Homeric epics as biblical

> I find Paris, Hector and Helen endlessly fascinating
> figures. Paris always
> appears as very immature, undeveloped - lost in the world.
> Almost a
> grotesque figure. Hector is everything that Paris is not.
> Hector is noble
> and duty bound. He's more than a good householder
> though he displays those
> characteristics well. He has an interesting relationship
> with Helen. I've
> commented on this previously - and not too long ago. They
> have a genuine
> understanding. Helen is more than symbolic of the world and
> illusion. She is
> all that, yet she doesn't fall for it in the way that a
> Paris type does.
> Paris is seduced, enslaved, suckered. (I saw some video of
> a guy on the
> internet - where else? - saying, "It's all about
> the pussy man, that's it."
> And I work with a woman for whom it's all about the
> cock & getting pissed.
> These mechanical types as Shakespeare would have them
> known. Long ago, I had
> this vision of these types - dragons stooping at the 9th
> kiss - I think I
> just revived it, just understood how hideous it all
> becomes, fallen man,
> woman.) Helen sees through the illusion, she typifies and
> embodies the
> illusion but she doesn't own it, it is put upon her -
> she see's what it
> does, the effect it has upon the Paris types. This is why
> these characters
> are so fascinating. Paris is hideously ugly because of the
> lustful illusions
> that drive him. Helen is a victim of the illusions of
> others. Perhaps too
> small to surmount the illusion, yet she knows it as that,
> what it is, and
> plays her role as an allurement of the senses. Why not,
> that is what she is
> to do. To get an understanding of that we need to look at
> Menelaus. He's
> almost a shadow figure, though again, with some
> significance, not just being
> the brother of Agamemnon, nor that - of all her suitors -
> he won Tyndareus'
> daughter &, I geuss the oath of the suitors. There is
> obviously a story
> within all these details that tells us more about Helen.

Hector being a good guy reflects to me the fact that great literature is often a matter of good vs. good. Or, in Work terms, the fact that both directions of the Ray of Creation are needed.

But the finals scenes of the Iliad *are* telling, regarding Hector's behavior in those final scenes. His cowardice. The lessening of him as a hero.

The language of the Iliad and the Odyssey are afterall about inner reorientation and inner development, which goes against the flow of the General Law. As they in bits and pieces (though also in elegant complete language on their own terms) mirror biblical revelation and Work ideas, practices, and goals.

But remember also the part in the Iliad where Hector takes Achilles armor from Patroclus. In that sense anti-Christ. Instead of Christ. Being something that he's not.

I recently read an encyclopedia of Greek myth entry on Penelope and how later storytellers totally ravaged the meaning of her by saying that when Odysseus was gone she had, in turn, sex with all 129 of her suitors. I relate this anecdote here in this overall email to suggest that it's easy to see a Hector as noble, yet what he represents is very ignoble. If those same storytellers who ravaged Penelope rewrote the Iliad then Achilles would be homosexual (something the world has been trying to say he is, as I think about it) and Hector would be victorious, and what represents higher centers like Penelope would be whores, and Odysseus would have accepted the offer from Calipso of eternal life (and lost his soul), etc., etc.

The Iliad and Odyssey are, like many throughout Western culture have commented, very Christian. Biblical.

* * * * * * *

> I'll put in a defence here for Hector.
>
> Helen is the plaything of fate. She belongs to Aphrodite,
> literal property,
> despite her resistance, who breaks her will.
>
> The death of Patroclus is the tragedy of Achilles failure
> to overcome his
> own imperious nature fueled by a dark temper. It is
> Achilles that stands
> against divine law. He indulges. Patroclus' humiliation
> is Achilles. He
> knows it and feels it deeply. It rises him from his
> slumber. Actually, there
> is an obvious point at which Achilles loses his mind -
> keeping Hector's
> body. Apollo expresses it. Even Priam's appeal takes
> some time to move
> Achilles. His self indulgent wrath is what prevents him
> recovering his true
> nature. His release of Hector's body is very
> Achille's salvation. But his
> madness has been evidently on show. He had revenge and
> thirsted for more -
> the gods prevent him from doing more shameless deeds to
> Hector's dishonoured
> body. Ultimately it can be seen that Hector is
> Achille's only chance for
> salvation. Hectors death is the end of hope for Troy.
> Hector was the source
> of havoc for the Achaean's and the blame for that is
> Achilles. It was
> rightful that Hector should strip Patroclus of the armour
> he had no real
> right to wear - just because deranged Achilles had
> consented is not enough.
> There is no doubt that Patroclus' death is Achilles
> humiliation and finally
> that which stirs him to recover what he has lost. Hector
> is, in another age,
> chivalrous - and the Gods protect his corpse for that
> reason - and it is
> Achilles tragedy that he breaks the rules of chivalry.
> Achilles is a hero
> although Odysseus commits the heroic acts. Achilles chooses
> injured pride as
> his bedfellow. It takes a lot to awaken him. Hector is not
> Achilles. Both
> are warriors, the former from compulsion, simply defending
> his home and
> family. Hector is not a coward, he is no match for the
> lustful revenge fury
> that is Achilles. He understands that. Who can say that his
> flight was not
> the obvious retreat that was needed realising the
> inevitable outcome. Hector
> was always clear that the troubles and shame are brought
> upon them by his
> brother. Paris cares less and takes pleasure when he can.
> Paris is a picture
> of cowardice. In Work terms I see Achilles & Patroclus
> together. And they
> are more wrong than Hector who is honest to the code and
> true.

Hector can seem harmless. Imaginary 'I' can seem harmless. Life can seem harmless. The world can seem harmless. Imaginary 'I' is not Real I, though, and ultimately is death.

I sense the sexual aspect of Helen is a distraction. She obviously represents something real and valuable or stealing her would not mean much, and motivation to fight to bring her back would not be high. She is not Penelope (higher centers), but she may be sex center which transmutes into higher emotional center. She is needed. She is hi-jacked by the devil and used for worldly purposes. Pleasure, what have you. Just as sex center energy is hi-jacked by other lower centers and used where it doesn't belong.

Because Achilles knows he is to die if he remains and fights, he also knows he has to do it at the right time. It has to become about him. He is the center of the passion play. For his death to have effect it has to be timed right. Remember, as he was sitting out the battles he had already made his decision to sacrifice himself, or else he could have boarded his ships and sailed home and lived a long life in luxury. He was waiting for the right moment. And the emotion involved - resentment, anger, violence - is all being *overcome*. He could have killed Agamemnon straight out, but Athena was able to hold him back. Achilles higher nature, higher will, subdued him.

And don't overlook the visual image of the river as a big snake. Achilles is doing more than merely defeating Hector and toppling Priam's city and kingdom. He is fighting higher forces for a higher victory, and in it all he is giving a visual of inner war, the second conscious shock, that has to occur to overcome that kingdom which was so petty that it couldn't but fight on behalf of worthless Paris.