[Namekuseijin]

Originally Posted by 6charlong

Also, people are always taking hold of someone's knees when they want something. What's with that anyway?

I see you never saw paparazzi in action.

Now if Zeus is the Big Kahuna how is it Thetis gets away with that? We don't know much about monarchs in America but I can't imagine someone going up to Queen Elizabeth and grabbing hold of her like that to ask for something.

I'll quote Alexander Pope, the translator from the 1700's:

It must be a strange partiality to
antiquity, to think with Madame Dacier, 38 “that those times and manners are so much the more excellent, as they are more contrary to ours.” Who can be so prejudiced in their favour as to magnify the felicity of those ages, when a spirit of revenge and cruelty, joined with the practice of rapine and robbery, reigned through the world: when no mercy was shown but for the sake of lucre; when the greatest princes were put to the sword, and their wives and daughters made slaves and concubines? On the other side, I would not be so delicate as those modern critics, who are shocked at the servile offices and mean employments in which we sometimes see the heroes of Homer engaged. There is a pleasure in taking a view of that simplicity, in opposition to the
luxury of succeeding ages: in beholding monarchs without their guards; princes tending their flocks, and princesses drawing water from the springs. When we read Homer, we ought to reflect that we are reading the most ancient author in the heathen world; and those who consider him in this light, will double their pleasure in the perusal of him.
Let them think they are growing acquainted with nations and people that are now no more; that they are stepping almost three thousand years back into the remotest antiquity, and entertaining themselves with a clear and surprising vision of things nowhere else to be found, the only true mirror of that ancient world. By this means alone their greatest obstacles will vanish; and what usually creates their dislike, will become a satisfaction.

Yep, already back then people were shocked to realize how much more bastardized and inaccessible their rulers had become.

And why does he always say who the guy's father was? How many Zeuses are there anyway? Only one I think. Is he doing it just to make it rhyme? You can't tell from the translation.

Epithets were all the rage back then, specially when refering to gods and important people, otherwise you would sound disrespectful. Plus, there was no surnames back then, so to be clear about someone you either referred where one was born or the father's name. An epithet was surely cooler.

Shoot, I'm only on Book 1. This thing is a pretty wild ride.

No doubt, but loving every second. I actually read the whole book I 2 times. So beautiful in verse...