What's there to panic about?
(Published by Sunscape, a student journal)
One realization I came to while reading The Iliad was that panic is the reversed muse. I could not get out of my head how the meanings are the perfect opposite of each other. Musing includes taking the time to think about a situation or argument, while panicking leads to rash actions and rage, which are emotions presented heavily in The Iliad. Muse and panic are important elements in this epic and even though the concepts are different they help Homer show the blurred lines between the Achaeans and Trojans, wondering which side is really in the right. Since both sides have their good points and their flaws. First, by invoking a muse, Homer starts the relation.
Book I calls a Muse quickly by saying, “Begin, Muse, when the two first broke and clashed, / Agamemnon lord of men and brilliant Achilles” (1.7-8). Asking help from a Muse gives guidance to the poet. The quote suggests that men are in a fight and Homer wants to show developed thoughts for both men correctly. Since this dispute between Agamemnon and Achilles starts off the story, causing Achilles to refuse to fight, so it is important that a Muse directs the poet to give full details on the argument that started it all. In Book II Homer explains, “Sing to me new, you Muses who hold the halls of Olympus!” (2.573). Calling the Muse once again allows Homer assistance to discuss the sides of both the Achaeans and the Trojans. Homer is then able to show similar qualities of the two sides by invoking a Muse, which makes neither of the rival groups clearly in the right.
Not all epics I have read so far call a Muse for the purpose of thoughtfully explaining both sides. For instance, in Virgil’s Aeneid people will be inclined to inevitably root for Aeneas and the Trojan side. That is why this realization is important specifically to The Iliad and that the purpose of the Muse in this epic was to create perspectives on each side so that the reader feels conflicted about who should win in the end. Feeling about the same for both sides also shows how similar the opponents are and that is what The Iliad is getting at, that people are alike when it comes down to fear, loss, and panic.
Panic is displayed on both sides. For instance, thinking brashly like Dolon when he spilled all the secrets to Diomedes and Odysseus got him killed, but the reason for telling them everything was because he was scared. Nestor and Odysseus are seen as brave and wise when they tell their men to fight and not panic about the Trojans destroying them. Panic is definitely seen as cowardly. In Book IX the Achaeans panic when the war in not going according to their plan, “So the Trojans held their watch that night but not the Achaeans - / godsent Panic seized them, comrade of bloodcurdling Rout: / all their best were struck by grief too much to bear” (9.1-3). Capitalizing “Panic” makes the emotion prominent in the story by personifying it and making panic come to life. This uncertainty gets Agamemnon to break down and almost quit because he felt immediate embarrassment and panic when the Trojans were close to their ships. Agamemnon needed to be reminded and consider that the Achaeans were fated to defeat the Trojans.
Also, when the Achaeans start turning the war into their favor, the Trojans feel a similar urgency and anxiety. “So all through Troy the men had fled like panicked fawns / were wiping off their sweat, drinking away their thirst” (22.1-2). In Book XXII Achilles joins the war and kills Trojans left and right causing them to fear and run away. Running away like that and leaving Hector alone could be seen as cowardly, but it was pure panic. Even though Hector was the last to remain outside of the city, he still ran from Achilles. A moment of weakness and adrenaline lead to a rash decision of him running away rather that except his fate. Therefore, Hector who looks down on cowardly behavior is also guilty of panic.
Another way panic relates to both groups is through grief. Panic leads to poor thought out decisions that can eventually bring grief to a person. For example, Achilles is so stricken with rage over Patroclus that he does not give Hector’s body back to his family, but drags him on his chariot for days. When Achilles relents giving Hector’s body over to the heartbroken Priam he realizes that killing Hector did not bring Patroclus back and now he is fated to die young. Both the Achaeans and the Trojans experience this grief though. They even give a grieving period in the end to show they all needed time to respect the people who died by giving them proper burials. Rooting fully for one side is impossible since both have flaws and good aspects. Hector did not curse the gods when he knew his death was coming and died with honor. Achilles and his strong relationship with Patroclus is definitely something to be admired. Emotions that are present in The Iliad like, rage and grief, stem from panic and fear. Relating the two sides with these emotions creates a more unbiased outlook, unlike in the Aenied.
Personally I can relate to panic, I am in college after all and I always speak before thinking and act brashly with consequences of hurting people. It is hard for me to take time and think about what is right to say, so maybe I should call a muse. However, many people could relate to panic today, especially when a person is in rage. Rage is contagious and it would be easy to find a person with some kind of regret when they got angry. Panic is something that unites the characters in The Iliad. Muses, the opposite of panic, also shows how the two opposing sides connect to one another, by thinking before acting or judging and giving an accurate depiction of the pain and triumph on both sides. Musing and panicking are completely different, but come together in The Iliad.
Works Cited
The Iliad. United States of America: Penguin, 1991. Print.