Assignment on Finley, World of Odysseus

                    Chapter 5: Morals and Values

Chapter Five contains a difficult but important discussion of the
evolution of moral thinking in the Homeric poems, dealing with the
concepts of justice; sin; the Gods; the heroic code; and the
relationship among them.

     Your assignment is to study this chapter very carefully. Reread
it, and make notes on it. 

     In your 300 word written assignment, concentrate on the second
half of the chapter, in which the role of the Homeric Gods is
discussed. 

     Outline Finley's argument about the character of the Homeric
gods; the "revolution in religion" that Finley believes occurred at or
not long before the time of Homer; and the evolution of moral
thinking.

     Email to your group and to me.

NOTE: Here is a link to Chapter 5, now on-line.