Introduction
The enduring scholarly fascination with Homer spans countless millennia. The texts, sacred to the ancient Greeks, excite modern people. They describe life situations and pose concerns that are still relevant today: war, violence, drugs, covetousness, and pleasure.
In this sense, the past can act as a role model and a warning to people living in other times. The epic poems The Iliad and The Odyssey are additional sources of non-scientific information that allow one to expand the boundaries of psychological knowledge. The poignant journey undertaken by the heroes imparts profound lessons on the nature of grief and sorrow, empowering individuals to discern and employ effective life strategies in overcoming these formidable challenges.
Addressing Sorrow in The Iliad and The Odyssey
The theme of human unhappiness, sorrow, and suffering occupies a special place in the poems. In both poems, Homer depicts several extreme situations perceived as ongoing human catastrophes. In some cases, Homeric heroes consciously resort to well-known defensive techniques.
Sorrow can be addressed by consciously suppressing it: “Let us hide in our hearts and silence our sorrows” (Homer, 2018, p. 523). This statement is valid, for it is possible to comfort the heart by switching to actions that evoke positive feelings opposite sorrow. In these lines, Homer points out that it is possible to distract oneself, which is sometimes even necessary. At the same time, diversion measures can be different, and it is on these measures that the outcome depends.
Moreover, other advice to those who mourn and weep is found almost everywhere in Homer’s poems. For example, “they drank wine called nectar, ate a food called ambrosia, and enjoyed never-ending life” (Homer, 2018, p. 17). Nothing is known about the reasons for the sorrows of the Theacians, and there is no justification to claim that bodily pleasures dominate all their thoughts. However, the fact remains that having fun and pleasuring the flesh with wine and food helps distract from sorrow.
Nevertheless, there is a potential risk in this method, for a person may withdraw from solving problems under its influence. In the same way, a person who is addicted to various kinds of drugs, alcohol, computers, and gambling does. Some people retreat into virtual worlds to find deceptive happiness and pleasure. However, even they cannot comfort a human entirely due to their virtuality.
Furthermore, the heroes of Homer’s works have unquestionable gifts. While The Iliad mainly reveals their military talents, in The Odyssey, Homer considers other abilities. The king of the Thracians, Alcinous, colorfully describes the talents of his people, stating that their intellect is unmatched, with philosophers and thinkers, and their skills are extraordinary (Homer, 2018, pp. 246-253).
For the Phoenicians, however, improving their capabilities becomes an end in itself. Undoubtedly, through personal growth aimed at developing abilities, the heroes find positive means to cope with grief and sorrow. Creativity, the discovery of one’s talents, has an absolute value for the heroes. Nevertheless, developing these special abilities is not always combined with moral qualities. Self-actualization must be subordinated to a deeper goal related to the ultimate meaning of human existence and being in this world and included in a broader spiritual and moral context of personal development.
Conclusion
Therefore, Homer shows different ways of overcoming sadness, grief, and longing. First, these relate to creativity and self-actualization, which allow a person to develop in different directions. It is undoubtedly a positive solution to the problem if it does not feed sinful passions. Other ways illustrate the ostrich position of the individual retreating into an illusory fantasy world. Numerous people today follow the same path as the characters of the Homeric poems. It must be remembered that this is always a dead-end road, leading humans into a world of illusions and depriving them of the opportunity to find the true causes of suffering.
References
Homer. (2018). The Iliad & the Odyssey. (Butler. S. Trans.). University of Chicago Press.