Spencer Muir, I too have been in sales, and I must agree that Nestor was quite the salesman, but what about Ulysses? As James McClatchy pointed out Ulysses used quite the array of rhetorical tools to get the people to listen. Interestingly those two seem to be the main ones using multiple tools. The rest of the story it seems to me that the people are willing to follow their superiors blindly (well Thersites aside). Considering what Professor Burton said about the greeks inventing logos, I was curious how the would argue and account for information before that. From this story it seems to me that ethos, or simply trusting someone because of who they are, or their standing in society was dominant. Take the following examples:
1) Nestor says if anyone else receives that dream, they declare it false. But since Agamemnon received it all is well with no regard to reason.
2) Ulysses is desirous to fight, but at the request of Agamemnon goes back to the ship, leaving his reason behind. It isn't until someone of higher authority comes (Minerva) and tells him otherwise that he goes back to his reasoning.
3) The people are happy that Thersites gets beaten even though he was speaking things that they wanted. They were happy to oblige someone in authority (Ulysses with the scepter) rather than listen to Thersites reasoning.
Perhaps there is a deeper meaning but it seems to me that these people would rather jump off a cliff if they were told to then to think for themselves.
I just want to add that (in general) soldiers do what they're told. I agree that it is interesting that there weren't more people who spoke up and argued like Thersites did. However, I don't find the lack of free will surprising in this military context.
ReplyDeleteI agree that in a military context lack of choice is common, but what about the leaders? We have no record of Ulysses trying to persuade Agamemnon otherwise until after his visit, Nestor cares only that Agamemnon received the dream without a second thought on what it could mean.
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