Gifts in the Iliad: The Legacy of Homer’s Winged Words

Lalli, Matilde

Item

Gifts in the Iliad: The Legacy of Homer’s Winged Words

Lalli, Matilde

Abstract

In Homer’s Iliad the practice and ritual of the art of gift giving plays a significant role. This thesis focuses on selected instances and moments from books I, VI, and IX, examining the circumstances and the implications of these gift exchanges both on the characters and on the narrative. This thesis will be divided in three macro sections, one for each book, all prefaced by a common introduction which will contextualize the work and the theme of gift giving itself, as well as its connection to the epic poem concerning the Trojan War. The first section, pages 10 to 25, after the introduction will be centered on the first book of the Iliad, and it will discuss the use and meaning of the words δῶρον, τιμή, γῆρας, and κλέος, in the context of the quarrel between Achilles and Agamemnon. The second section, pages 26 to 39, will focus on the exchange of armors between Diomedes and Glaucus, and it will analyze the term ξενία and its weight and value within the ancient Greek society and the Iliad itself. The last section before the conclusion, pages 40 to 54, will analyze the connotations of the words δωτίνῃ and άποινᾰ, seeking to establish their meaning in the context of Agamemnon’s list of offerings to Achilles. Through my own careful translation of the interested sections and books, I analyze the terminology used in the semantic field of gift giving and gift-exchanges, and the context in which these occur, with the aim of shedding light on the complexities of gifts in the ancient Greek world. Through a deep dive into the aforementioned instances in the Iliad, this thesis will provide further understanding of the values and customs surrounding gifts as social relations in Homer’s epic.