andie nachgeborenen wrote:
>
>
> However, one might think, and maybe Joanna does, that
> reward and honor should be completely disconnected
> from talent, diligence, or accomplishment, that the
> good things in society should distributed based solely
> on need, for example -- a possible interpretation of
> Marx ("to each according to his need") -- or strictly
> equally. There is an echo of it in Homer (despite
> Homer being a total meritocrat): in his initial
> dispute with Achilles, Agamemnon snarls at the
> unquestionably greatest of the Greek warriors, "And if
> you are very strong, that is the gods' gift," by
> implication, it's not to your credit. This is not of
> course Homer's considered view and it is not Rowling's
> view.
(In practice, praise and honor _do_ go to those of superior achievement within a group -- and arguing about it would be more or less spitting in the wind. Who knows what the practice would be under other conditions.)
But it is at least arguable that "This IS Homer's considered view. The Gods come off very badly in the Iliad (and most scholars affirm this. Being immortal makes their 'achievements' pointless and their happiness empty and hence more often than not cruel. 'Homer' (and Achilles himself), however, may in part at least believe that Achilles' superiority is merely a gift/curse of the gods. I say in part, because Achilles in the end wins praise of another sort -- for his greatness in bearing up under a tragedy brought about by no error of his own but, precisely, imposed on him by external forces beyond which no one has any control.
So he [Priam] spoke, and stirred in the other a passion of grieving for his own father. He took the oldman's hand and pushed him gently away, and the two remembered, as Priam sat huddled at the feet of Achilleus and wept close for manslaughtering Hektor and Achilleus wept now for his own father, now again for Patroklos. ..... he rose from his chair, and took the old man by the hand, and set him on his feet again, in pity for the grey head and the grey beard. . . . (Iliad, Lattimore, 24: 507-16)
Then looking darkly at him spoke the swift-footed Achilleus: 'No longer stir me up, old sir. I myself am minded to give Hektor back to you. A messenger came to me from Zeus, my mother, she who bore me, the daughter of the sea's ancient. I know you, Priam, in my heart, and it does not escape me that some god led you to the running ships of the Achaians. (24:559-64) . . . .
Therefore you must not further make my spirit move in my sorrows, for fear, old sir, I might not let you alone in my shelter, suppliant as you are; and be guilty before the god's orders.' He spoke, and the old man was frightened and did as he told him. (24: 568-71)
Such were the the shining gifts given by the gods to Peleus from his birth, who outshone all men beside for his riches and pride of possession, and was lord over the Myrmidons. Thereto the gods bestowed an immortal wife on him, who was mortal. But even on him the god poured evil also. There was not any generation of strong sons born to him in his great house but a single all-untimely child he had, and I give him no care as he grows old, since far from the land of my fathers I sit here in Troy, and bring nothing but sorrow to you and your children. And you, old sir, we are told that you prospered once. . . . (24.634ff)
Note that Achilles really does put riches & courage in battle on a level -- they are both equally gifts of the gods. Carrol