The perfect explanation of the Iliad

Añadido: 2026-06-02

[00:00:00]I am reading The Iliad for the first time in my life. Yes, my American high school and college education failed me that I've never read this story, but I'm reading it in anticipation of the movie The Odyssey, which I'm going to read The Odyssey right after this, obviously. The Iliad and The Odyssey, but I want to talk about one little thing because I think there is a really good summary of what this story is really all about.

[00:00:21]Because this story, I am only two books in, is frustrating me so significantly.

[00:00:25]And I just get so annoyed at these characters because they're just so dumb and they will not relent their anger and they are just having a pissing match with each other.

[00:00:34]And there's one line in the first book that says this, "Thus these two were busy about the army, but Agamemnon did not give up his anger and the first threat he made to Achilles."

[00:00:49]That one line, but Agamemnon did not give up his anger, I feel like is the summary of this entire book. And it's not just going to be about Agamemnon's anger, it's going to be about Achilles' anger and how these two cannot seem to see eye to eye and they're going to cause a lot of death because they just do not want to give up and relent their anger.

[00:01:07]And I think this is a good lesson and I think this is going to be different from like a Wuthering Heights book, which that is a huge warning against having anger, but I I think this book is going to be a bit more about pride and honor and about who really wins in the end.

[00:01:19]But I'm I'm kind of hoping and I'm curious if this book is also going to be a story and a warning for people to lay down your anger and lay down your pride.

[00:01:31]Because Achilles can't do that. And especially Agamemnon can't do that.

[00:01:35]Almost everything that he says it says his anger is like flitted up. He doesn't seem to have any practical wisdom to listen to either the gods or to listen to other advisers. He just is inflamed with rage at Achilles and what Achilles has done, which isn't really anything.

[00:01:53]They just don't see eye to eye on this and they're just both stupid and they won't lay down their pride because they just keep insulting each other.

[00:02:01]They're not going to work together and I think the entirety of the Iliad is going to be just this story about these people who will not give up their anger and they will be so prideful that they dig their heels in and thousands of people are going to die because of it.

[00:02:15]If I were to say a summary of the story so far, that's what it would be. And so I'm curious how I'm going to revisit this at the end of the story when I get to the end of the Iliad and if I actually think this is going to be true or not. So, keep following along as I'm reading this for the first time. You can like the video, you can subscribe for more of this kind of content and I'll see you in the next one.