Friends,
Do you want to read the Iliad well? Check out this detailed 65-page, 34,000+ word guide on the Iliad with introductory questions, dramatis persona, and a breakdown of each individual book. Homer is a teacher, and he is worth taking seriously whether you want to understand the Greek playwrights, Plato, Jesus Christ, or Western Civilization.
Overall, it is 115 questions and answers to guide you through the Iliad.
The Iliad is worth your time and attention. What appears as a war-story is actually a subtle teaching on the condition of mankind. Homer, through his images, raises many questions on the soul, free will, excellence (arete), fate, the divine, and political rule. He is teacher… but he might also be a philosopher and a theologian.
For more on Homer’s importance, see Do Christians Owe a Debt to Homer? and Homer: Philosopher & Theologian.
You can read the Iliad with Ascend! Start today.
Dcn. Harrison Garlick lives in rural Oklahoma with his wife and five children. He serves as a deacon at Holy Family Cathedral and as Chancellor & General Counsel for the Roman Catholic Diocese of Tulsa. Follow him on X at Dcn. Garlick or Ascend.
[1] The most approachable writing on the harmony of Greek reason and Hebrew faith is Pope Benedict XVI’s 2006 masterpiece, the Regensburg Address.
[2] See, Dcn. Harrison Garlick, “Avoiding the Unreal: How to Read the Great Books Well” at thegreatbookspodcast.com.