While I do not normally discuss historical fiction on these
pages, I will make an exception for Homer’s Odyssey. The Odyssey covers the travels of
Odysseus following his participation in the Trojan War as can be found in The
Iliad. His travels take ten years
and this noble warrior and his men deal with a wide range of natural and
supernatural obstacles. Both books
together can be considered an early work of historical fiction to the extent
that it is unclear how much of the tales are drawn from history and how much
from imagination.
The Bryn Mawr Classical Review reviews The Meaning of
Meat and the Structure of the Odyssey by Egbert J. Bakker. In this study, Bakker closely examines the
role of meat eating and feasting among Odysseus and his band of men. While this seems to be a small
matter to examine, the author touches
on what the story means to an ancient and what cultural norms
the actions in the book represent. The
author examines what it means to be a civilized hero in ancient
society and also spends time on the conflict between Zeus and Poseidon.
While the study of meat consumption and its
meaning in the Odyssey may seem to have little relevance to the study of
military history, it gives one an idea of what norms ancient Greeks might have applied to the concept of being a hero or a warrior. The reviewer praises the book for its substance and efficient brevity.
I am impressed by the subject matter and the reviewer has also won me
over. I would recommend this book to
anyone interested in the social aspect of ancient Greek warrior life and
thought.
1913 - (Odysseus in the battle with the suitors); Berlinische Galerie
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