Painful Signs, Table of Contents

Here is a full list of all of the materials that make up Painful Signs. Live Links will be added as the posts are edited.

Introductory Material

  1. All the (Epic) Rage: Free Tools for Reading Homer’s Iliad
  2. Five Themes for Reading the Iliad
  3. Rewriting the Plot: What the Structure of the First Third of the Iliad Accomplishes
  4. Polysymphonic: How to Listen to Homer
  5. The Plan, and Imperfect Translations: What the substack is for and how it will proceed
  6. 99 Homeric Problems: On the ‘Homeric Question’ and other similar issues
  7. Reading and Teaching Homer: Some practical advice on encountering Homer alone or in the classroom

Iliad 1

  1. The Politics of Rage: Some Reading Guidelines for Iliad 1: Politics
  2. Speaking of Centaurs: Paradeigmatic Problems in Iliad 1: On paradeigmata in book 1 and the Iliad
  3. Prophet of Evils: Reading Iphigenia Into and Out of the Iliad: A first post on the Iliad’s relationship with other myths
  4. Managing Achilles: Narrativization and Mind Reading in Iliad 1: A discussion of Athena’s conversation with Achilles as he considers killing Agamemnon

Iliad 2

  1. From Poetics to Politics: Repairing Achaean Politics in Book 2 of the Iliad: Introduction to Iliad 2, the Diapeira and the Catalog of Ships
  2. Thersites’ Body: Description, Characterization, and Physiognomy in Iliad 2: Disability Studies and Homer; Politics
  3. Testing the Greeks (And their Audience): returning to Iliad2: A deeper dive into Agamemnon’s test at the beginning of book 2 using speech act theory

Iliad 3

  1. (Re-)Starting the Trojan War: Iliad 3 and Helen as Our Guide: the Iliad and narrative traditions; Helen and the teikhoskopia
  2. Heroic Appearances: Or, What Did Helen Look Like?: Physiognomy, part 2; Helen; Beauty
  3. Suffering So Long for this Woman!: Various Ancient Attitudes towards Helen: More On Helen
  4. Long Ago, Far Away: The Iliad and the So-Called Epic Cycle After the Canon: The Epic Cycle, Neoanalysis, Star Wars, and Homer
  5. The Dance-off of the Pygmies and Cranes: A discussion of the first simile in Iliad 3

Iliad 4

  1. Backing Up the Future: Characterization and Rivalry in Iliad 4: The Epipolesis, Agamemnon, and Rivalry
  2. Better than our Fathers!: Theban Epic Fragments and the Homeric Iliad: Inter-mythical rivalries; Agamemnon, Diomedes and Glaukos;
  3. The Rage of Hera in a Dehumanized World: The Divine Council at the Beginning of Iliad4: Structure of Iliad 4; Zeus’ plans; vengeance and theology

Iliad 5

  1. Seeing (and Wounding) the Gods: Reading Iliad5: On Theomachy, Homeric Gods, Aristeia, and Diomedes as a character
  2. Two Ways to Decline Zeus: Paradigm, Text, and Story in Iliad 5: Dione’s story in Iliad 5; Homeric Language, previous myths; paradeigmata again
  3. Does Homer Make Sh*t up?: Aphrodite’s Mom in Iliad 5 On innovation and tradition in Homer in generally; a discussion of Dione as Aphrodite’s mother in book 5

Iliad 6

  1. Structure and Stories: Reading Iliad 6: Killings and Homeric ‘obituaries’; the structure of Book 6
  2. War Crimes: Iliad 6, Infanticide, and the Mykonos Vase: Homeric Violence; Child killing; enslavement; sexual violence
  3. Mind Reading and Stolen Wits: The Encounter of Diomedes and Glaukos in Iliad6
  4. No Space for Dionysus: Story and Meaning in Iliad 6

Iliad 7

  1. Divine Plots and Human Plans: Reading Iliad 7: Homeric decision making and free will (“double determination”)
  2. Erasing the Past: The Achaean Wall and Homeric Fame: Time and permanence in Homer; The Greek Fortifications and Fame
  3. Give Helen Back!: Trojan Politics in Book 7 of the Iliad: Trojan Politics and the assemblies of Book 7
  4. Ashamed and Afraid: The Rhetoric of Kleos in Iliad 7

Iliad 8

  1. Tyranny and the Plot: Introducing Iliad8: Zeus’ control over the plot of the poem; performance divisions for the epic
  2. Wishing the Impossible: Hektor in Iliad 8: Hektor’s character in the Iliad (part 1)
  3. Stranded in Iliad 8 with Nestor and Diomedes: On Reading the Iliad and Neoanalysis: Neoanalysis and other models for reading the Iliad
  4. Talking to Horses: Characterizing Hektor in Iliad 8

Iliad 9

  1. Life, Death, and all the Words Between: Iliad 9 and the Language of Achilles: Achilles: Character Language; Heroism
  2. Two Is Company! The Duals of Iliad9 and Homeric Interpretation: Duals; Homeric Innovation and traditional language
  3. Achilles Sings the Hero Within: Stories and Narrative Blends in Iliad 9: Paradeigmata, again; cognitive approaches to reading the Iliad
  4. The Purpose of Speech: Dissent and Freedom of Speech in the Achaean Assembly in Iliad 9

Iliad 10

  1. Night Raids and Gimmick Episodes: Learning to Love Iliad 10: The Doloneia and the authenticity of Book 10; ‘Gimmick Episodes’; Television and Homer
  2. Homeric Redshirts and Iliad 10: Introducing Dolon: Dolon as a character; throwaway figures; physiognomy, again; Television and Homer
  3. Dolon and Achilles; Dolon AS Achilles: Politics and Iliad 10: Trojan Politics, redux; Correlations between Achilles and Dolon
  4. How Could I Overlook Odysseus!? Theme and Fit in Iliad 10

Iliad 11

  1. Time, Feet, and Serious Wounds: Starting to Read Iliad 11: “Monro’s law”; Diomedes’ Foot wound
  2. The Beginning of His Trouble: Characterizing Achilles in Iliad 11
  3. Insidious Inception?: Nestor’s Speech to Patroklos inIliad 11: Homeric Rhetoric; Persuasion; Paradeigmata, again
  4. Dawn, Reestablishing Space and Time: Beginning Iliad 11

Iliad 12

  1. Looking Up and Out: Starting to Read Iliad12: The Achaean Wall, again; Kleos; Impermanence; Bird Omens; Hektor and Polydamas; “Don’t Look Up!”
  2. Why Must We Fight and Die?: Reading Sarpedon’s Speech to Glaukos inIliad 12: Heroism; Noblesse Oblige; Kleos
  3. Scarcity and the Iliad: Thinking about Similes in Book 12: Similes in Homer; Cognitive models for reading, 2
  4. Hektor and the Beast: Similes in Iliad12: More on Similes and Hektor as a trapped beast

Iliad 13

  1. The Iliad‘s Longest Day: Starting to Make Sense of Book 13: Time and the Iliad; Temporal Structure; Chronology
  2. Epic Narratives and their Local Sidekicks: On Cretans in Iliad 13: Epic, epichoric, and Panhellenic; Crete
  3. A Heroic Tale Curtailed: Homeric Digressions and Iliad 13: Digressions/paranarratives or inset tales; Idomeneus; Kassandra
  4. Poseidon, Divine Hypocrite: Impersonation and Interpretation in Iliad13: Divine intervention, human agency, determinism, double determination

Iliad 14

  1. What A Dangerous Thing to Say! Politics and Absurdity in Iliad 14: Dios Apate seduction of Zeus); Politics; Diomedes
  2. Where Did Homeric Book Divisions Come From? Thinking about the thematic Unity of book 14: Book divisions, Homeric performance; textualization
  3. Falling Asleep after Sex and Other Cosmic Problems: The Seduction of Zeus in Iliad 14: The Dios Apate; the Homeric Hymn to Aphrodite
  4. Can’t Find a Better Plan: Agamemnon and Structural Politics in Iliad14

Iliad 15

  1. Zeus and ‘Righting’ the Divine Constitution: An Introduction to Reading Iliad15: Divine Politics and Homeric Gods; Hesiod’s Theogony
  2. Brothers, Sisters, Wives, and Divine (Dis)Order: Setting things Straight in Iliad 15: Homeric gods; Zeus and Poseidon; Successions; Politics
  3. The Powerful Mind of Zeus: Revitalizing Hektor and the Iliad‘s Plot: Hektor, Zeus, and the Plot of the Iliad
  4. Anger and Rage Among the Corpses: On the Doublet χόλος καὶ μῆνις in Iliad 15: Doublets, the plot, Ares and Achilles

Iliad 16

  1. There’s Plenty of Crying in Epic: Introducing Book 16: Achilles and Patroklos (Patrochilles); surrogacy
  2. Even Zeus Suffers: The Death of Sarpedon and the Beginning of Universal Human Rights: Death and Funeral rites; Mortals and gods
  3. Merely the Third To Kill Me: Hektor, Patroklos, and the End of Iliad 16: Apostrophe; prophecy; narrative traditions
  4. Crying Like a Girl: Similes at the Beginning of Book 16: Similes, again; reception, women, misogyny

Iliad 17

  1. Rescuing the Bod(ies): Thinking about the Epic Cycle, Neoanalysis, and Introducing Iliad 17: The Epic Cycle, again. Neoanalysis reanalyzed
  2. A Doublet Disposed: Time Travel Paradoxes and the Death of Euphorbus: Time travel and Homer; Television and Homer, again; “All You Zombies”; Digressions
  3. Always Second Best (Or Worst): Characterizing Hektor in Iliad 17: Hektor; Warrior prowess;  poinê (payback)
  4. Everything is Compared to Everything: Menelaos as a Lion in Iliad 17: similes, cognitive blending, mirroring

Iliad 18

  1. Things to Do in Ilium When You’re Dead: Introducing Iliad 18: Chronology, again; Achilles’ first lament; Burden on the earth; the Kypria (Cypria)
  2. The Personal Political: Hektor, Polydamas, and Trojan Politics in Iliad18: Characterizing Hektor, again; Trojan Politics (Re)redux; Character speech
  3. The Power to Control the World: Achilles’ Shield and Homeric Ekphrasis: Ecphrasis; Achilles’ Shield; “Willow”; Palazzo Pubblico; Hesiodic Aspis
  4. Schrödinger’s Companion: Productive Dissonance in Iliad 18: Dissonance, speech introductions, denial, grief

Iliad 19

  1. People Are Going to Tell Our Story: Introducing Iliad 19: Paradeigmata, again; cognitive approaches to reading, again; Achilles and Agamemnon; Politics
  2. That Other Me: Achilles’ Lament for Patroklos inIliad 19: Achilles and Patroklos, again; Achilles’ Second Lament; Surrogacy; Cognitive approaches to reading, again; Briseis
  3. Dead and Gentle Forever: Briseis’ Lament for Patroklos in Iliad 19: Briseis; Laments; Scholia; Patroklos
  4. Achilles’ New Delight: Reactions to Weapons and Fun with the Homeric Scholia:scholia; weapons; character reactions

Iliad 20

  1. Concerns For Those About To Die: Introducing Iliad20: Zeus; Gods and humans; Zeus’s will
  2. Spears and Stones will Break Your Bones But Words Will Always Shape You: Aeneas’ Speech to Achilles in Iliad20: Flyting; Insults; Aeneas and Achilles
  3. The Gamemaster’s Anger and Fear: Homeric Contrafactuals and Rescuing Aeneas: Counter-to-fact statements in Homer; Batman; Zeus and the Plot of the Iliad; Aeneas
  4. Yo, Achilles: Apostrophe in Iliad20: apostrophe; narratology

Iliad 21

  1. What Do You Do With a Problem Like Achilles? Introducing Iliad 21: Achilles; Sacrifice; narrative judgment
  2. You’re Gonna Die Too, Friend: Achilles’ Speech to Lykaon inIliad 21: Achilles and Lykaon; Surrogacy; Death; Gilgamesh and Iliad
  3. They’re Just Not That Into Us: On Mortals and Gods in Iliad21: Gods and mortals; Cosmic history; Hesiod
  4. Zero Sum Demands: Retributive and Reparative Justice in Iliad21: game theory; ransom; exchange, justice; poinē; apoina

Iliad 22

  1. Hektor’s Body and the Burden: Introducing Iliad22: Trauma and Homer; Characterizing Hektor, again; Fight or Flight
  2. Laying My Burdens Down: Hektor Sweet-talks Achilles in Iliad22: Hektor and Achilles; The Lions of Al-Rassan;  PTSD
  3. A New Widow and Her Orphan: Andromache’s Lament for Hektor in Iliad22: Women in Homer; Andromache; Laments; Astyanax; PTSD; Trauma
  4. Running from the Better Man: Type-Scenes and the Chase in Iliad22: Type-scenes; productive dissonance

Iliad 23

  1. That Mare is Mine! Introducing Iliad 23: Funeral games; Politics; Athletic Contests
  2. Rage Won’t Raise the Dead: The Ghost of Patroklos in Iliad23: Achilles and Patroklos, again; tragedy; peripeteia
  3. Achilles’ Wicked Deeds: Framing Human Sacrifice in Iliad 23: Human sacrifice; grief; death
  4. Heroic Welfare: Abundance and Scarcity in the Funeral Games of Iliad23: materialism; scarcity; funeral games; economy

Iliad 24

  1. Disfiguring the Fallow Earth: Introducing Iliad24: Divine Politics; the trial of Achilles; Apollo; Hesiod’s Theogony
  2. “As If He Were Going to His Death”: Priam and Katabasis in Iliad24: Katabasis; Ransom; Structural echoes; Hermes and Orphism
  3. “Blow Up Your TV”: Thetis, Achilles, and Life and Death in Iliad 24: Thetis and grief; Gilgamesh; John Prine
  4. Priam And Achilles, Pity and Fear: A ‘tragic’ end to Homer’s Iliad: Cognitive approaches to Homer; Tragedy and Epic; Aristotle
  5. Starving Then Stoned: Achilles’ Story of Niobe in Iliad 24: Paradeigmata, again; cognitive approaches to reading
  6. “Better off Dead”: Helen’s Lament for Hektor in Iliad 24: Laments; Praise; Memory; Helen
  7. The Burial of Horse-Taming Hektor: Ending the Iliad: Hektor; Aithiopis; Ending Epic; Ibycus; Pindar; Kleos
  8. A Restless night of Grief: Or, How the Scholia are Wrong about Iliad24: embodiment; Sappho; Lament