| There is a serious dearth of studies on sacrifice in Homer, often considered only as an introduction to broader studies of Greek religion. Upon close examination, the sacrifices represented in the primary narrative and part of the chronological unfolding must be distinguished from the sacrifices referred to in character speech and the complex narrative, which express complimentary but different themes within the poem. The sacrifices represented in the primary narrative, enacted sacrifices, are an important expression of the central action, namely Akhilleus' withdrawal, and of the delicate society created by a community of kings who must submit to the authority of the most powerful king, Agamemnon. There are seven performances of sacrifice in the Iliad, clearly designed to demonstrate Agamemnon's ritual authority and function as a clear, unassailable manifestation of his dominance over the other kings. The strengths and weaknesses in the Homeric social fabric are not only demonstrated by the ritual dominance of Agamemnon but also by the placement of sacrificial scenes within the narrative. The sacrifices referred to in character speech and complex narrative, the embedded sacrifices, express frustration with the inadequate communication between men and gods and the inability of sacrifice to influence the course of human events. |
