The first nine years of the war; The Peloponnesian War - Books 1-4, Thucydides

 

Why you might read the Peloponnesian War?

Thucydides work in the Peloponnesian war is credited as the first of modern history. While it is not the first to try and report history. It is none the less the first that tries to do so dispassionately and without melodrama. As such it is a great way to expand your understanding of what history is and where the genre has come from.

For my Self-Education project, it serves as the second history that I have sat down to read. It is the more important of the two for the reasons outlined above. One of the objectives of this project was to start at the start of genres and ideas. Because of this Thucydides deserves pride of place as the first serious and focused history.

The Content of the Peloponnesian War, Books 1-4

Book 1: 

Introduction

Thucydides spends most of his introduction laying the groundwork for what is to come. He explains that he is trying to get as close to the facts as possible. He even hypothesises that it might be dryer to read. Dryer because it doesn't have the "romanticism" you would get in other accounts. He also lays out the prehistory of the Hellenites. First as a mobile population without much agriculture. Through to starting to build navies and walls for their cities. With that, he details the rise of first Sparta and then Athens one as a power of the sea and the other as the power on land. He leaves us there ready to jump into the fighting between these two.

The Dispute over Epidamnus

Epidamnus suffers some internal struggles. Being a colony of Corcyra sent word to there for help. The Corcyrans refused. So Epidamnus reaches out to Corinth, as they had been part of the colonists, for help. Corinth provides help in the form of troops that are settlers. Corcyran sees this as an act of aggression and attacks. Corcyran wins but then is spooked by Corinth building more boats. They decide to ask for an alliance with Athens. Both sides put their view of events to Athens. Athens then decides to grant Corcyran a partial alliance. The alliance is that they will help defend Corcyran land but otherwise not engage.

The Dispute over Corcyran

Athens sends 10 boats, with their compliment of troops, to Corcyran. The Corinthians sail to the general area and the two forces meet in the open ocean. Thucydides notes that it is the old style of fighting. The old-style is of ramming and then fighting hand to hand rather than a true naval battle. the Corinthians win most of the battle, though one wing is routed and chased to camp by the Corcyrans. During this battle, the Athenians have committed themselves to help the Corcyrans. The Corinthians press forward but spy more Athenian boats coming to help so back off for the night. The next day with the force balance is reversed by the extra Athenian boats. The Corinthians ask the Athenians if they will break the treaty they have with them. The Athenians reply that this does not break it. That they will not pursue the Corinthians. As long as they are not threatening Corcyran territory. The Corinthians sail home, but both sides claim the victory.

The Dispute over Potidaea

Potidaea while paying tribute to Athens and part of its alliance is a colony of Corinth. They want to rebel and Corinth suggests they do as Sparta has said if Athens moves there they will move in Attica. Potidaea and some of its surrounding towns rebel and throw off Athenian rule. Athens has already sent an army to pacify it. They do this successfully against the Corinthian troops sent to help Potidaea.

The Debate at Sparta and Declaration of War

The smaller city's of the Spartan alliance take the floor at the assembly. They explain to the assembly the increasing aggression of the Athenians. The Corinthian ambassador give a long speech to the Spartan assembly. In this speech, they detail their dealings with Athens. As well as the escalation of the situation and how Athens has already broken the peace treaty. This is followed by ambassadors from Athens. These ambassadors were not sent for this purpose but were in Sparta on business. They give an account but never rebut any of the points. Rather leaning on Athens size and navy. As well as what happened in the Persian war to try and convince Sparta to delay in any action. The King of Sparta then adds his thoughts about how Sparta should wait and grow its strength. Finally one of the Ephors speaks saying he does not understand long speeches. He concludes that Athens has clearly violated the treaty. The Spartans then take it to the vote by assent but the convener cannot tell which side won. He then asks them to go to sides of the room for their votes. From this war is declared by Sparta and thus the alliance against Athens.

The Pentecontaetia

Thucydides takes us back a little further to show us how Athens came to have such a powerful alliance. He goes over the various towns and cities they captured. Some though were recaptured or revolted. As well as where Athens put down revolts. It also details the expedition to Egypt to support the revolt there from the Persian Empire. A lot of the cites they took were from the Persian Empire, many they held on to but some were recaptured. We see Athens power grow. These seizures the start of the conflict between them and Sparta. This conflict leads to the 30-year truce being broken in the previous section.

The Allied Congress at Sparta

Sparta gets its allies together to see if they will agree to war against Athens. Thucydides records on speech imploring them to vote for war. War is agreed but they choose to build up their forces and not attack straight away.

The Stories of Pausanias and Themistocles

Thucydides then sidetracks to tell how one man betrayed Athens to the Persian. But that his attempts were thwarted and he would end up in exile. He ends up living with the Persians and wows them with his insight. Ultimately he cannot fulfil his promise to bring Athens under his control. From there it would be under the control of the Persians.

The Spartan Ultimatum and Pericles' Reply

The Spartans start sending envoys to Athens making unreasonable but truthful requests. The first is to exile people related to an event in which the goddess' supplicants were dragged off. Athens counters with a similar request. Finally, Sparta sends an ultimatum demanding the return of some cities. As well as the discontinuing of an embargo against one of their cities. And finally to give all Hellenites their freedom. In Athens senate, Pericles argues for the war on the bases that if they force it to be at sea they are sure to win. Athens agrees. 

Book 2:

Outbreak of War

First Thucydides outlines the attack made by the Theban against Plataea. This is to try and get them to change sides before the war broke out, they were in the Athenian alliance. Plataea didn't want to change and managed to capture what of the invading force did not die in the fighting. Theban reinforcements arrived too late. Then they were tricked into retreating. The Athenians promise the return of their captured men. Plataea instead executes them. Before the war starts in full Thucydides lists the resources each side had at their disposal. 

The first year of the war

The war starts with the king of Sparta taking his army and invading Attica. At first, he does not go far into the territory. Thucydides supposes that he still thought the Athenians would come to terms. Eventually, he moves on to rampaging through the rest of the land. His delays did allow Athens to bring its possessions and people inside the city walls. The Athenians retaliate by sailing around the Peloponnese. Then rampaging from the boats into the Spartan's land. Thucydides rounds out the year with the winter actions of the two players. The Peloponnesians withdraw from Attica. Athens makes a quick land foray into enemy territory and does some damage. Athens also establishes an extra island base.

Pericles' Funeral Oration

Thucydides lays out the Athenian custom relating to the war dead. They were buried that winter. It included a procession of the bones and a public funeral in which the best gave a speech honouring the dead. Pericles was chosen for this. He proceeded to spend more time talking about the greatness of Athens than in praising the dead.

The Plague

In the second year of the war,  the Peloponnesians were ravaging Attica and other areas. Athens at the same time sufferers a major plague. Thucydides does not speak in terms of numbers or percentages of the population. Rather he speaks of it killing poor and rich alike. That it did not matter how the person was treated they usually still died. He did layout the general symptoms of the plague and its suggested origins in Egypt. Some did survive though and lived as if sickness could no longer touch them. This lead to a disheartening in the people. They started to live like they would die tomorrow. That the only thing worth pursuing was gratification. He also comments that one foray by the navy was turned back by losing a quarter of the men to the plague in the space of a week.

The Policy of Pericles

The Athenians get so disheartened with the enemy in their territory and the plague in their city. They send an envoy to Sparta, which is rejected. They start to get angry with Pericles, who was a main supporter of the war. He resolves this by speaking to them and helping to renew their courage. this seemed to work though they did still grumble. Pericles' main opinions that Athens should not go out to meet the Peloponnesians. That a battle on the plain would not go their way. Rather they should stay behind her walls. Also that she should not try and increase her empire while at war. And do nothing that would endanger the cities safety. These were all policy while Pericles was the general and alive, which was about two and a half years.

The fall of Potidaea

The Potidaeatians run out of food and some even resort to cannibalism from the long siege. Because of this, they come to terms. The generals on the Athenian side agree to let them escape with the clothes on their backs and a little money. They go and settle elsewhere in the area, wherever would take them. The generals were reprimanded for not taking the decision to Athens. Athens thought they could have got unconditional surrender.

The Siege of Plataea

The next summer the Peloponnesian army does not go raiding in Attica. Instead, they lay siege to Plataea. The people of Plataea ask them to remember the oath taken by the king's father. The king of Sparta points out it is them breaking that as they have joined the Athenians. There is a protracted siege. The Peloponnesians build a mound to try and get over the wall. The people of Plataea undermine this in several ways. first, they build up a wooden upper wall. They try to break down the mound by digging through their own wall and removing earth from the mound. Eventually, the Spartan army tries to burn them out and mainly succeeds.

Victories of Phormio

Athens has ships defending Naupactus. Sparta sends ships out from Corinth and are spotted by the Athenian ships. The Athenians defeated the Spartans although the Spartans had superior in numbers. This was Sparta's first naval action. The Peloponnesians are re-enforced and draw up at the opposite sides of the gulf. Thucydides records first the Peloponnesian admiral putting fighting spirit back into his men. They needed this to attack force they had previously been defeated by. Then the Athenian sides Admiral doing the same due to the great numbers of the opponent. The ensuing battle at first goes the way of the Peloponnesians and they capture many ships. The retreating Athenians turn on them and recapture many ships and capture many more.

Thrace and Macedonia

Thucydides takes a small detour. In this, he details Thraces encroachment into Macedonia. Including how some of the neighbouring cities were worried. Worried that with Athens distracted the army from Thrace might attack. This did not eventuate. 

Book 3:

Revolt of Mytilene

Mytilene is part of the Athenian alliance but revolts and then sends an envoy to Sparta for help. This envoy speaks to the assembly. He speaks about how they joined Athens when the Persians were invading. How now Athens is gobbling up its free allies and making them part of its empire. That it is not Mytilene that is breaking faith but that the terms are no longer valid. Sparta is swayed by this reasoning and promises to send ships. 42 ship to be exact the following summer, so Mytilene keeps from coming to terms with Athens. Summer comes and the fleet takes its sweet time to get to Mytilene. In the meantime, they have had to come to terms with Athens due to lack of food. The ships get to neighbouring cities. There they find out that Mytilene has fallen and choose to go back to the Peloponnese. Leaving the Mytilene people to Athens. That being said they get favourable terms with the Athenians. They agree to no killing of the perpetrators. Though this may be only until the judgement comes from Athens.

The Mytilenian Debate

The Athenians decide to execute all the men in Mytilene and send out a boat to get that done by the conquering force. The next day many are unhappy with that and the debate comes back around. Thucydides details two of the submissions. The first is in favour of the retribution saying it will dissuade other cites from revolting. And generally scaremongering. That, if they don't other cities, will be more likely to rebel. How can they fight a war and put down revolts at the same time? The second is focused on what is the best possible outcome for Athens. He points out that if the execute them all other cities if they do revolt are less likely to come to terms. for if they come to terms they know that they will be killed. Whereas if Athens is forgiving and just kills the perpetrators. Then other cites are more likely to throw off the revolutionaries. Then stop the revolt by the people, if they think that they can spare their own lives by doing so. The assembly votes to spare them and a ship is sent out to try and beat the first one to Mytilene. It succeeds in doing so by a matter of minutes.

The end of Plataea

Sparta is besieging Plataea but Plataea is out of food. They agree to terms including their people being put through the court. Sparta brings in its allies to help with the court. The court asks one question, "Have you done anything to help the Spartans and their allies in the war?" The Plataeans replied with a long speech about how they were allies back in the time of the Persian war. That Sparta's war dead were even buried there. That they had gone to the Athenian alliance when Thebes was attacking them. Thebes responds. They show how the Plataeans had chosen the Athenian side in this war. They had not taken neutrality when offered to them. As well as how when Thebes had sent men to discuss them changing sides they killed them. Sparta decided that the right question was the first one asked. If the men answered no they were executed. Sparta moved on the people and the city was no more.

Civil war in Corcyra

Corcyra descends into civil war after a pro-Sparta faction tries to seize power. This goes back and forward with much loss of life and loss of property, from fire mainly. The pro-Athens group finally wins power an executes its rivals. Thucydides use this as a chance to speak to the moral decay in the Hellen world due to this war. He speaks of a time where men do what is profitable for themselves. That cunning becomes synonymous with intelligence. That statesmanship becomes something that doesn't really happen. Instead, people put together speeches to justify evil acts.

Operations in Sicily and Greece

That summer Athens sent a ship to Sicily and razed the land but did not take the city. That winter the plague flared back up in Athens for about a year. The plague had lasted about two years the first time. This hurt the army. Yet the Athenians still sent an expedition to Aeolus and ravaged some islands. This was in the winter. The Spartans the following year, lead by the king's son, went to attack by land. They did not get past the isthmus due to earthquakes. Thucydides notes a series of earthquakes and tsunami's across the area. Sparta founded a colony, Heraclea in Trachis. Though it did not turn out as they had wished due to low settler retention. This was because of the neighbours attacking and the vicious governor. Athens also attacked Aetolia they won many towns. Yet they were beaten in the field by the local army and retreated. The Athenians also tried to take Naupactus. Troops arrived from Sparta before they could get there. They decided they could not win and went off elsewhere.

End of the sixth year of war

The Athenians carry out a purification of Delos. This included digging up the graves and moving them to the mainland. There they held Delian games. The armies meet just out of Argos involving the locals. Though the Peloponnesian contingent was larger, their flank was ambushed. This lead to the rout of the force. Their reinforcements were also defeated before they could combine. The locals formed a treaty between each other. This covered all except in relation to the Spartan, Athenian war. 

Book 4:

Athenian success at Pylos

The Athenians while sailing around the Peloponnese stop at Pylos. One of their commanders argues they should fortify it as there is a harbour and it is close to Sparta. His fellow commanders and the army both disagree. The weather is bad and they end up staying for a while and the sailors either get bored or start to worry about Sparta. They fortify the position. When they go to leave they leave a force there to hold it. Sparta after withdrawing from Attica for the summer send troops. They try and take it back by land and by sea as well. When they arrive they take the harbour and put troops on the island in the harbour mouth. They hope to deter Athenians from landing. The attack from the sea does not go well with little to no places to land the ships. Then a large Athenian naval detachment shows up and fights in the harbour with the Spartans who lose. The Spartans with men now trapped on the island ask for an armistice. This is while they petition Athens for peace and the end of the war. This petition takes place in Athens but the Athenians do not want peace. So the armistice ends with the Spartan troops still stuck on the island.

Final victory at Pylos

Athens beats the Syracusans in Messina forcing them to retire. In Pylos Athens finally decides to send more ships to try and force a victory before the winter arrives. On the island, the Spartans accidentally set fire to some of the dense woods. This creates some clear land. From this, the Athenians learn that there are more of them than they had realised. Also, they now had somewhere to land. The Athenians land in overwhelming numbers. They kill the local lookouts then proceed to the main camp. At first, the  Spartans try to hold the camp but the Athenians have them surrounded. So they flee to their last line of defence an old fort up on the cliffs. But the Athenians have allies with them that are comfortable with to the landscape. They proceed around on the cliffs to surround the Spartans again. After asking to check with the land-based troops the island troops surrender. They are then taken back to Athens as prisoners.

Further Athenian successes

In the same summer, Athens wins engagements in Corinth, Cocryra. As well as preemptively putting down a revolt in Chios. The following year they had success in Cythera. Thucydides points out the morale of the Spartan troops dropped significantly. When Athens raided on the coasts they did not come up against much resistance. There were troops posted there but they thought that they could not win. They surrendered easily. Athens also won against Aegina.

Peace in Sicily

The cities of Sicily meet and a long speech is put to them. They should agree to peace as there is a bigger threat than their petty disagreements. Athens is in the area and has been helping without being asked, in the civil war and this is cause for alarm. The speaker sees the Athenians incursion as a precursor to them taking control of the area. In his opinion, if they can provide a united front they can send the Athenians away. If they do try and press the situation at least they will be united to fight for their freedom. His idea is carried and the Athenians are informed that they will be held to the peace settlement as well. The Athenians leave. The generals of the fleet are either banished or fined for not proceeding to conquer the island.

Fighting in Megara

Athens invades Megara and takes the fort at Nisaea. The Spartans arrive hoping to save Nisaea but find it has already fallen to the enemy. So they array themselves close to the sea to try and draw out the Athenians, but they refuse to come out and take action. Eventually, Megara allows the Spartans into the city and the Athenians give up and head home.

Brasidas in Thrace

The Spartans under Brasidas march to Thrace through Thessaly.  They were stopped on the way by the locals. But they talked their way into being let through. Though they hurried in case they chose to bring a force up to stop them. On arrival, the Perdiccas allowed them full access to their land. They even paid half the armies expenses. They wanted the Spartans to attack their neighbour Arrhabaeus. The Spartans insisted on speaking to them first. To try and get them to come over to their side by revolution. The Spartan army would support the revolution. Otherwise, the Spartan Army would have to attack. They choose to revolt as did many others in the area.

Athenian defeat at Delium

The Athenians encroach into Boeotia and fortify a temple on a hill. They retreat to rejoin the main army. The Boeotian's march against the Athenian army but it has left their lands. Their commander stirs them up with a speech. He speaks about how they must take the Athenians on for the encroachment. Even if they have retreated and the army catches the Athenians. They line up for battle and come to fighting man to man. One flank is beaten back by the Athenians. The Boeotian commander sees this and sends cavalry to their aid. The fight ends in a complete rout of the Athenian army. The Boeotian's chase down and kill many but most getaway once the sunsets. The Boeotian's then send heralds demanding the withdrawal of Athenian troops. The Athenians are more interested in a truce to claim their dead. The Boeotian's refuse until the fort at Delium is dealt with. They get reinforcements from Spartan forces in the area and march on Delium. They burn down the fortifications and so take out the fort.

Brasidas captures Amphipolis

Brasidas continues capturing cities in Thrace. This is mainly by them choosing to revolt against Athens and him being let in by the revolutionaries. He gained great favour with the cities of the area. He would always let the Athenians take their goods and leave peaceably. In particular, he took Amphipolis by marching during a storm. He had taken their land before they knew it. Taking the city took a little longer but Brasidas moved at pace as he was worried the city would get reinforced. In the end, conspirators opened the gates. Brasidas took the city and favourable terms. As before and he let the Athenians leave with their goods and their lives.

Armistice between Athens and Sparta

Sparta sends an envoy to Athens with a list of possible agreements for an armistice. These have been agreed on by the Spartans and their allies. They mostly detail how things are going to stop and stay in place for the year of the armistice. Though they leave it open to Athenian suggestions. The Athenians agree to it as it was sent and the armistice comes into force. Before he is notified of the armistice Brasidas takes another town. Then there is then an argument over whether he should give it back or not.

End of the ninth year of war

This takes place before the armistice as Thucydides mentions it at the end of the section. Athens fights back against Brasidas. When he moves against Arrhabaeus, he comes up against opposition. He with his allies find the local army formed up against them. They rout them, those that routed move to the top of a hill and stay there. Brasidas and his allies hear they have been betrayed. The force they thought was coming to reinforce them instead reinforces the enemy. They decided to retreat but do not discuss when. Overnight some of Brasidas' allies get spooked and flee. The rest find no choice but to also flee, so when Brasidas' army gets up in the morning it is alone facing a larger army. They still successfully retreat by holding formation and their nerve. When they arrive back in their allies land they rage and plunder the arms left by the fleeing army. This causes discontent. This eventually leads to this city going over to the Athenians. This leaves Brasidas unable to get back to Amphipolis and so he stays where he is. Thucydides then mentions that nothing happens in the winter because of the armistice.

Reflections on The Peloponnesian war, Books 1-4

Book 1:

The first thing that is really interesting is Thucydides introduction. It is more about introducing his methods than introducing his topic, though he also does some of that. And we see the difference in purpose from those who had come before him. He says, “My work is not a piece of writing designed to meet the needs of an immediate public, but was done to last forever.”

Thucydides spends a good deal of time on the things he thinks proceeds the war. This can be seen by the fact that he has used one-eighth of his text on it. And while I do feel it could have been ordered better or possibly that some stories could have been left out. He does neatly lay out the events that proceeded the war as well as the inciting incidents. 

He also does not shy away from reporting the discussions in the senate in Athens and assembly in Sparta. These then lead to the deceleration of war from both sides.

It is Corinth'd alliance with Sparta that set off the war. Otherwise, the initial battles over cities would have remained localised. They would have only lead to a war on a small scale between Corinth and Athens. But their part in the bigger whole makes it a much bigger playing field. That being said in the later parts of the book we see aggression from Athens. These are aimed in other directions than Corinth but still at the Spartan alliance.

The main difference Thucydides sees between the two alliances is financial. Athens takes tributes from its member states. Whereas Sparta only requires troops from its members when there is a war to fight. This means that Sparta has to gather its army and navy from its member states. Whereas Athens can pay to build its army and navy at home.  

Book 2:

Thucydides start with the war proper though as chronological as he is it is a little hard to follow at times. Though near the end of the book he states that was the end of summer three so three years is what he has covered in this book.

The way each side chooses to fight is indicative of them knowing their strengths. Athens by sea to raid in Sparta's back areas and Sparta by land rampaging closer and closer to the Athenian wall. That being said we do see one land raid from Athens. It is in the fall as Sparta has retreated for the winter. In the third year, we see Sparta move to try to cut of allies of Athens. Instead of destroying land where the Athenians can see them. Whether this is a change of strategy or due to the fact that there is not much left to destroy in Attica is not clear.

The naval battles showed the Spartans lack of experience at sea. Though they did do a lot better in the second engagement they were still beaten by a lesser force. This does not bode well for future sea battles. This is especially true when considering Athens has more ships to start with. Actually what surprised me most is that there is only the one set of battles at sea. Whether that is all that happened or if it was all that Thucydides saw fit to mention in three years of war. But then both sides are trying to avoid battles in their less favourable element. So we also see very few actual actions on land. Mainly we see a whole lot of occupying and destroying.

The Plague is an interesting situation. It starts to wipe Athens superiority in numbers and their populaces resolve to fight. As much as their leader tried to bolster them they still were struggling with the burden of war. It is odd that even with invading Attica during the plague it wasn't transmitted to the Spartan army. This suggests that it was only man to man transmittable as a disease. The Spartans were probably right to retire early from the war that year. 

Book 3:

It is interesting how many of the actions we see in this book are not direct conflicts. Instead, they are smaller ones that call in the Spartans and or Athenians to help. Often the winner is whoever gets their first. Some of these are current allies but most are external states that think they can gain something. Even if it is only getting help from the bigger Waring powers. The larger powers do so because they are looking for extra allies and better positions. We see this in the Spartan colony where they agree so they can have a base in the area. Unfortunately, it doesn't end up working out that way for them.

Again Thucydides shows the political debates at Athens. It is interesting that in the end, they put aside justice for the gain of the Athenian war effort. Though it was a debated situation. They are lucky that the second boat made good enough time. That they beat the boat with the previously decided verdict. It is also interesting to see that the assembly at Athens could change its mind. That they could even reopen the debate about a decided issue. I would think that it would weaken their hold on their empire. As well as slow down their political landscape which would make running an empire harder. But Thucydides is rather silent on that and as such, I would assume does not see this as a problem.

The final throws of the dice at Plataea shows that Sparta winning which is a nice contrast to the defeats at sea. The trial of the leaders is a little odd. The leaders themselves show that in how they respond to the question. They plead their case without reference to the question. It feels very much like Sparta to have such a simple and short question because it is from them we get the term laconic.

Thucydides explains the social and moral degradation of the Hellen people. He points to the civil war at Corcrya as the start point of this. While I see his point I think it would be more correct to say that this war between Sparta and Athens is the catalyst. The destabilization of the Hellen corporate identity. It is the war that breeds the disunity that proceeds the moral degradation.

Yet again the plague hits Athens. It leaves me wondering if they would have fared better if they had not had this second problem to deal with. To deal with alongside trying to wage this war. Not that they are faring badly so far. At the absolute least it is a secondary loss of troops. But there is also the effect on morale which Thucydides does not go into.

Thucydides also correctly deduces that of tidal waves are caused by earthquakes. I do not think this was commonly accepted knowledge. He states it as his own opinion rather than fact but that could just make him ahead of his time. 

Book 4:

Thucydides in his introduction suggests that he was part of this war. When he mentions that he has relayed the speeches some which he had heard himself. It is in this book that we find out that he was on the Athenian side and was a general in at least one action.

This book starts off with a lot of Athenian success. Thucydides even mentions that the Athenians start acting like they can't lose. But as the book progresses we see some Spartan victory as well. That being said it is starting to look like the Athenians have the upper hand. Now that we know Thucydides is Athenian we will have to wait and see if this is bias.

The discussion around the temple at Delium is interesting. Both sides argue in the general law of Hellens that they have the right to it. It looks a lot like Athens is trying to justify its actions in fortifying a temple. When Hellenic law says it should be left alone.

The fortification at Pylos is a big blow for the Spartans. Losing land inside their own border, not just to raiding but to occupation by the Athenians. Strategically it also makes it much harder for Sparta to get ships around the peninsular. Once around the peninsular, they could threaten Athens on the other side of the mainland. This is a huge disadvantage for Sparta. It leaves some of its cities without easy access to the main stock of troops in the alliance.

The peace in Sicily is a blow for the Athenians with them trying to take the island to take tribute and support from it. The locals have chosen the smart road to oppose Athens. However, we do not see them reaching out to Sparta. So they do so but rather by their own means unifying so they can stand alone outside of either alliance. They are trying to stay outside the conflict going on in the Peloponnese.

Thucydides goes back and tells other stories from before the armistice. He does so without notifying the reader in any way. It makes me wonder what other things in this history have been out of sequence without me knowing. There have been sometimes where it is clearly so but I wonder about other times. 

What others have to say about the Peloponnesian war, books 1-4

The history co-operative has this to say "The Peloponnesian War is also significant because it’s one of the first wars documented in a reliable way."

Speaking of Thucydides the conversation puts it this way "the war found an author of meticulous standard and dedication who created a work that still resonates in the disciplines of history

Comparisons with other texts

Compared to the Histories by Herodotus, the Peloponnesian war is far more focused. Herodotus rambles through not just the war in question but a whole heap of sidetracks along with the war. Both are trying to relay history. I question if there is a bias in the work Thucydides. He is doing a much better job of writing to be read accurately in the future. Herodotus' by contrast embellishes and extravagates especially in his rounding of numbers. Thucydides is a lot more precise with numbers.

Thucydides makes a statement about the general invading a city to bring it a new form of government.  This reminds me of the current day in the way that certain western countries view wars in foreign lands. It is interesting that a justification of war that is so ancient is still being used today. I guess there is nothing really new in war.

Brasidas treatment of the cities revolting from Athens is a lot like winning hearts and minds. Which is something we hear about with modern wars. It works well for him in this time and it's a strategy that we have seen in work well in more modern wars as well. 

Conclusion

This book will be continued in a second post. So far we have covered the first four books. In this, we have seen Athens gaining the upper hand. But we have also seen it warned about expansionism while at war. We have also looked at how Thucydides set out to write a fair history and how this was a first. Also, we have touched on some tactics that are similar to our modern warfare and marvel at how they have stood the test of time. Finally, we have looked at the differences between this and Herodotus' history.

Have you read The Peloponnesian War? If so what did you think of it? 
 
Want to read The Peloponnesian War but haven't? Please leave me a comment and let me know why you want to read it.

Hopefully, this post inspires you to take the time to look into it on your own journey of Self Education.

Get a copy of The Peloponnesian War. 

Deception to facilitate sacrifice; Iphigenia in Aulis, Euripides

Sorry this post is late. It almost got missed in the prechrismas rush. 

Why might you read Iphigenia in Aulis?

Iphigenia in Aulis gives us insight into what happened to the army before they arrive in Troy. As such it shows some of those same characters in a different light. We see Agamemnon as a father, as well as a deceiver. We see Archilles as a saviour for Iphigenia. 

For my Self-Education, it gives these ideas and more. It treats again with the theme of sacrifice and of family. In doing so it helps to round my understanding of Greek life and thought. Again it is Euripides adding to the canon of stories that have gone before him. He adds greater depth to the stories while using well-known characters.

The Story of Iphigenia in Aulis

Agamemnon has the army bound for Troy pulled up in the bay at Aulis because of unfavourable winds. Agamemnon has sent his wife a letter asking for his daughter Iphigenia to come. She is to come and marry Achilles. This, however, is a ruse. They are planning to sacrifice her to Artemis. This is because the oracle has told them that this will give them fair winds and victory at Troy. Agamemnon is having a bout of conscience. He is writing and then sending a slave with a letter to his wife to tell her not to send their daughter. 

But the letter and slave and intercepted by Menelaus and he opens the letter and is angry with Agamemnon. He confronts him and the two of them state their cases. Before they finish a messenger arrives telling them Iphigenia has arrived at camp. Her, mother, Clytemnestra has come also. Agamemnon laments his situation, at his lamentation Menelaus changes his tune. He starts saying that they should not sacrifice her. That it is not right for him to ask Agamemnon for this to recapture an unfaithful wife. They discuss if she can be saved. Agamemnon points out that the whole assembly knows about the need for the sacrifice. If he sends her away now they are likely to kill the two brothers. Agamemnon does his best to organise it so the Iphigenia and her mother do not hear about the sacrifice. He hopes they can continue to expect a marriage then retreats into his tent. 

Iphigenia and her mother enter in a chariot. Clytemnestra organises the slaves to get them from the chariot and look after the horses. While this is happening Agamemnon comes back out of the tent. They both great Agamemnon and Iphigenia wraps her father in a hug. During this conversation, Agamemnon starts crying over Iphigenia. He will not tell her why. He also tries to persuade Clytemnestra to go back to Argos but she insists on taking part in the wedding.

Achilles enters and he and Clytemnestra get talking. It quickly comes out that he had heard nothing about Iphigenia being brought to the camp to marry him. He is quite angry. The slave that earlier tried to deliver the message for the women to turn back, pulls them aside. After checking that it is private he tells them Agamemnon's plan. Both are agast and Clytemnestra pleads for Achilles to protect them. If he doesn't it would ruin his name considering his name had been used in the plot. He agrees but asks her to first try and reason with Agamemnon and he leaves. Agamemnon returns and finds the women crying and suspicious. Once he stops pretending Clytemnestra begs him to find his compassion and decency. How could he come home to his family even after a successful campaign and expect them to be Ok with it? Iphigenia pleads her case as well but Agamemnon, while not unmoved, is resolute. 

Achilles arrives with a small group of troops to protect Iphigenia. Protect her from the hoards of men who have been stirred up for her sacrifice. Iphigenia turns around and accepts her fate. She bids Achilles to neither spill blood or die for her sake but that she will be the sacrifice for all Greece. She goes freely with Agamemnon's guards. 

A messenger comes to give the news to Clytemnestra, her daughter is not dead but stolen away by some god. He tells the story of how bravely Iphigenia went to her death. How when it came to taking her life there was a substitution, and they only found a dead deer and she was nowhere to be found. Clytemnestra disbelieves it. She thinks someone is just trying to make her not angry at Agamemnon. But he comes back and tells her the same story.

The Greeks set out that day for Troy and Clytemnestra takes Orestes back to Argos. 

Reflections on Iphigenia in Aulis

Agamemnon's deception implies that he does not think his daughter will come. Even if he presents the truth or even orders her to come. Is it because without him there to physically compel it he does not have authority? Or is it that he knows what he asks is deplorable? The second seems more likely, with his second thoughts at the beginning of the play. It even seems to be a theme throughout the play. 

I'm the kind of person who cringes at things. Achilles meeting Clytemnestra is just that cringe-worthy. As she goes on about marriage he has no knowledge of. They do come to an understanding and as expected Clytemnestra is embarrassed. But the embarrassment fades to anger when they find out the truth what Agamemnon has planned. Her clinging to Achilles shows the utter desperation. He owes her nothing. A minute ago she made an utter fool of herself in front of him and yet he is the only place for her to turn.

The disappearance and substitution of Iphigenia is a great solution. This nicely gets out of the problem faced by Agamemnon. Though first, we see his and his daughters resolve to follow what the oracle has said. It is a nice touch to let her escape but again it is a little bit of playing to the audience. In this case, there is even a follow-up play written to help legitimise the ending. 

What others have to say about Iphigenia in Aulis

"Agamemnon’s ambivalence about sacrificing his own daughter, make it a curious and satisfying play which repays close analysis and discussion" says interesting literature.

Litcharts has this to say, "He(Agamemnon) is one of the most powerful men in Greece yet he’s in a moment of serious struggle and uncertainty."

Comparisons with other texts

The Iliad, which covers the war on Troy, does not include anything prior to the landing a Troy. So it is interesting to see this part of the story. Rather than being about the gathering of forces the army is already assembled and is stuck in a bay due to bad winds. It is not really the story we would expect to proceed the Iliad.

Iphigenia in Tauris is the story follows on from this play. With a young Orestes and Pylades finding Iphigenia at the temple of Artemis in Tauris. Its is a lovely reunion but must be a fair bit latter as Orestes is old enough to be travelling. The fact that he is travelling with Pylades suggests it is also while he is in exile. Both plays centre around Iphigenia's disappearance at the altar. Although in Tauris we only see it referenced rather than it happening in the course of the event in Aulis.

Like Hacabe's daughter in Hacabe, we see Iphigenia going to the sacrifice of her own free will. She does so as a person who is free and for the greater good of her people. Both young women are forced into the situation by an oracle. While Iphigenia is sacrificed to a god. Hacabe's daughter, by contrast, is sacrificed to the grave of Achilles. 

Conclusion

Iphigenia in Aulis is about the sacrifice of Agamemnon's daughter for the sake of being able to sail. It covers Agamemnon's deception to get the girl to come to him, as well as his second thoughts. We have covered Agamemnon's reasons for the deception. As well as the awkward interaction between Iphigenia's mother and Archilles. Finally, we looked at how this story is continued in Iphigenia in Tauris. Also, we covered how it fits before the siege of Troy.

Have you read Iphigenia in Aulis? If so what did you think of it? 
 
Want to read Iphigenia in Aulis but haven't? Please leave me a comment and let me know why you want to read it.

Hopefully, this post inspires you to take the time to look into it on your own journey of Self Education.

Get a copy of Iphigenia in Aulis. 

The aftermath; Orestes, Euripides

 

Why you might read Orestes?

Orestes is a play that fills in a gap. This gap is left by the earlier plays about how and why Orestes flees his home city. As such it helps to complete his story and give him more direct motivation for the next step in his story.

In my Self Education, this play shows the Greeks were not against adding to a story. It shows their want to see the whole story, in a similar way that we see today with novels getting prequels.

The Story of Orestes

The play starts with Electra at Oreste's bedside. He is tortured by the furies about killing his mother in vengeance for her killing his father. We hear that Helen and Menelaus have just arrived by ship. Helen enters lamenting the loss of her sister and blaming Electra. She then asks her a favour as she is too scared to walk around Argos because of the fathers of sons that fell at Troy. She asks Electra to go and make libations at her mothers grave. Electra refuses and suggests she sends her daughter Hermione instead. This Helen does after giving her specific instructions. Electra and the chorus then discuss her brother's condition more. She charges them to be quiet and not wake him, though this conversation does eventually wake him. Orestes wakes in his right mind but does not really know what to do with himself. He keeps asking for her help to reposition himself. Electra informs him the Menelaus has arrived in town. Orestes speaks of his desire to see him as he is the only one that can preserve their lives. The madness overcomes him again and he rants and raves and shoots two arrows into the air at nothing. He regains himself and sends Electra off to get some sleep. 

Menelaus arrives, He and Orestes discuss the death of his mother. As well as the upcoming assembly to decide the sibling's fate. Tyndareus is the father of Helen and Orestes' mother. He complicates the discussion with his point of view. That is that Orestes and Electra must die. They should have sought a legal ruling not take her life themselves. Orestes does plead his case to him but it has no effect on him. Menelaus from this decides he cannot support Orestes too much for fear of his father in law and the crowd. Pylades, the friend who helped with the killing arrives. He and Orestes discuss Orestes' chances and their plan for the assembly. Pylades then helps Orestes to the assembly.

Electra awaits and asks where Orestes is. She is being told about him going to the assembly when a messenger arrives to tell her they are sentenced to death. The messenger gives an account on what happened at the assembly. This includes that Menelaus does nothing to help them and does not even attend. Electra starts lamenting her death. 

Orestes and Pylades arrive back. Orestes start to chastise Electra for her lamenting. He says that at least it's not death by stoning. Rather it is at their own hand, but that, even at her asking, he cannot take her life she must take her own. As they start to plan this Orestes asks Pylades to give them a burial but Pylades says if they must do so must he. Pylades then comes up with a rather foolhardy but desperate plan. His plan is to kill Helen as punishment to Menelaus before they die. Electra adds that they can take Hermione hostage. This would allow them to escape the city and punishment. So they set this plan in motion. When the two men go to kill Helen they get distracted for a moment by a slave and she disappears. They then proceed on with the next part of the plan. They successfully take Hemione hostage and lock all the gates. They then start setting up wood to make fires. If Menelaus won't let them out alive they will take the palace with them. Menelaus arrives and finds Orestes on the parapet with his sword at Hemione's throat.

Things are coming to a head and Menelaus is starting to cave to save his daughter. In pops Apollo and a sharp left turn with him. Apollo curbs both their anger and settles the situation. He sends Menelaus back to Sparta to be king there. He gives Orestes an exile lasting a year. In which time he will sort out the furies and the judgement for what he has done. Then he gets the throne of Argos and he gives Hermione to him to marry. With Electra, he gives her to Pylades as a wife. Helen he explains has been whisked away to be a goddess of the sea and Menelaus should take another wife. He says Helen was the gods' instrument to get the war between Argos and Troy. And they all go along with it, Orestes praises the Oracle for being right. 

Reflections on Orestes

This is the first time we have seen the consequences for Helen once she gets back from Troy. Though we did not expect to see her here. If she was at home with her husband Menelaus, she would have been Sparta as mentioned later in the play. In the end part of the play, I can't quite work out if it is revealed that Helen is a goddess or if she is made so by Apollo. Either way, she seems to skip out of the unfaithful wife situation straight into one far cushier.

I guess it goes with don't tempt a desperate man, how quickly this escalates. It escalates from we must die to let's kill Helen before we go. As well as let's use her daughter as a hostage and save ourselves. And there lies the point, when offered a way out from death it is so easy to grasp onto even the craziest of schemes. This is how false miracle cures get customers. 

The twist at the end, if you can call it that, seems to take the situation and turn it on its head. Including from he's going to kill my daughter to, sure he can marry her. It shows that at least in the theatre the gods must be obeyed. It is also a strange vindication for Orestes. It also sets this play up to fit into the chronology we have seen from other series of plays dealing with Orestes. In saying that it feels a little forced like the story must fit so we will make it do so no matter what it does to the plot lines. 

Oreste's initial view on his death is very fatalistic. He tries to get Electra to stop lamenting and just get on with it. The only thing he seems to be concerned about is at first their burial. Then in the unnecessary death of his friend with them. 

What others have to say about Orestes

From Greek Mythology "Orestes is, undeniably, unlike any other of the surviving ancient tragedies in terms of how loosely it is based on previous stories"

It "brings myths together in entirely new ways and freely adds to the mythic material" From Ancient Literature

Comparisons with other texts

Here we see the direct aftermath of plays like The Libation Bearers, Electra by Sophocles or Electra by Euripides. These are all different versions of Orestes coming back from exile. And on his return, finding his sister and killing their mother. 

The Eumenides traditionally follows the Libation Bearers. It follows Orestes as he gets a good judgement in exile. This play is set to bridge the gap between these two. Whether it needed bridging or not is another question. It does this bridging with its abrupt change when Apollo enters.

We see the importance placed on a proper burial. Though it does not go as far as we see in the Suppliant Women where they bring about a war to get the remains back from a foe. Even when they are the end of their line, Orestes is still thinking about being buried properly. 

Conclusion

Orestes from Euripides fills in a small gap in the timeline of Orestes. It does so by adding a mythical element with the arrival of Apollo in the end. The consequences for the unfaithful Helen are explored. As well as how the violence ramps up very quickly. We have looked at how it is fitted into the timeline. How there is still a focus on burial which we have seen in other plays.

Have you read Orestes? If so what did you think of it? 
 
Want to read Orestes but haven't? Please leave me a comment and let me know why you want to read it.

Hopefully, this post inspires you to take the time to look into it on your own journey of Self Education.

Get a copy of Orestes. 

An overview of the Aesir and a view of Ragnarok; The Edda - Gylfaginning, Snorri

 

Earlier today I have posted a bonus post, you might want to read it first. There is a small natural division in the Edda, the Prologue, and like its name suggests it comes first. That being said this post is going to be a bit of a monster. This is the largest part of the Edda, and it is very tightly packed with events and information. 

Why you might read Gylfaginning from the Edda by Snorri?

The Edda is the first work in which we see the Aesir or the Gods of the Norse pantheon. As such it is an important beginning in the myths and legends of the Norse people. Given the raiding of the Norse, it is part of the history of large parts of European peoples. Whether they acknowledge that or not is another thing entirely.

For my Self Education, it is important for me to gain a wide range of cultural and spiritual backgrounds. Even if those are widely now regarded as mythology. The insights into the ancient Norse religion is a great addition to the collection.

The Story of Gylfaginning from the Edda

King Gylfi gives a tract of land to a woman who comes to his court the size that a team of four oxen can plough in a day. The woman takes for bulls from giant land and they plough deep. So deep that they rent the land and drag it into the water. It is now an island whose peninsulas match with the inlet on the land.

Gylfi sees that the Aesir have all that they do go well so he disguises himself as an old man and enters Asgard.  Odin being all-seeing knows he is coming and sets up an illusion of a great hall for him. He enters and ends up talking to three kings, with rather strange names, most high, just as high and third. They are all stacked upon each other. He asks many questions and first finds out the 12 names or titles of Odin, including all father. He continues questioning and is slowly told about the creation of the world. From what there was before the world was created. From the creation of the Frost giants and to the creation of Odin and his brothers the sons of Bor. Then how these brothers killed the first Frost giant Ymir. From his flesh and blood created the world. How they separated the giants land from Midgard, the humans land, from Asgard the Aesir's land. And how they created man from two logs and each of the three gives a different part of the creation of men. And how with his part in the creation of the whole Odin is the All-Father. He takes the earth as a wife and fathers Asa-Thor (or Thor of the Aesir).

He takes a giantess called night and her son, fathered by an Aesir, day. They were put in chariots to race across the sky, and how the sun and moon were also set up in such a way. They race across the sky because they are being chased by wolves. These are the monstrous sons of an ogress and how at the end of time they will catch them and eat them. We are told that the Bifrost is the rainbow and that it connects the earth with heaven(Asgard). Then with the next question, we start delving into the appointing of rules in Asgard. Then the birth of dwarves and all their names. 

Yggdrasil, the world tree comes next and details the three roots that go into three places. The underworld, heaven and the land of the frost giants, and the three wells that sit under each root. Within this section, we also meet to Norns, the fates of men. There is also an offhand comment that the Bifrost is on fire and that's why the Frost giants can't cross it. It is also implied that the gods can't cross it on foot either. The gods ride to one of the wells of the world tree each day to go to court and pronounce judgments. All except Thor who walks a different route, wading through rivers. There are also monstrous creatures that relate to Yggdrasil. In its branches are deer that eat the leaves as well as an eagle and a hawk. On the ground are an innumerable amount of snakes as well as the parents of swans in one of the wells. 

Other places in Heaven are then listed. These include the home of the light elves as well as Odin's place at Valaskjalf. Gylfi then asks the origin of the wind, which is from the wingbeats of the giant Hraesvelg. Summer and winter are then given names. We then spend some more time discussing the ones which should be called gods. We start with Odin the All-father and the discussion includes a greater list of his names. Then Thor as his firstborn and on through the 12 gods listing their names and their specialties. The highlights are Loki the trickster who is not truly Aesir and thus evil. As well as Heimdall the guard of the Bifrost. It also details Loki's monstrous children and where they ended up. The giant snake that was thrown into the water that surrounds the earth that then grew so large as to eat its own tail. Hel who runs the underworld. Finally, the wolf that is eventually trapped by the Aesir as the prophecy is that he will kill Odin. We then get a shortlist of the goddess' of the Aesir. There are more of them than there were gods. They are also more feminine in their domains, as is to be expected, and are more about love and marriage. 

Then there are the Valkyries of Valhalla who go to battles and choose who will die. Then once dead, will be brought to Valhalla to swell Odin's army for Ragnarok. There is then an interlude about Frey and the Giantess Gerd, who he saw from Odin's seat. He fell in love with giving away his powerful sword to get her hand. We are told he will miss this in Ragnarok. We then return to discussing Valhalla. Gylfi asks how all the warriors fallen from the beginning of the world fit in Valhalla. The reply is that Valhalla is so large it has over 500 doors and each is wide enough for 800 men. There is also a discussion on food and drink for the multitude. We are told that they eat a boar which is whole every morning and drink mead from the udder of a goat. Another aside, two ravens sit on Odin's shoulders and report to him everything they have heard. So some people call him the raven god. Gylfi is also told that daily the warriors put on their armour and go and fight each other in the field. Even with this fighting, they return each day as friends.

There is a wager between a giant and the Aesir to build a fortress over the winter. The giant's prize Freyja's hand in marriage and the sun and the moon. The gods do not want to give these up so as he comes almost to completion in time the enlist Loki to stop him. Loki turns into a mare and leads off his stallion, who was the one help he was allowed. As an aside, it is from this interaction that Loki gives birth to Odin's stead.

Thor and Loki head into giant land and meet Skrymir. Although Thor tries more than once to kill him with a blow to the head while he is asleep, he gives no injury whatsoever. Just before they meet him the sleep in a great hall with a side room. They find that it turns out to be nothing more than the large man's glove. The group then arrive at the stronghold of Utgarda-Loki and are told that to stay they must win at a contest. Loki tries eating food, Thor tries drinking, one of their companions tries running. Thor also tries lifting a cat and wrestling but they all fail. They are still allowed to stay the night but the next day they are farewelled. Once they are out of the stronghold they are told it was all a trick. Loki ate fire, Thor drank the ocean, lifted the Midgard Serpent and wrestled old age. Thor was angry but when they turned back the stronghold was gone.

Thor again goes out from Asgard and convinces a giant to take him fishing. He goes much further than the giant want and fishes for the Midgard Serpent. He is successfully pulling it up and it spits venom at him but the giant gets scared and cuts the line. Thor in his anger kills him and then wades back to shore as he has destroyed the boat.

Baldr has a prophecy that he will be killed. He goes to Frigg and gets her to get oaths from all things that they could not hurt him. So the gods take sport at throwing things at him and him not getting hurt. This angers Loki and he asks Frigg if there is an exception. She says she didn't get an oath from the young mistletoe. So Loki fashions a sharpened stick out of it and convinces bling Hod to throw it at Baldr and kills him. The Aesir morn and Frigg asks for one to ride to Hel and see if they can get Baldr back. Hermod Odin's son agrees and sets out on Odin horse. While he was going the rest of the Aesir build a funeral pyre out of Baldr's boat. There is a list of the Aesir that attended the pyre. Back to Hermond, he rode nine days and nights to arrive at the bridge, roofed with gold. The bridge leads to Hel and asked if Baldr had passed by, he is told yes and continues on. He rode tot he gates and after tightening the girth strap the horse jumps over the gate. He speaks with Hel about retrieving Baldr but is told he will only be released if all of the world cries for him. the Aesir get all the world to cry but one giant refuses and Baldr is not released. As revenge for the death of Baldr, the Aesir set out to capture Loki and bind him. He has set himself up in the woods by a stream and as they come close he turns into a Salmon. They drag a net through the river a few times. Though Loki is tricky and escapes a few times he is eventually caught by Thor as he tries to jump over the net. Loki is then bound until Ragnarok.

Gylfi asks for more information about Ragnarok. He is told that first there will be three extreme winters back to back. Also, brother will kill brother in greed. The wolves will then swallow the sun and the moon and the stars will disappear from heaven. The whole earth will shake the trees loose from the ground and the mountains will fall. All the fetters will release. Then the Fenriswolf will break free and the Midgard Serpent will advance on the land. The Fenriswolf's jaw stretches from the land to the heavens. The Midgard Serpent spits venom on the land. And in the middle of all this the sons of Muspell will cross and break the Bifrost. Muspell being one of the places outside the world full of fire. The people will come with fire in front of and behind them. They will all meet on the battle plain, and the Aesir will come at the blowing of Heimdall's horn all dressed for war. Odin is killed by the Fenris wolf. The wolf who took his hand is killed by Tyr and he, in turn, is killed by it. Thor and the Midgard Serpent kill each other. Loki and Heimdall are the death of each other. Surt will then throw fire over the earth and burn the whole world. 

Finally, Gylfi asks what is after Ragnarok, the answer comes that a few will have survived. For example, the sun's daughter will take her place in the sky. A couple of good and couple of bad strongholds will survive. The earth will sprout with unsown crops and Thor's sons will have Mjollnir, the great hammer. Baldr and Hod will arrive from hell and finally, the ones called life and life yearner will survive.

Gylfi is sudden in a plain with no sign of the hall, he goes home to tell the stories to his people.

The Aesir then gave these names to people and places so that their great deeds would be attributed to them. 

Reflections on Gylfaginning from the Edda

The very first story in this section seems to have no connection to the rest of the text. Which is about Gylfi's questions of the Aesir. As such it is easy to overlook and yet it tells the story of a specific and non-fantastical piece of land. Though its creation is a bit fantastical.

The creation story we see in this section does not relate to the one we have seen in the previous section. though we do still see humanity coming from two individuals we see no flood event. It is quite an interesting story as we see Odin is not the eldest of those created or begotten. Rather it takes some time for us to see him in the passing of events. Once we do he is instrumental in all of creation that follows and so is called All-Father. It is also interesting that his two brothers. These brothers were instrumental in helping him create man. Yet they seem to fall by the wayside after this is done.

The world tree is an interesting image reaching into all three major realms. Three if you count Midgard and Asguard as part of the same. It does not seem to support them but rather is supported by them. As such I do not quite understand its purpose and it does not come up again in Ragnarok so I wonder what happens to it.

Valhalla is something we have all heard of but it is interesting to see the scope. We see this when Gylfi asks how so many fit. Its provision for the warriors is rather fantastical but it is the hall of the honoured dead. These warriors are then used in the battle at Ragnarok. We find that although they are a multitude there is not enough of them.

The stories of Thor wandering around in giant lands are an interlude. They break up the questions of who the Aesir are and how the world was created. This is before we get into Ragnarok. The first story is interesting as it seems to take the storyteller some time to find a story where Thor was bested. Even the story that is given, in its eventuality he is not bested but tricked. None the less shows great feats of strength by Thor.

Baldr's death shows Loki in his true light as an enemy of the Aesir. Before this we have seen him as a trickster but not as an enemy. His binding until Ragnarok is a fitting punishment for the death he caused. It may have been more prudent to kill him, but the Aesir seem to always shy away from killing and enemy that can be bound.

Ragnarok is the destruction of most of creation. It is not the end of time and creation but rather a remnant remains. This is something that was a surprise to me as in my passing knowledge it was seen to be the end. and it is the end of the Aesir as gods but no the end of the earth.

The bit at the end about the Aesir putting these names into general human usage is interesting. It seems like a prewritten rebuff to the idea that the Aesir gods were just ancestors. And the idea that they had gained a huge and embellished mythos over time. 

What others have to say about Gylfaginning from the Edda

From the Ancient History Encyclopedia, "Perhaps truest to ancient sources, this book is a mythological story in the form of Odinic poems that explain the origin of the Norse cosmos and the chaos that will ensue."

"The Icelandic Eddas are the only vernacular record of Germanic heathendom as it developed during the four centuries which in England saw the destruction of nearly all traces of the heathen system" From Project Guttenburg

Comparisons with other texts

The Saga of burnt Njal does deal with a similar people group, the Icelandics. By comparison, The Edda's Gylfi is Swedish. Though in general these story's are thought of as more generally Norse. The saga of burnt Njal deals with the closer to real-life stories of great heroes of the people. By contrast, this part of  The Edda's is focused on the gods and is thus more fantastical. 

I have already spoken to the differences in creation in this part of the Edda. So I will not rehash it here.

Unlike the Egyptian book of the dead which gives a list of burial rites. Even so, it gives some understanding of their pantheon of gods. This part of the Edda is far more straight forward, this is who the gods are and what they are like. This is also unlike the view of the Greek gods we come to overtime through the plays and the epics. They do not set out to tell you about the gods, the gods are just characters in what is going on. In this part of the Edda, we do not see the gods interact with man, except the Valkyries in battle. By contrast in the Greek texts we see them meddle in everything. 

Conclusion

This section of the Edda covers the deceiving of Gylfi. This is a collection of stories detailing who the Norse gods are and what they are like. It also details Ragnarok the Norse end of the world. We discussed how the world tree does not support the world. Instead, it is supported by it. As well as how the Aesir ascribed their names to people. We discussed the similarities with the Saga of Burnt Njal. But we concluded that the saga was more about real life.

See you next month for the third and final section of the Edda!

Have you read the Edda? If so what did you think of it? 

 
Want to read the Edda but haven't? Please leave me a comment and let me know why you want to read it.

Hopefully, this post inspires you to take the time to look into it on your own journey of Self Education.

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