Group B Blog Post

One message that I think that The Iliad portrays is the symbolism of sports. After Patroklos's funeral, Achilleus holds a series of game to honor his friend, "But Achilleus held the people there, and made them sit down in a wide assembly, and brought out prizes for games orut of his ships, cauldrons and tripods, and horses and mules and the powerful high heads of cattle and fair-girdled women and gray iron" (Book 23, Lines 257-261).

Much like today, before sporting events significant men/women who had tragically past on would be honored before the start of an event. These people are sometimes the men and women who have fought for their country, celebrities who have brought joy to many individuals, and many other people who have had a large impact on the world. During this time, fans and athletes would show their upmost respect for these people who have left a mark on the world. This practice leaves a question for society.

Were the ancient Greeks the first to honor certain individuals before sporting events? Not only did the Greeks leave an impact by developing some of the first sporting events, but they may have been the first to honor remarkable people. This practice has carried on for hundreds of years and will undoubtedly be carried on for many more years to come in the future.

Comments

  1. AnonymousSeptember 17, 2018 at 1:44 PM

    This is a very interesting post. I had never wondered the origin of having famous people sing the National Anthem before a sports game or throwing out the first pitch, and this may not be the complete answer, but it is a good point. For thousands of years, sporting events have been gathering events for a group of people all interested in one game to watch the best players at that game. Perhaps the collective influence of tens of thousands of people at a professional sporting event is draw enough for celebrities to make appearances, but it was not always as easy as it is now to get around to different events. My greatest memory of this was attending a Miami Marlins game after the death of Jose Fernandez, a team member, and experiencing the collective grief and support in the stands for the team.

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  2. AnonymousSeptember 19, 2018 at 12:48 PM

    Athletes are honored and praised especially when they are exceptional at something that most people can not achieve at that level. We tend to idolize our professional athletes because they are the best at what they do. We honor them with our attention and money--in some sports these professionals are among the highest paid people in the world. In capitalism, money is honor and respect. Athletes are still honored today in the same ways as they were during the Iliad but it wasn't necessarily about the money.

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  3. Jordan SilversmithSeptember 23, 2018 at 11:00 AM

    I agree with your point that the Iliad demonstrates current practices regarding how athletes are treated. We tend to idolize these figures, and following one's passing, honor them in some way. One example that springs to mind is the University of Maryland's tribute to Jordan McNair. McNair passed during a practice, and the team honored him during their game by intentionally leaving his spot on the field open, a penalty that the other team declined out of respect. By honoring these figures during our sporting events, we allow their memory to live on.

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  4. Dean NollSeptember 23, 2018 at 4:47 PM

    I also would agree that The Illiad utilizes sports for many different reasons. I really found it interesting how you mentioned that we honor people before athletic events even now. I would agree with your post that the ancient greeks were the ones who started this because they were the first people to do it. The quote that you mentioned in your post further proves this.

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