Reading the entire Iliad is a strange idea. I agree that it is the first "literature" that we accept, but lordy lordy, other than studying for the odd priesthoood of "Western Civilization" it really has no meaning in most peoples life. I kinda think of folks who indulge in the self-praise of having read the whole thing as kind of a study in dick-matching.

I have been pondering the difference in communication by verbal versus written means. I am coming to the conclusion that verbal means (and this means "influencers" on youtube and their ilk) are much more prone to delivering inaccurate information.

I think that is at the core of our ongoing worship of the Iliad. I started out as a verbal and then moved to a written in a language that died a long time ago. Translations don't help the process and the mindset of a raiding culture in the twelfth century BC is probably beyond the powers of suspension of disbelief.

I tend to think that, like it or not, once you go back a millenium or so to try and understand the writings and thought of the past, you chances of actually understanding the work gets minuscule.

The Iliad and it's brethren from long ago are only hints about what may have happened. I think that Ms. Horowitz is pissy because she did read the whole damn thing and didn't find a single bit of useful meaning to the archeology of the text, but got an A from her teacher for being a good girl and finishing the assignment.

The A was more important to her than the understanding