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sparklightThoughts about the Iliad, Zeus and planning, or not.
My favourite version here is absolutely the one that Zeus and Themis planned the war, but that this was done because it was needed to be done, because there were starting to be too many humans for Gaia to deal with. That's entirely from fragments and scholia - my personal addition would be that presumably only a version of the war that involved Troy in some capacity would lead to the most death, hence why Troy had to be involved. Because it's not as if Zeus actually wants Troy to be involved, or to fall. It's one of his favourite cities!
So there you have him, having to plan this thing out, involving a city he doesn't want risk being razed... the apple thing isn't because he can't choose, it's because the apple needs to be awarded by a human (in this case specifically a Trojan) for there to even be a war. He probably hoped/assumed Paris would choose Hera, since she is the most beautiful one, and becoming king of the world/Europe and Asia means you can have any woman you please (and thus Paris could have had Helen either way), but no! Apparently Paris just had to go with the immediate satisfaction route (Zeus might have wanted to account for Paris not being a good warrior and something of a coward aside from being a conscientious judge). And so you have Hera against Troy instead of Hera having to work on Troy's side.
I honestly feel that the war being planned for some reason (even if you don't go with the scholia and fragments' reason) makes the most sense. Why would he even be afraid of, or unable to choose between them and to award the apple to his wife, who is the most beautiful? It'd be a fair judgement call.
And if you do go with it not being planned or necessary, I'm still not sure why it should be all up to Zeus' fault by making Paris award the apple - why not the goddesses, who are frankly a little ridiculous for being so caught up in the whole most beautiful thing and letting it get at their pride (gods are ever so prideful and concerned about their pride and position)? I imagine if it's something like that, Zeus deciding to make a human award the apple was an attempt at subtly pointing out they were being ridiculous while still giving some sheen of taking it seriously, since Paris has been fair before in terms of a contest and judging it.
It's hardly Zeus' fault Paris does not choose the obvious winner, now is it? He certainly didn't intend what comes of it, in such a case! (But given there are some in-text implications that it is planned, the fragment/scholia giving a reason for it makes it all the more terrible and tragic.)
My favourite version here is absolutely the one that Zeus and Themis planned the war, but that this was done because it was needed to be done, because there were starting to be too many humans for Gaia to deal with. That's entirely from fragments and scholia - my personal addition would be that presumably only a version of the war that involved Troy in some capacity would lead to the most death, hence why Troy had to be involved. Because it's not as if Zeus actually wants Troy to be involved, or to fall. It's one of his favourite cities!
So there you have him, having to plan this thing out, involving a city he doesn't want risk being razed... the apple thing isn't because he can't choose, it's because the apple needs to be awarded by a human (in this case specifically a Trojan) for there to even be a war. He probably hoped/assumed Paris would choose Hera, since she is the most beautiful one, and becoming king of the world/Europe and Asia means you can have any woman you please (and thus Paris could have had Helen either way), but no! Apparently Paris just had to go with the immediate satisfaction route (Zeus might have wanted to account for Paris not being a good warrior and something of a coward aside from being a conscientious judge). And so you have Hera against Troy instead of Hera having to work on Troy's side.
I honestly feel that the war being planned for some reason (even if you don't go with the scholia and fragments' reason) makes the most sense. Why would he even be afraid of, or unable to choose between them and to award the apple to his wife, who is the most beautiful? It'd be a fair judgement call.
And if you do go with it not being planned or necessary, I'm still not sure why it should be all up to Zeus' fault by making Paris award the apple - why not the goddesses, who are frankly a little ridiculous for being so caught up in the whole most beautiful thing and letting it get at their pride (gods are ever so prideful and concerned about their pride and position)? I imagine if it's something like that, Zeus deciding to make a human award the apple was an attempt at subtly pointing out they were being ridiculous while still giving some sheen of taking it seriously, since Paris has been fair before in terms of a contest and judging it.
It's hardly Zeus' fault Paris does not choose the obvious winner, now is it? He certainly didn't intend what comes of it, in such a case! (But given there are some in-text implications that it is planned, the fragment/scholia giving a reason for it makes it all the more terrible and tragic.)
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Date: 2020-06-18 10:43 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2020-06-18 10:55 pm (UTC)Felt a little hesitant about the two Iliad posts because it feels like it has so much Legitimate Scholarship out about it and I have just been reading for fun... But when the thoughts come they need to get out, haha.