Against the Homerophobes
Here's a piece I put together defending the ethical value of Homer's poems.


Against the Homerophobes

A lot of people in the Hellenic community have begun treating Homer as their own personal punching bag. Scarcely a day goes by without someone attacking his depiction of the gods as childish and ignorant, asserting that he has no value beyond mere entertainment, or claiming that the works of this great literary figure have lost any relevance to our modern, sophisticated twenty-first century lives.

In reflecting on this growing phenomena I was reminded of a scene in the movie American Beauty, the one where Ricky is showing Jane the videotape of a plastic bag buffeted by a breeze over a bleak city street. There is a transcendent but fragile beauty to the movement of the bag, and in it Ricky beheld a powerful, transformitive epiphany of the hand of god behind things. And yet, another person, standing on that same street in that same instant, might only have seen litter and grime. Nothing would have been changed, except for their perception of things. To every encounter we bring our biases, our conditioned responses, our prejudices. We see only what we are prepared to see, what we are willing and ready to see. But what are we missing out on because of that? What more might there be in the world if we would only, as the tag-line of the movie suggests, look a little closer?

I have a deep fondness for the poets of the Greek tradition. Over the years they have become great friends to me, familiar, comforting, and inspiring. And Homer, the first of the Greek poets in both chronology and quality, has become dearest of all. I would like to share some selections from his works, in the hope that you, too, might give them a chance and listen to the wise and beautiful things that they have to offer us.

For instance, Homer teaches us that we should treat strangers with kindness and show them proper hospitality.

“Antinous, it was dishonorable to strike an unfortunate wanderer; thou wilt come to a bad end, if there is a god in heaven. Indeed, the gods, in the likeness of strangers from far countries, put on all manner of shapes and visit the cities of men, beholding their violence and their righteousness.” (Odyssey 17.483)

“Now eat, sir, of this suckling-pig – all that a servant has to offer; the fatted hogs are meat for the wooers, and little they care for the eye of heaven or for other men’s troubles. It is certain the blessed gods hate unkind deeds; they have respect to justice and fair dealing among men.” (Od. 14.80)

“All strangers and beggars are from Zeus, and a gift, though small, is precious.” (Od. 14)

“Axylos, the son of Teutheronas, was a man of substance and dear to his fellow men, for his house was by the side of the road and he welcomed all who passed by.” (Iliad 6: 141)

He advocates gentleness of spirit.

“But do thou, Achilles, subdue thy proud spirit; it is not right for thee to have a heart without compassion. Even the gods themselves can bend, although they be greater and more excellent in honor and might.” (Il 9.496)

“Son of Atreus, give up your anger; even I entreat you.” (Il. 1.282)

Endurance in the face of hardship and the virtue of hard work.

“Endure now, my heart. An even greater outrage did you once endure.” (Od. 20.18)

“Be men now, dear friends, and take up the heart of courage.” (Il. 5.529)

“Take heart! Let not these matters trouble your thoughts.” (Il 18.463)

“How can you propose to render toil useless and ineffectual?” (Il. 4.26)

“Bad deeds don’t prosper. The slow man for sure overtakes the swift.” (Od. 23.7)

And not blaming the gods for the misfortune we bring upon ourselves.

“Alack, see now how mortals lay blame upon the gods. For they say that evils come from us, the gods; but it is they who, from the blindness of their own hearts, have sorrows beyond that which is ordained.” (Od 1.26)

He teaches compassion by reminding us of the sorrowful state in which many find themselves.

“Of all things that the earth nourishes and that breathe and move upon the face of the earth, none is feebler than man. So long as heaven gives him prowess and his limbs move lightly, he thinks that no evil will befall him in the days to come; but when the blessed gods fill his cup with sorrow, that also he bears, as he must, with a steadfast heart.” (Od. 18.125)

“But come, sit down upon a seat, and we will let our sorrows lie quiet in our hearts, for all our grief; weeping is cold comfort and nothing comes of it. For such is the destiny that the gods have laid upon miserable men, that they should live in grief, while the gods themselves have no cares. For there stand upon the floor of Zeus two urns full of gifts such as he gives, evils in the one and blessings in the other. And when Zeus gives to a man a mixture of both, then he meets sometimes with ill, sometimes with good; but when he gives only of the evils, he puts him to scorn and fell hunger drives him over the divine earth, and he goes to and fro unhonored by men and gods. … Have patience, and let not thy spirit sorrow without ceasing, for all thy grief over thy son will avail nothing: thou wilt not raise him up again, before some evil comes upon thee.” (Il. 24.518)

“Great-hearted Tydeides, why enquirest thou of my generation? Even as are the generations of leaves such are those likewise of men; the leaves that by the wind scattereth on the earth, and the forest buddeth and putteth forth more again, when the season of spring is at hand; so of the generations of.men one putteth forth and another ceaseth.” (Il 6.144)

“’Tis impiety to exult over men slain.” (Od. 22.412)

He teaches tolerance and acceptance of divergent approaches.

“For no island is made for driving horses or has broad meadows, nor will one plot of land bear all fruit.” (Od. 4.607)

“You will certainly not be able to take the lead in all things yourself, for to one man a God has given deeds of war, and to another the dance, to another the lyre and song, and in another loud-thundering Zeus puts a good mind.”

“All men have need of the gods.” (Od. 3.29)

“Be mindful of every form of valor.” (Il. 22.268)

This handful of quotes – barely scratching the surface of the beauty and wisdom that the Great Bard has to offer mankind – should hopefully give those who are quick to discard his work pause for reflection. These sentiments are in no wise inferior to the ethical teachings of men such as Plato, Seneca, Marcus Aurelius, Buddha, Jesus, Maimonaides and Gandhi.