i just got to the part where the Trojans storm the ramparts

[Anonymous No.20694895]

i just got to that part and the book is starting to slowly wear on me because of how much of it is determined by the childlike whims of the gods. what is the point of that? what point was Homer trying to convey here?

So many times in this battle spears have turned to dust mid thrust, or just magically disappear, etc. It gets frustrating. Is there room for human agency in this story?

[Anonymous No.20694915]

>>20694895
You have to read it like you are an ancient.
>like WOAH guys imagine if your weapons just DISAPPEARED like WOW!!!!!

[Anonymous No.20695861]

>>20694895
>Is there room for human agency in this story?
No and that's the whole point, in Homer humans are just toys for the Gods, even heroes are simply powerful because they won a God's favour. Hector, Illium's protector, becomes a coward when the Gods say so. Aquilles won't fight until Patroclus dies because the Gods say so. Troy will be razed to the ground because the Gods say so, hell, even the war happens because the Gods asked Paris' judgement and now Hera and Athena want Troy destroyed as a petty revenge. The Gods, are the childlike rulers of the world and we are subject to their desire.

[Anonymous No.20695926]

>>20695861
Retarded, the gods where forbidden from fighting each other directly so they used mortal champions, and plenty of cases of heroes btfoing gods unaided eg diomedes