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March 2012 Feature of the Month: Trojan War Month

A monthly discussion on varying themes guided by our members. (Book of the Month discussions through December 2011 can be found in this section too.)
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Amanda
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Post by Amanda » Fri March 9th, 2012, 2:46 am

I was at a loss for what to read next, not for want of choice I can assure you! I just didn't know what period and place to delve into. Then I read this thread, and found Helen of Troy by Margaret George on my shelf.

I haven't really read a lot about the Trojan War, though I did read The Iliad and The Odessey (prose style) about 10 years ago. Most of what I remember was the Gods coming down, libations, laps around Troy, repeat again. And funeral games. More libations........

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lauragill
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Post by lauragill » Fri March 9th, 2012, 3:23 am

[quote=""Amanda""]I was at a loss for what to read next, not for want of choice I can assure you! I just didn't know what period and place to delve into. Then I read this thread, and found Helen of Troy by Margaret George on my shelf.

I haven't really read a lot about the Trojan War, though I did read The Iliad and The Odyssey (prose style) about 10 years ago. Most of what I remember was the Gods coming down, libations, laps around Troy, repeat again. And funeral games. More libations........[/quote]

And lots of dead bodies, lovingly described, like thus:

"And Diomedes, that raging stallion among men, did with sharp bronze pierce the eye socket of Whatshisnameabos, who had come from the green lands of Lycia where he had left his bride and aged parents. He would never keep his promise to his brother to build that outhouse behind the hut, or see his son turn to opium and Egyptian music, drop out of the academy, and sell goat jerky in the agora. Argive Diomedes's sword went through his eye to splinter through the back of his skull, and darkness closed over Whatshisnameabos."

Wash, rinse, and repeat another 228 times.
Last edited by lauragill on Fri March 9th, 2012, 3:26 am, edited 1 time in total.
Reason: na

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lauragill
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Post by lauragill » Fri March 9th, 2012, 9:10 pm

Some images depicting the fashions and armaments of the Trojan War era:

Image
Image
Image
Image
Image

Minoan and Mycenaean women didn't go around bare-breasted all the time; the artwork depicts religious rituals. And Mycenaean men apparently liked to wear their tunics short to show off their legs.

If you have any specific questions about Aegean dress for this period, don't hesitate to ask. I also have pictures of jewelry.

annis
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Post by annis » Fri March 9th, 2012, 9:46 pm

Posted by lauragill
And lots of dead bodies, lovingly described, like thus:

"And Diomedes, that raging stallion among men, did with sharp bronze pierce the eye socket of Whatshisnameabos, who had come from the green lands of Lycia where he had left his bride and aged parents. He would never keep his promise to his brother to build that outhouse behind the hut, or see his son turn to opium and Egyptian music, drop out of the academy, and sell goat jerky in the agora. Argive Diomedes's sword went through his eye to splinter through the back of his skull, and darkness closed over Whatshisnameabos."

Wash, rinse, and repeat another 228 times.
LOL!

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Nefret
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Post by Nefret » Sat March 10th, 2012, 3:28 am

I like the pictures.

What were the Greeks known as then? I've heard both Achaeans and Argives.
Into battle we ride with Gods by our side
We are strong and not afraid to die
We have an urge to kill and our lust for blood has to be fulfilled
WE´LL FIGHT TILL THE END! And send our enemies straight to Hell!
- "Into Battle"
{Ensiferum}

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lauragill
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Post by lauragill » Sat March 10th, 2012, 7:12 am

[quote=""Nefret""]I like the pictures.

What were the Greeks known as then? I've heard both Achaeans and Argives.[/quote]

Argive refers to someone from the area around Argos and Mycenae. Homer referred to the Greeks as "Achaeans" in The Iliad, but keep in mind that there is also a region of the northern Peloponnese called Achaea. Mycenaean Greek had a digamma, or a /w/ sound, which was dropped in later times, and some differences in vowel sounds, so you would not have said "Achaeans," but "Achaiwoi."

I have also seen the Greeks referred to as "Hellenes," and Greece as "Hellas." The Mycenaeans would not have called themselves "Greeks," as that is a relatively modern term.
Last edited by lauragill on Sat March 10th, 2012, 7:14 am, edited 2 times in total.
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Nefret
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Post by Nefret » Sat March 10th, 2012, 9:40 pm

Thanks. I don't remember that very well.
Into battle we ride with Gods by our side
We are strong and not afraid to die
We have an urge to kill and our lust for blood has to be fulfilled
WE´LL FIGHT TILL THE END! And send our enemies straight to Hell!
- "Into Battle"
{Ensiferum}

annis
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Post by annis » Mon March 12th, 2012, 7:24 pm

Coincidentally, a local online DVD store was offering copies of Michael Wood's In Search of the Trojan War series cheap, so of course I just had to buy it :)

I do wish the Beeb had made Wood's In Search of the Dark Ages series available on DVD as well, but apparently it's one of those masters that they didn't bother keeping..sigh...
Last edited by annis on Mon March 12th, 2012, 10:53 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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lauragill
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Post by lauragill » Mon March 12th, 2012, 8:27 pm

[quote=""annis""]Coincidentally, a local online DVD store was offering cheap copies of Michael Wood's In Search of the Trojan War series cheap, so of course I just had to buy it :)

I do wish the Beeb had made Wood's In Search of the Dark Ages series available on DVD as well, but apparently it's one of those masters that they didn't bother keeping..sigh...[/quote]

An amazing series, that. Wood regrets wearing those tight, tight jeans, but whatever... I also have the music from the series.

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Nefret
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Favourite HF book: Welsh Princes trilogy
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Post by Nefret » Mon March 12th, 2012, 9:06 pm

I haven't seen that series.
Into battle we ride with Gods by our side
We are strong and not afraid to die
We have an urge to kill and our lust for blood has to be fulfilled
WE´LL FIGHT TILL THE END! And send our enemies straight to Hell!
- "Into Battle"
{Ensiferum}

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