Book 16 of the Iliad is a definite turning point of the epic poem, with Patroclus' death being the major event. This sets up the climax for the rest of the poem, with Achilles' return to the battlefield. I thought it would be a good idea to draw my simile from one of the "more important" books, retrospectively.
And with that he rushed at the fallen warrior
Like a lion who has been wounded in the chest
As he ravages a farmstead, and his own valor
Destroys him.
Yes, Patroclus,
that is how you leapt
Upon Cebriones.
Book 16, Lines 785-790 (Lombardo Translation)
The most important part about this quoted simile is the effect it has on the reader. It's an obvious foreshadowing the very near future of Patroclus' death, happening even before Book 16 comes to a close. Homer's use of apostrophe here also indicates that something important is about to happen.
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| The vehicle of Patroclus' reckless ferocity. |
The tenor of this simile is Patroclus lowering his defenses as he goes to retrieve the fallen body and armor of Cebriones. The vehicle of this simile is used several more times in Book 16, comparing Patroclus to a lion, too proud to realize the danger he puts himself in. This simile appeals to a reader's senses more visually than anything else. I can imagine a lion fiercely lashing out at attackers in its last moments, attempting one final act of valor so that perhaps its life would not have been in vain. This is definitely connected to other portions later in Book 16, as Patroclus' last moments on the battlefield are narrated and summarized by more similes involving lions.
1 comment:
You are right, Scott, there is a whole network of lion similes in the latter part of the Iliad that this simile belongs to.
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