The Iliad. A classic Greek epic written by Homer sometime from the 9th– 8th century BC. Homer’s work fictionalizes the ten-year conflict between the Trojans and the Greeks to win the hand of the most beautiful woman in the world, Helen of Troy. (The war solidified regional power over one of the most strategically advantageous cities in the Aegean, but that’s boring.) Paul’s background as a military brat surrounded by the romanticism of war subconsciously passed to him by his father drew him to The Iliad. However, the book, which books are good at, influenced Paul’s ideas of war and conflict. He sees the book instead as an analogy for the destruction of pride, especially between two characters, Agamemnon and Achilles, and how their refusal to cooperate leads to unnecessary death. The lessons from The Iliad became a guide for Paul during his military service and throughout life.
Listen to Paul describe his journey.
This object is part of the “Personal Growth” section of the Artifacts of Experience exhibition designed by University of Cincinnati students in the “Introduction to Public History” course in 2023.
We encourage you to explore the other objects in our collection.
Transcript
Kanah Johnson [KJ]: Hi, my name is Kanah Johnson. I’m here with my father…
Paul Johnson [PJ]: Paul Johnson.
[KJ]: And we are discussing the Iliad as his object for the object lessons. And just to get right into it, why did you choose the object?
[PJ]: Because I’ve, I fell in love with The Iliad the first time I read it. I enjoy the fact that it’s about a war. But it’s actually more about the war going on between the, the, the pride of two men in particular, and other people ended up paying the price for that. And having been raised, I was big on war and military and Elysian fields. It kind of made me start to see things in a little different light.
[KJ]: Oh, you kind of answered the second question with this. But um, so what does the book mean to you, then just that sense of pride and a completely new look on it?
[PJ]: Yeah, the fact that you know, and I always like the fact that at first, when I was really young, I think I was more of a fan of Achilles. But Achilles is actually just a killing brute, basically, for the most part. And as I got older, and I was reading this in college, I remember my sympathies switch to Hector. Hector is a soldier, but he’s a family man. He has a son that he loves. He has a wife that he loves. And he fights only because his city needs him to fight. And, and then when he’s killed, his father goes and begs for his body from Achilles. And Achilles then does leave his brutish state to actually say, yes, he feels he suddenly feels it has like, I feel almost like a growing moment there as well. But yeah.
[KJ]: Yeah that’s, that’s a great answer for that. Um, so when you look at the object, what memories does it conjure for you like, so when you first bought it or something else?
[PJ]: Um, I think it always makes me think of my father. In a certain sense, you know, the idea of being a father and you know, you want to see your son do well, and whatnot. But then, you know, I always knew that if I passed in some kind of manner that it would really, you know, rock my father. So, uh anyhow, I think that it meant a lot to me there. It was at a time in my life, also where I was with your mom and, our big dates, were basically going to bookstore and we were looking in Used Bookstore, and I bought this and it also helped out, because shortly after that, I took honors course on Greece, with Dr. Tak, tau. It goes, yeah. But anyhow.
[KJ]: Yeah, well, I think you’ve already kind of gone into it. But with the final question, what is your favorite story to tell about the object about the book? Or you even have?
[PJ]: What’s that?
[KJ]: Is there even a favorite story that you have?
[PJ]: A story within the book, or a story about me banding about the book?
[KJ]: Either one.
[PJ]: What’s that?
[KJ]: Either one.
[PJ]: Okay. Well, like I said, I mean, I saw that, you know, Hector faces his fears. He’s out against a man who’s almost considered immortal. Of course, I don’t know how many people knew that. Achilles had his heel. And he you know, even has a moment of panic. And I always found it kind of inspirational whenever I was in as you know, I was in the military, myself at one point.
