Tuesday, March 31, 2020

Homer, the Iliad

Historical background The Iliad by Homer is more of myth art than factual historical happening. It considered as has a great Greece mythology. It is known to have contributed greatly to the western civilization (Kershaw 34). More often, the Iliad is referred to as the Song of Ilion. It is an ancient Greek poem and its setting is on the Trojan War in which the Troy city was blockaded for 10 years. Troy is a union of several Greeks states. The poem seeks to illustrate on the battles between Agamemnon the King and the warriors Achilles.Advertising We will write a custom report sample on Homer, the Iliad specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The famous Iliad poem is one of the oldest literatures in the western nations. Actually, no one can exactly tell the precise time during which the poem was written. Little is known concerning its author. Some books assert that the composition is dated back to around 8 century BC. However, current stati stical models grounded on language evolution indicate that the literature was written between 760 and 710 BC. The literature is made up of about 15693 verse lines and is written in Homeric, which is a Greek language that emerged from a combination of Greek and other dialects. The Iliad poem only covers a brief final week of the Trojan War. Homer’s works have influenced several poets such as Shakespeare, Milton, and Chaucer over centuries. Over 2700 years the Iliad has remained the greatest war story in the West. The summary of the book It is notable that Iliad myth has undergone several changes over centuries. The original Homer’s story has been greatly interfered and readers should be careful while reading it. The Iliad story begins at almost the end of the Trojan War during besiege by the Greeks (Fagles Bernard 3). We encounter a cleric by the name Chryses who gives out some possessions to the Greeks in exchange for her daughter, Cheryseis, who had been imprisoned b y Agamemnon. Agamemnon was the Greek leader. Unfortunately, Agamemnon rejects the offer. Thereafter, Chryseis prays to Apolo who sends plaques to devour the Greek army. Later, Achilles the leader of Myridon calls a meeting to find a solution to the plaques. The pressure of the plaques forces Agamemnon to release Chryseis and takes Achilles Breseis as compensation (Lombardo 57). The Odysseus takes Chryseis via ship to her father. Thereafter, Achilles and his men declare not to fight anymore for Agamemnon and retreats to their homes. Apolo ends the plaque when Chryseis reunites with her father. Later, Achilles requests his mother, Thetis, to negotiate for the intervention of the Trojans from the hands of Eam Zeus. Zeus agrees and through a dream, he urges Agamemnon to attack the city. Agamemnon accepts the plea; however, he hesitates to test Greek army’s morale. The plan fails and it takes the intervention of the Odysseus who confronts and beats the ordinary soldiers. This lead s to the deployment of companies by the Greeks onto the Trojan plain. King Priam soldiers attend the occasion. On the plains, they meet with the Greeks.Advertising Looking for report on literature languages? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Before the armies approached each other, Paris terminates the war. In turn, he fights a duel with Menelaus as suggested by his brother who was the leader of the Trojan army. Both rivals agree to respect the outcomes of the duel fight. Paris is defeated and later Aphoride rescues him and takes him to bed before being killed by Menelaus. Later, a war broke out forcing the heroes as well as the commanders such as Hector to join the battle. During the battle, many Greeks are killed. My perspective and understanding After reading and analyzing this narrative, I can affirm that the author’s story has changed my perspective and understanding of the Iliad poetic works. The informal narrators have passed down some of the stories focused by the book over from generation to generation (Powell 26). Some authors have written books based on these storytellers’ understandings. Notably, these books are not reliable as they depend on here say. Compared to these books, the above narrative provided me with facts. The author supports his narratives with several historical and archeological evidences. For instance, he asserts that the epics were composed at around 650 to 750 BC in Mycenaean, Greece. Equally, the author asserts that the Greece Bronze Age witnessed several great kingdoms. This account is supported the archeologist by the name Heinrich who discovered the ruins of the Troy city. Recommendations to students I recommend this book to other students because it is rich of literature. This implies that students can learn a lot from it. Over the years, the book has inspired several writers and poets. Even the scholars find the story of the Iliad by Homer very outstandi ng (Carter 45). They believe that the oral poetries contained in the book are useful for all readers. It builds the student skill of narrating of the poetry. Similarly, the book offers a deeper understanding of literature to students. In addition, the book expands the understanding about poetry enabling them to think broadly when analyzing poems and related arts. Works Cited Carter, Maureen. A layman’s guide to the poet Homer. Athens: Efstathiadis Group, 1998. Print. Fagles, Robert, and Bernard Knox. The Iliad. New York, N.Y., U.S.A.: Viking, 1990. Print.Advertising We will write a custom report sample on Homer, the Iliad specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Kershaw, Stephen. A brief guide to the Greek myths. London: Robinson, 2007. Print. Lombardo, Stanley. The essential Homer : selections from the Iliad and the Odyssey. Indianapolis: Hackett, 2000. Print. Powell, Barry B.. Homer. Malden, MA: Blackwell Pub., 2004. Print. This report on Homer, the Iliad was written and submitted by user Adele O. to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

Saturday, March 7, 2020

Basswood Tree Description and Pruning Info

Basswood Tree Description and Pruning Info Introduction to the Basswood Tree Basswood, also known as American Linden is a large native North American tree that can grow more than 80 feet tall. In addition to being a majestic tree in the landscape, basswood is a soft, light wood and prized for hand carvings and making baskets. Native American basswood is found on rich, wet soils of the central and eastern United States. In the landscape, is a very beautiful and large tree with a majestic oval canopy mounted on a tall, straight trunk. Mid-summer brings abundant clusters of aromatic, yellow blooms which attract bees who make a prized honey - the tree is often fondly called the honey or bee tree. Taxonomy and Species Range The scientific name of basswood is Tilia americana and is pronounced TILL-ee-uh uh-mair-ih-KAY-nuh. Common names include American basswood, American linden and bee-tree and the tree is a member of the plant family Tiliaceae. Basswood grows in USDA hardiness zones 3 through 8 and is native to North America. The tree is often used as a hedge but only in large tree lawns. It grows rapidly, is very large and needs plenty of space. The tree makes an excellent landscape planting with limited tolerance to urban conditions depending on the cultivar. It is a perfect shade tree and can be used as a residential street tree. American Linden Cultivars There are several great cultivars of American linden including ‘Redmond’, ‘Fastigiata’ and ‘Legend’. The cultivar Tilia americana ‘Redmond’ grows 75 feet tall, has a beautiful pyramidal shape and is drought-tolerant. Tilia americana ‘Fastigiata’ is more narrow in shape with fragrant yellow flowers. Tilia americana ‘Legend’ is a hearty tree with resistant to leaf rust. The tree shape is pyramidal, grows with a single, straight trunk, and with upright, well-spaced branches. All of these cultivars are great as specimens for large lawns and along private drives and public streets. Pests of Basswood Insects: aphids are notorious pests on basswood but will not kill a healthy tree. Aphids produce a sticky substance called honeydew which then introduces a dark sooty mold that will cover objects under the tree including parked vehicles and lawn furniture. Other attacking insects include bark borers, walnut lace bug, Basswood leaf miner, scales and Linden mite can all be troublesome problems. Disease: Leaf rust is a major defoliator of basswood but some cultivars are resistant. Other diseases that infect basswood are Anthracnose, canker, leaf spots, powdery mildew, and verticillium wilt. Basswood Description: Basswood in the landscape grows to a height of 50 to 80 feet, depending on tree variety and site conditions. The trees crown spread is 35 to 50 feet and the canopy is typically symmetrical with a regular, smooth outline. Individual crown forms are consistent with an oval to pyramidal canopy shape. Crown density is tight and the trees growth rate is medium to rapid, depending on the site condition. Basswood Trunk and Branches Basswood branches droop as the tree grows and do require some pruning. If you have regular walking and vehicular traffic, a pruning may need to be done for clearance beneath the canopy. The tree form is not particularly showy but maintains a pleasing symmetry and should be grown with one single trunk to maturity. Basswood Leaf Botanics Leaf arrangement: alternateLeaf type: simpleLeaf margin: serrateLeaf shape: cordate; ovateLeaf venation: pinnateLeaf type and persistence: deciduousLeaf blade length: 4 to 8 inchesLeaf color: greenFall color: yellowFall characteristic: not showy I explain some of these terms in my Botanical Glossary... Necessary Site Conditions The native American basswood grows best on moist, fertile soils where those soils are acid or slightly alkaline. The tree likes to grow in full sun or partial shade and is more shade-tolerant than oaks and hickories. The leaves will show some wilting and scorching after a long dry season, but the tree appears fine the following year. The tree is often found growing along creeks and streams but will take short periods of drought. The trees favorite habitat is on moist sites. Pruning Basswood American linden grows into a very large tree and demands space to develop properly. Naturally occurring trees need no pruning but branches on landscape specimens should be spaced by pruning along the trunk to allow for development to maturity. Removing branches with weak crotches and embedded bark is advised even though the wood is flexible and will not often break from the trunk. Plant basswood as a specimen or shade tree only on property where there is plenty of area available for root expansion. Remember to remove basal sprouts that are prone to grow off the base of the trunk.