one who is directed at many addresses"

[@alexandernewkirk6193]

Aurora Ilardi good luck learning English I also am a native Italian

[@IISheireenII]

@@VladTevez this comment is very old so sorry for replying to it I guess, but I felt the need to say: to be fair, while recourceful, cunning, moody and versatile are all good descriptions of Odysseus. I feel the literal "directed at many addresses" is also an amusingly fitting portrayal of him :D Homer really knew what he was dooing with this verse

[@greenjoseph4]

Johnathan Shay in his book, “Achilles in Vietnam” compares Achilles’s arch in the Iliad to Vietnam veterans who were under his psychiatric care. He describes it as the perfect representation of PTSD and how “good men” go berserk...

[@KrisTheNinth]

We were looking at the Iliad and the Odyssey in my current Greek History class, and lots of my professors and other students talk about the Odyssey as being the "better" of the two, but I really do like the Iliad more... Maybe it's because I've read lots of Shakespearean tragedies, so i like my "doomed to die" tragic heroes to be especially flawed in obvious ways, but it really has a strong emotional core, even if the plot is a bit lacking! You're so right - Achilles rage really is at the centre of the story. At the start it's a bit whiny-pissbaby rage, bc Agamemnon stole his "war prize" and thus his glory, but after Patroclus dies, it's an even more powerful rage, bigger than the previous, big enough to overcome his plan of sitting out the war. It's enough to fuel him into doing laps of Troy chasing down Hector after fighting a frickin army in a river that was also fighting him. Book 23 and 24 really are important - how do you come down from a rage that's already been avenged? Achilles is still mad, even after he's dragged Hector's body around and the dogs have had a go. It's not going to bring Patroclus back. It's so powerful that amidst this rage that will probably never truly leave him (and he really was a hothead to start with anyway), there's this moment of human connection and decency that gets to happen. It feels very cathartic to read. It feels very human. A powerful resolution for a story that truly is so full of woe.

[@AirTerranean]

For a story that's so famous, it's surprising how little is told at large. Nice work Blue, I can't speak for anyone else but I've never heard this view of the Illiad before, and it does make a lot more sense. Thanks :)

[@williamchamberlain2263]

Nice that they'd keep a 24-book poem alive about the costs of rage and revenge, and the importance of respect and self-compassion/self-forgiveness.

[@fireisawesome1466]

difference between greek and indian mythology 1. greek have oracles who see things to kickstart plots 2. indian mythology has sages who are boon and curse dispensers to kickstart plots

[@artofthepossible7329]

The last one sounds slightly Biblish.

[@s3nsation646]

I agree with the Indian myth point though that only covers some of the big stories. Not even majority of them.

[@matthewmuir8884]

Great video Blue. I was wondering, could you please make a history video about the Ancient Celts?

[@Dualidity]

Achiles rage was described as more than our human rage, it was like what the gods feel when their devine order is wronged

[@VivaLaDnDLogs]

Thank you for this explanation of the Epic Cycle. It's kinda amazing that I never realized how little of the Trojan War The Iliad covers. All the story elements that I know from the Trojan War, the Apple of Discord, the abduction of Paris, Achilles used to be a destroyer until he took an arrow to the heel, the Trojan Horse, Troy falls....*NONE OF THESE THINGS WERE IN THE FRIGGIN' ILIAD* I was always under the impression that they covered these things but I just forgot them. And yet somehow remembered Achilles refusing to fight until Patrocles dies and him having a showdown with the strongest warrior of Troy. But why would I remember those things but not the cool stuff I actually wanted to read The Iliad for? Man, I really must have zoned out for this book.

[@nangvile854]

I don't understand why this channel doesn't have 1 million already this KZbin Channel helped me pass my test on Greek Mythology

[@duploman1000]

I guess Patroklos being Achilles gay lover didn't sit well with the marketing team.

[@TheWizel]

Just tell the audience that it isn't gay since they did it between the thighs (At least according to Greek law)

[@KarishmaChanglani]

Jonathan Just BFF would have sufficed you know

[@levongevorgyan6789]

Well, Homer didn't seem to think they were gay. It was Athenian intellectuals who put that in. Hell, Xenophon argued against it. So if anything, the movie is more accurate then you progressive fucks trying to push your agenda. Remember, Achilles was pissed over a FEMALE slave.

[@GlaukopisCal]

Yeah, it was debated, and it still is. The reason is that we DON'T KNOW what Homer thought. It was generally accepted that way, with a few exceptions, during the classic period because pederastic relationships between men were so widespread, but in other historical periods the idea was rejected. That's because every civilization sees things from the point of view of their lifestyle and way of thinking. On Briseis, you're technically right, but remember that 1) bisexuality was common in the ancient world and 2) the main reason Achilles was pissed was because of his honour. Just like if he had been deprived of any other treasure he had earned, the problem was that in taking it Menelaus was declaring that Achilles could be messed with.

[@kirk001]

If I recall correctly, during these times there wasn't a thing as being gay. There's basically pitchers and catchers. As long as you're a pitcher, it didn't matter who's doing the catching. Of course, if you're a catcher, well, that just relegates you to 2nd class citizen. And since women could never pitch, they were automatically second class. (Reminds me of a scene from Game of Thrones Season 7. Bronn: "It's all about cocks, isn't it?")

[@ActiveAdvocate1]

I would like to argue that, minimal though it was, the screen time that Odysseus gets in "Troy" was also done well. Odysseus is portrayed as this kind of nuts genius guy, as well as an excellent general and tactician, and he was all of those things. I haven't read all of the "Iliad" but I have read the "Odyssey", and it's MAGIC.

[@aine965]

This video makes me feel so many emotions, Achilles' character development and downfall are so tragic and fascinating.

[@Grim_Sister]

So... You're saying we know the lost parts of the Iliad thanks to Iliad fanfiction that survived past the ages. Neat!

[@luuorallemn9921]

This is my favorite episode, by far (don't tell Red!)! Thank you for your passionate explanation of this epic poem. When I originally read it (very long ago *awkward cough*), all I understood was his rage. On and on it went! By the end, I didn't care about the message or that he had changed. I was so frustrated! I missed the point of it all... until you mentioned it today and I thought back on it. It was about war, but from a different perspective. It was about decisions that are sometimes out of your control and some that are painful to make, but you are responsible for them. Even in war, where you always lash out with your anger and take away someone that is loved from this world, you can also show kindness, giving them respect and honoring that love that is now lost. Acknowledging our Humanity and grappling with those polarizing feelings is what makes war so hard for everyone involved, especially soldiers who have to deal with it first hand, every day. That's what made this an epic moment. I'm sad that it took so long for me to understand that. So, thank you for this episode. It made a huge impact in my life today. Thank you 💙

[@superdark336]

Best Friend is a really weird way to spell Boyfriend.

[@Lili_Flowers26]

at least they didn't try to convince us they were cuasins 🤡💀

[@freewillgeorge]

one thing I'd like to point out is something else i think the film got right. A lot of the costumes. The armour, the weapons, from what I can tell are all clearly sourced in archaeological finds of 10th century BC kit from greece and nearby places, which i'm surprised people don't bring up more

[@adamsbja]

Not enough nipples or spears piercing nipples to be true to the original poem. Maybe it was the translation I read, but that thing was a nipple-fest.

[@freewillgeorge]

adamsbja oh aye I agree, but i meant true to actual bronze age mycenaean stuff

[@Brainlessbian]

@@adamsbja gay

[@yamiyomizuki]

I've seen mycenaen armor, it doesn't look like that

[@thomas_roni_pero346]

I figured the illiad also had a bit to do with Hector as well. There's a lot of focus on his skirmishes with the achians and how much he means to his wife and son and the people and warriors of Troy. He is their champion doomed to fall at the hands of Achilles and the illiad ends not long after his funeral.

[@Kuudere-Kun]

I'm amazed you did all that without making a Shared Cinematic Universe joke. Patrocholus is usually a relative of Achilles, that really didn't contradict the Gayness to the Ancient Greeks.

[@blackmonish]

Thank you... plus, we've all seen what happens when Holiwood focuses way too much on that aspect of Greek culture, to the point that it degrades the structure of the film... I pity those, such as I, that endured "Alexander." Also, I understand Red's hate boner for Troy, since it omits the gods entirely; but I do not understand Blue's hate boner for a film that attempts to reconcile the historical and mythological aspects (which, I will admit... it does butcher both at times, but I feel the narrative changes were made to make the characters more sympathetic to a modern audience; but it does go a bit too far... not as badly as "Enemy At The Gates," did with the shoehorned romance, but still pretty bad).

[@SpartanLeonidas1821]

@@blackmonish Well said Todd! 👍

[@forabug594]

I recently read the novel “The Song of Achilles.” First of all, fantastic romance. But it helped me to better understand the plot of the beginning of the Trojan War AND made me go back and reread the Illiad on my own (Crazy, right!?) Can’t wait for Madeline Miller’s next book about Circe to come out! Just a couple of thoughts after watching this great explanation video. Thanks Overly Sarcastic!

[@GoblinLord]

"Sing, o muse, of the rage of achilles" is such a great quote, and the reason why I hate golden child Achilles in media, because he was so angry and I think that's so important, even after he learns to forgive, he still has that rage, I think the take away for the Priam scene is that one may show respect for ones enemies even while refusing to forgive them or forget what they did, you have a right to not forgive, you have a right to never forget, but being able to put that aside and show an enemy respect is strength, learning to live with your anger even if you can't let it go is important sidenote, the trojan war on the greek side and on the trojan side is great because it's a classic case of a five man band vs a villain and their dragon Agamemnon is more of a mission giver than a member of the band for reference Achilles- Hero Patroclus- Lancer Ajax- The heart or just another smart/powerhouse (the second Ajax feels like they're connected in a sort of Gemini scenario tbh) Diomedes- The powerhouse Odysseus - The smart guy Paris- villain (technically) Hector- The dragon The interesting parallels are Achilles and Pat vs Paris and Hector Achilles and Pat are both trained warriors but Pat seems sort of like a professional but friendly guy, Achilles is more like a cocky 18 year old, which makes sense due to the fact that Pat is actually his senior in age. Achilles is more powerful but he's less mature, Pat is more serious but less powerful, not to say Pat is more mature, but he is more serious, since he has a mean streak too, at least before Chiron th leads to Hector and Paris, Hector is a trained soldier and smart, while Paris is cowardly and not really trained, hence why most of his shots were guided by Apollo. Hector is very obviously the Dragon here as other than the Gods, Paris started this war

[@stanley9334]

I've heard from other sources that apparently Patroclus was Achilles lover not his cousin or friend, that's why he was so mad.

[@neliquemelique6077]

It would definitely make sense.

[@JamesNewham]

That is entirely correct, I would recommend the book "Song of Achilles" for more of a backstory. It'll make you slightly hate Achilles, but it's worth it.

[@Si1verWings]

@@JamesNewham Mmmmm yas I second this recommendation

[@s3nsation646]

It's moreso a theory than anything. Though that interpretation gives a lot of modern context to Achilles actions. The main takeaway was Patroclus was very important to Achilles. In what type of relationship, that's up for interpretation

[@Dragonette666]

let's not forget that Achilles cross dressed as a female before the war in an attempt to hide out. He must have been really cute as a girl because Odysseus had to trick them to figure out which girl was Achilles

[@jorgeoaa]

I actually *LIKE* Troy...for what it is: a Hollywood movie. An entertaining one at least. Another historical flick is Alexander the Great and that was plenty accurate but what the hell happened when it came to execution? It was a borefest.

[@norab5]

George Aspa It completely sucks as an adaptation, but judged only as a movie, it's quite entertaining.

[@TerLoki]

I do so love the terms "Achilles blanket burrito" and "bloody murder canyon" as used in these vids. Thanks guys!

[@pathfinderGM]

Red and blue love your content. I hope that it does double duty as school work and work to pay for school. Ps my dogs love to listen so I set a playlist and have it playing while I'm at work.

[@0ld_Scratch]

rage, rage against the dying of the light...woops wrong poem

[@MSwede]

Blue speaking in beautiful greek was probably the sexiest thing I have experienced in the past 6 months.

[@bbhavefun11]

We had to watch Troy in my World Literature class in high school. The scene where Achilles passes back and forth angry screaming "HECTOOOOOR" is still an inside joke that gets frequently quoted amongst my friends.

[@habitablefiction7090]

I really liked this one. I hope you guys do more like this video. Discussions on how a plot is structured around the stories themes and purpose is always something that grabs my undivided attention

[@ouranosvasileios9464]

Blue, your Greek was good in that (coming from someone who speaks Greek), good job!

[@Whitetomato27]

I've studied the iliad a number of times through middle and high school, we also had to memorize pieces of it but I've never seen the point of it until this video. Thanks blue now I really want to go back and re-read it with this insight 😄

[@JoJoMadara]

I would love to see you guys do a summary of The Nibelungenlied (Siegfried's Legend.)

[@arawn1061]

Same as Sigurd Fafnirsbane?

[@JoJoMadara]

@Jasta 2 Nah. I'm personally more partial to Siegfried's legend than I am Sigurd's and Kriemhilde's destruction of her own Kingdom.

[@1LeagueOfLeguends1]

Great video Blue! Not everyone understands the ending of the Iliad, so I'm glad someone with your platform is helping them understand! One comment I would make is to substitute your translation from "rage" to "wrath". Rage can sometimes be justifiable, but Achilles was taking things way to far (what, with the fighting the river god bc he is just out of control, and dessecrating/trying to dessecrate Hektor's corpse, which was the worst thing you could do to someone since they couldnt pass the river styxx in the underworld).

[@araposkulo]

Isn't Red supposed to be doing these? Has there been a coup in the channel? With all the history research Blue must have done he definitely, learned how to stage one.

[@scottrauch1261]

Blue does historical and the more in depth review, Red does the fun summaries of ancient text and literature. I'd say blue got this one.

[@araposkulo]

The Illiad is an ancient epic very loosely based on historical fact (only as a setting really). As a matter of fact Homeric Poetry is considered literature. Therefore Red should have done this. Also I am obviously joking.

[@Ratchet4647]

Monguku I mean Red has also delved into Blue's Domain when it was appropriate so this isn't too much of a deviation from the norm.

[@araposkulo]

but Red only slightly touches on history to give us a reference point or a better understanding on why these literature works mention certain things, yet she's never done a full-blown history video.

[@ayesha36]

Blue studies classics and Greek, so...

[@JamesNewham]

I did my first year of Ancient Greek and Latin in the past school year, and half of the year in Greek was spent on the Iliad. Our final exam was to translate (a simplified version of) Priam's plea to Achilles. It had quite an impact on me to read it in Ancient Greek, and this video perfectly encapsulates what I think about the entire Iliad.

[@enriquegarcia2790]

"Even enemies can respect each other"

[@timothymclean]

In another thousand years, analyses like this might be the only way future historians will be able to reconstruct the _Illiad._ It's a weird thought.

[@spamhonx56]

the iliad is far more widespread than media like this video. one would hope that it shouldn't be possible for the iliad to be accidentally lost, ever digital copy deleted, every physical copy destroyed.

[@timothymclean]

People a few millennia ago might have said the same about the Cypria, but we only know about that through adaptations and analyses. (Okay, it would probably take more than a thousand years, but it could still happen...and adding a qualifier would have made the statement a lot clunkier.)

[@spamhonx56]

yes, but then the cypria wasn't spread globally, written down hundreds of thousands of times, or on the internet. it's still possible we'd lose these texts, but it'd take some very, very contrived circumstances, or something whereby every language required to read or translate it was somehow forgotten.

[@mnovaraisso6880]

Long after the Internet was taken down in 2060 due to the energy and food crises unleashed by runway global warming and the libraries looted off by refugees using the books as cooking fuel cos... Several centuries later an archaeologist could accidentally stumble upon a well preserved hard drive, in a buried server farm, where this analyses was recorded, and scholars will marvel at the wealth of ancient literature from before the collapse,

[@yamiyomizuki]

@@spamhonx56 being on the internet doesn't really make something permanent, most of that data is stored in a very few places and maintaining the networks that distribute information requires a high degree societal organization. books being widely distributed also doesn't mean much unless said books are maintained and reproduced. a massive societal collapse would take down the internet and after a millennium it's doubtful many books would survive.

[@petrelli231]

So the Iliad is basically the Iron Man 2 of the Greek Cinematic Universe?

[@merrittanimation7721]

Rex Hernández History has been unkind to us in that case. What would the Odyssey be then? A Captain America movie?

[@ShinigamiInuyasha777]

Nah, it would be winter soldier. Les war oriented, far more edgy and cinycal thant the prequel

[@crazwizardlizard]

i mean iron man 2 is an excellent movie, it just isnt as flashy as its companions

[@Jobe-13]

This makes the story even more kinda sad.

[@Oscar_Lasco]

7:05 to be fair Patroclus was BOTH Achilles' cousin and lover. The movie removed the "intimate friend" part.

[@neo-filthyfrank1347]

They weren't cousins

[@nambnb]

Yeah. I'm not sure why people are so salty about them being related. Ancient Greek was full of related people and frequently married their cousins or even half-siblings etc. And Achilles and Patroclus were related via their (great)grandmother, Aegina, who was the mother of Aeacus (by Zeus), who fathered Peleus (Achilles' father) and she was also the mother of Menoetius (by Actor), who is Patroclus' father, so Achilles and Patroclus were cousins once removed. Alternatively, Menoetius is Aegina's grandson via Aegina's daugther, Damokrateia, which would still make Achilles and Patroclus cousins.

[@gew393]

Seriously you two blow my mind constantly your videos. Please please please please keep up the good work

[@stephenskinner7207]

Well, before I even watch this video, I'll say that I thought the whole central conflict of the Iliad was described in Book I, where Thetis tells Achilles that he can either live a short but glorious life, and be remembered through history, or live a long and peaceful life, but be forgotten after he dies. And the Iliad is all that question of which is more important; glory, honor, or life.

[@stephenskinner7207]

Also, if you ask me, there's one more good scene in Troy. It's the very one I described above, where Achilles goes to talk to his mother. It really sheds light on his character and motivation. It's like every single character in Troy got warped and flanderized except Achilles, who in my opinion they actually portrayed pretty well.

[@Truck-Kuns-next-victim]

I've been watching this channel for months and I love it, but for my college mythology class I was given this video to watch to learn about the Iliad. I had no clue tho it was this channel, it made me really happy that my teacher gave me a video to watch that I had already been planning to watch later anyways as a school assignment.

[@MasterOfCydonia]

While I enjoyed the movie Troy, I know it was more of a Swords and Sandals movie than actually sticking to the source material. However I don't think it should be discounted, as it is a better version of the Homeric Epics than other attempts (Excluding Troy: Fall of a City because I haven't seen it). With that in mind, I do feel like directors need to actually make the War of Troy into a proper film and actually follow the source material more.

[@jean-paulaudette9246]

WOW! I'm stunned! Amazing info, but what's really flooring me is, this is the first time I'm seeing this vid, that's been out for two years? That's just about as long as I've been sub'd!

[@Amornick21]

It’s also about the tragic nobility of Hector

[@samgott8689]

I don’t get why people find that the Illiad isn’t really about the Trojan War is odd. Think of it as an ancient Saving Private Ryan or something- it’s not really about WWII, that’s just the setting.

[@Kamenriderneo]

When it comes to the movie Troy, I think the way they portrayed Achilles, while maybe not accurate, is awesome! We have a man who is so talented in combat that he has never been wounded. Because of that, he wears lighter armor than every one else. At the end, having Achilles die because he took an arrow to the heel and he jsut couldn't handle the pain because he's never been in physical pain.

[@Dragonette666]

the arrow that Achilles was hit with had been poisoned. All armor back then had weak/open spots on the legs. They didn't have full field plate like Europeans did in the 1500s. There is a suit of armor called the Dendra Panoply that would have been about as close as fully armored as you could get back then. That could be part of the legend of Achilles, but I think a real person named Piyamaradu was the archetype for Achilles. He was a rebel against the Hittites and supported by the Greeks. He managed to be a thorn in the side of the Hittite empire for 30 years and across 3 kings. I think the "invulnerability" may have been the inability to catch him. You can find an ancient tablet about this. He's directly mentioned on at least 3 or 4 different ones.

[@Kamenriderneo]

@@Dragonette666 actually, it was the arrow that killed Paris that was poisonned

[@Dragonette666]

@@Kamenriderneo both of them brought down the same way. I can find plenty of google results that say the arrow was poisoned. I can't find any that say Achilles laid there whining and let himself bleed to death , I'd love to see something to back that up though ,as my favorite character is Diomedes and he survives getting hit in the foot by Paris.

[@AggelosKyriou]

In my own humble opinion the Iliad is about the clash of duty vs desire (reason vs emotion). Hector is a paragon of the sense of duty, its very embodiment actually: His name could be roughly translated as "Defender" and ALL he does conform to his duty to Troy. He literally breathes for Troy as if nothing else matters. That's why the most famous phrase of the Iliad is spoken by his lips: "Εις οιωνός άριστος, αμύνεσθαι περί πάτρης"(=The best omen is the defense of your homeland). In the scene where he is talking to his wife about their son he says that the main reason he fights for is to secure Troy and the birthright of his son Astyanax (="City King") to the throne of Troy. Achilles on the other hand is pure desire or emotion: He abstains from combat due to his wounded pride. He's been wronged clearly but he doesn't fight when even when the Trojans have penetrated deep into his hole/camp (pun intended). And when Patroclus dies, he gets back into the fight for purely emotional reasons. In the end Priam tries to talk some sense into this glory-junkie man-child and he succeeds by appealing to his emotions. Hector the sensible dies by the hand of Achilles the wrathful (=emotionally immature). The Sense of Duty dies by the hand of Desire. Reason dies by the hand of Emotion. That is the Tragedy of the Iliad and that is the Tragedy of Man since time immemorial.

[@Drellistenstomusic]

I feel like casting Sean Bean as Odysseus was a good choice.

[@davidbriggs264]

I haven't seen TROY, but if that is true, then it is VERY ironic that Sean Bean, the man who dies in almost everyone of his movies not only survives this movie, but would also survive the (unfilled) sequel. Wow!

[@adamsbja]

Bean only dies in about 30% of his movies. Above average (most of the folks with a higher rate are old monster movie actors like Bela Lugosi where death is a matter of course), and a lot of those were high-profile roles, but not "most".

[@grazgrain]

Okay, who the fuck is Sean Bean and what kind of horrible name is Sean Bean?

[@kavky]

@@grazgrain Boromir, Eddard Stark, many others. No need to be rude.

[@grazgrain]

@@kavky why was I so angry when I wrote that how bad of a day was I having god

[@RichardLightburn]

Book 24 is likely the nucleus of the poem, about which the hole thing grew. I don't think you could have made up the episode of Priam going to Achilles tent, like one could have made up any other episode. But it is so remarkable that it had to be remembered.

[@TheKlutz31013]

I'm Greek and damn dude good job with the reading! Are you taking ancient Greek classes?

[@morganblackheart9468]

Brad Pitt did not actually want to do Troy, but he was forced into it. He's said that before. He didnt agree with the way it was written and how it strayed so far from the original text.

[@aenhisryunusuke1230]

Doesn't Iliad translate to "Troy Story" so how is it not about the Trojan war?

[@TheWizel]

Because it takes place during? Poetry isn't always literal. Also it could be a broader commentary seeing as the whole delio happened because Menelaus was angry HIS wife was taken

[@stephenskinner7207]

It IS about the Trojan War; just a specific part of it.

[@warriorcrab1319]

'Troy Story 2' was my favorite.

[@Peagaporto]

@@warriorcrab1319 Aquiles and patroculus duet of "you got a friend in me" would get a whole lot weirder

[@katepreble8574]

Love this. I always turn into a blubbering mess round about the end of book 7 when both sides are burying their dead. Does a lot for the characterization of Agamemnon and the Greek is delicious.

[@adamwise1111]

When they have to make Achilles and Patroclus cousins because "no homo!" Oh yeah and great literary analysis, btw.

[@Valery0p5]

Other than being a really important key to interpret the story, thanks for including book 24 since it was left out of Red's summary.

[@TheFirestalker]

I love how you could have made the title clickbaity like "the 1 thing troy did right", but rather chose to stay with the topic. Thanks Blue. :)

[@kweeksw]

Please please please do the other poems! There are so many conflicting sources but yall do your research so well and tell it in such an entertaining and understandable way that it's honestly more informative than my own research. I really wanna hear ya'll's sarcastic take on the other poems

[@tsnap4]

Blue: Patroclus (Achilles' BFF) Me: Sure you don't have one too many Fs in there?

[@neo-filthyfrank1347]

No it's correct Big Fat Fa-

[@mr.scarytheterry5039]

I really enjoyed Troy and still do. It has a few short comings but I wouldn't have found this channel without it. (I was searching for "what really happened during the trojan war" and you video on Thebes popped up a week later)

[@truethat15]

I submit that casting eric bana as hector was a great choice. He deserved a better movie.

[@neo-filthyfrank1347]

Troy wasn't even that bad

[@argella1300]

Now I wanna go read The Song of Achilles again

[@deltathecomic4765]

Anyone else kinda ship Patroclus and Achilles? Just a little bit? I want to binge read all these epic poems sometime.

[@adamsbja]

"Cousin" There's various interpretations and opinions about how much banging was going on, but even in the chastest interpretation of the relationship BFF is almost underselling it.

[@deltathecomic4765]

...ohh...yeah, nevermind then if that's what he did.

[@samanthadotson6651]

I would recommend reading “The Song of Achilles” it’s a retelling of the Iliad that focuses a lot on the relationship between Achilles and Patroclus

[@qmclic5818]

everyone ships it. Specifically Plato

[@pinkwings8036]

the OSP team has t-shirts just for you, then.

[@curiousKuro16]

I'm so hoping that a video from Red is coming where she explains history.

[@EvolverForU]

"the movie troy is a steaming pile of garbage" me, who had to watch this for our english class last year and also was one of the few who was familiar with the iliad before having it as a topic: ...yea :(

[@atticusp6592]

Having read the Iliad a few things I can say for sure; one, Achilles and Patroclus aren't gay, it is ridiculous coming to that conclusion based purely on Achilles being mournful over his friend being killed due to his own inactions. Next, Achilles isn't even in most of the book, Odysseus and Agamemnon are more prominent in the work than he is, Achilles spends most of the story in his tent, otherwise the book is primarily focused on the conflict between the Trojans and Achaeans, with the Gods directly influencing the Wars to favour one side over the other at different times to suit their interests (The Gods are also more prominent in the book than Achilles is). Otherwise the book mainly displays the Heroic Values and Religious worldview which the held in Bronze age and were later admired through the Dark Ages and beyond, hence the constant focus on attaining greater glory through killing and the Gods very open involvement in the War.

[@ChupacabraRex]

Exactly, they might as well say Krilin and Goku were Gay(although there are clearly some people shipping them considering the 23 fanfics on ao3 about them). And yeah, I agree with you, also having read the Iliad, there are a lot of characters, and while achilles is the one who set the whole thing into motion(hence why I'd still say the Iliad is mainly about the rage of achilles) most of the story focuses on other characters. I think even Antilochos got as much screentime within the book!

[@tele337]

Well, that revelation is less impressive when you realise the first sentence of the book says its about Achilles rage

[@CornerTalker]

First side A charges in and chops up Side B. Then the gods intervene and the tide turns, allowing Side B to charges in and chop up Side A. Then reverse and repeat. And repeat. And repeat.

[@Cr33pysku11]

"He killed my cousin" LMAOOOO I can accept some historical inaccuracies, but I draw the line at Achilles being straight

[@safaiaryu12]

I'm the only person I know who likes the Iliad better than the Odyssey, but I know full well that the Odyssey is the better narrative. I just... like Achilles better. Which, by the way, is not me saying that I think he's a good person; far from it; I just think he's a far more interesting and compelling character. Like, Odysseus's cleverness is fun and all, I guess, but I feel less sympathy for him as a character, and he feels like he learns less and develops less by the end. Achilles fucks up so, so bad for such petty reasons, but I also... understand. When Patroclus dies, I understand Achilles' absolute rage and despair. And I respect his growth in the end. To be able to give Hector's body back to Priam, despite everything. Yes, ultimately, it "doesn't change anything," yet it DID. It made him human again. I have exactly one tattoo, and it's a line from the Iliad, around my wrist. Achilles saying, "My homecoming is destroyed" (rough translation - it's the line from the end credit song in Journey). The moment when he leans into the prophecy that he'll die young, when he gives up the thought of ever going home and living a quiet life, because now he's choosing to stay right here and perform the great deeds for which he'll be remembered forever. The tattoo is a reminder to myself not to sit at home and fade into obscurity, no matter how much my depression wants me to isolate and disappear. I'm no Achilles, obviously, but I, too, can leave a mark on the world if I'm brave enough to acknowledge my strengths and face my limitations head-on.

[@zvimur]

I have no proof of my O'Toole fanboying theory, but it would be nice if that Giant among actors stormed into Petersen's (or whoever else responsible for Troy) office, and forced that scene as a condition for participating in.... what Blue said about it.

[@culturainutil861]

THAT WAS O'TOOLE? OH SHID BOI

[@zvimur]

Pedro Henriqe If you mean the old actor (Priam)....Hey it's a long road from Lawrence of Arabia.

[@eldorados_lost_searcher]

O'Toole was a god amongst insects on that set. The only reason he didn't win an Oscar for almost every role he played in his early years is because he had the rotten luck to be nominated alongside other actors who put on performances of a lifetime every time. He's reason enough to watch Troy, even if it isn't his best work.

[@jesuschrist9513]

Red needs to do those other 6 poems from the cycle because i am actually shocked about the Telegony and Agammemnon getting axed Also I have no idea why after watching the Iliad video and reading the Iliad, I didnt at any point wonder 'wasnt there supposed to be a horse or something?'

[@brendanmurphy4034]

Why do people hate Troy? Admittedly I haven’t read the Iliad, but I thought it wasn’t bad. They had to make some cuts to fit such a massive story. Could someone chime in with their opinion?

[@TheKeyser94]

I have no many issues with Troy, other the over abundant amount of U. S. actors with very bad British accents, including Brad Pitt, and the fact that they try to portray Achilles and Paris as sympathetic figures, but they totally they weren't, Achilles was basically a warrior that didn't give a shit and fight for the love of fighting, not for honour or his king, and Paris was a childish proud prince that didn't care about the consequences of his actions, curiously both of them die in Troy, but the producers spared Paris life even that his actions caused the destruction of his city and the death of his family, and killed Achilles. Another massive problem is Paris father was all well and dandy with the whole affair instead of being totally furious with Paris for his actions, and the consequences that would be for Troy, at least Hector was realistic about his reaction, but the rest of the family acted as if the Greek would accepted it just like that, even by bringing Helen, Paris basically break their treaty and give a excuse to Agamemnon to invade Troy.

[@brendanmurphy4034]

Keyser94 I actually like some of the changes to the Trojans. It made them more sympathetic and it makes sense to make them more likable because the Illiad would be told from a Greek perspective. I do agree they shaft the Greeks a lot in the film and overcompensate by making the Trojans more noble. Agememnon may have been fine, but Meneleus didn’t deserve to be vilified so much.

[@levongevorgyan6789]

I loved the battle scenes, the warrior spirit the movie captured, but it ruined the characters and story so completely with its quibbling moralizing.

[@TheKeyser94]

Brendan Murphy+ I have no issue that the Troyan royal family accepting Helen as part of their family now, but Paris father should be furious with him in private, yelling at him for destroying their only chance for peace and now giving a excuse for the Greek to conquer Troy, hell, even Helen recognise this and it would be a matter of time before the Greeks show up, they could have try negotiate, exchange hostage, give Achilles his war bride as hostage for Helen to try to make peace, but no. Agamemnon behaved like an asshole, but you are right, they should have portrayed his brother the same.

[@luluthebatsansandfriskwife1020]

I love your videos they're so cool and I love how you explain mythology and history

[@celestialangel666]

That is the power of Peter O’Toole!

[@stevenflowers9289]

Try to teach world history to high school freshmen out of just a textbook and see how interested you can keep them in a topic. Movies like Troy got them a taste of the Iliad that, afterward, we were able to correct the movie’s errors. More than one student then read the Iliad on their own. Movies like Patton, Amadeus, Alexander, Ghandi, and The Last Emperor added depth, perspective, and interest that just a book and my words would never have. The movie errors are easily corrected, but I needed their interest first.