Ransom (Malouf novel)

For other novels, see Ransom (disambiguation) § Books.

2009 novel by David Malouf

Ransom

First edition

Author| David Malouf
Language| English
Publisher| Chatto & Windus

Publication date

| 2009
Publication place| Australia
Media type| Print (Hardcover)
Pages| 230
ISBN| 0099539527

Ransom (2009) is a novel by Australian author David Malouf. It retells the story of the Iliad from books 22 to 24.

## Summary

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This story begins with Achilles mourning the death of Patroclus (who is described as his kinsman, cousin or lover in various books and films) during the Trojan War. Achilles, enraged at his friend's death, slays Hector, Patroclus' killer, and drags Hector's corpse behind a chariot around the walls of Troy and Patroclus' funeral pyre for the next ten days. This causes much dismay to the Trojans and his own men, as it is an unprecedented act of barbarism, and is made worse by the ancient belief held by both Greeks and Trojans that Hector's soul cannot pass into the afterlife unless it is given a proper burial, something that Achilles refuses to allow.

The narrative shifts from Achilles to Priam, Hector's father, and the King of Troy. Priam cannot stand the abuse of his beloved son's body, and (prompted by the messenger-goddess Iris in a dream) decides that he will approach Achilles without his royal decorations, mortal to mortal, and attempt to ransom Hector's body back with the better part of the Trojan treasury.

When Priam explains his plan to his family and advisors, it is met with resistance. After recruiting a common cart driver, Somax, from the market square, Priam and his driver set out for the Greek camp. With guidance from the god of travellers, Hermes, Priam eventually meets Achilles at his camp.

Priam appeals to Achilles's conscience, reminding him of his own father and son (here Malouf juxtaposes Priam's grief at the death of his son and Achilles' grief at Patroclus' death), in trying to persuade him to return Hector to Troy for a proper burial. Achilles (partly due to the nostalgia stirred up when he mistakes Priam for his own father, Peleus) agrees, and the exchange is made. The story ends with a flash forward to Priams' inglorious death at the hands of Achilles' son, Neoptolemus.

Years later, when Troy has fallen to the Greeks, an elderly Somax retells his story, highlighting the story as one of the major themes of the book.

## Differences from the Iliad

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There are several textual differences between the Iliad and Ransom. The character Somax, who drives the cart Priam rides en route to his negotiations with Achilles, is not mentioned in the original text. This leads to a drastically different interaction with Hermes in Ransom.[1] Priam and Achilles are covered in much more detail in Ransom, leading to further textual differences.

## Critical reception

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Ransom was shortlisted for the 2011 International Dublin Literary Award.[2] It received the 2009 John D. Criticos Prize for Greek literature.[3] The book received positive reviews from the New York Times Book Review, the Dallas Morning News, the New Yorker, the San Francisco Chronicle, the Washington Post, the Los Angeles Times, the Boston Globe, and the Wall Street Journal and many other publications[4]

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "Book 23" February 18, 2013
2. ^ "William Trevor makes an Impact" Archived 2012-10-23 at the Wayback Machine, Irish Times, April 12, 2011
3. ^ "Past Winners" Archived 2013-08-31 at the Wayback Machine, February 18, 2013
4. ^ "Editorial review excerpts" February 18, 2013

* v
* t
* e

Homer's Iliad

Characters|

| Achaeans|

* Acamas
* Achilles
* Agamemnon (king of Mycenae)
* Agapenor
* Ajax the Greater (king of Salamis)
* Ajax the Lesser
* Alcimus
* Anticlus
* Antilochus
* Arcesilaus
* Ascalaphus
* Automedon
* Balius and Xanthus
* Bias
* Calchas (prophet)
* Diomedes (king of Argos)
* Elephenor
* Epeius
* Eudoros
* Euryalus
* Eurybates
* Eurydamas
* Eurypylus
* Guneus
* Helen (queen of Sparta)
* Ialmenus
* Idomeneus (king of Crete)
* Iphigenia (princess of Mycenae)
* Leitus
* Leonteus
* Lycomedes
* Machaon
* Medon
* Meges
* Menelaus (king of Sparta)
* Menestheus
* Meriones
* Neoptolemus
* Nestor (king of Pylos)
* Nireus
* Odysseus (king of Ithaca)
* Palamedes
* Patroclus
* Peneleos
* Philoctetes
* Phoenix
* Podalirius
* Podarces
* Polites
* Polypoetes
* Promachus
* Protesilaus
* Prothoenor
* Schedius
* Sinon
* Stentor
* Sthenelus
* Talthybius
* Teucer
* Thersites
* Thoas
* Thrasymedes
* Tlepolemus

|

Trojans|

* Aeneas (royal demigod)
* Aesepus
* Agenor
* Alcathous
* Amphimachus
* Anchises
* Andromache
* Antenor (king's brother-in-law)
* Antiphates
* Antiphus
* Archelochus
* Asius
* Asteropaios
* Astyanax
* Atymnius
* Axylus
* Briseis
* Calesius
* Caletor
* Cassandra (princess of Troy)
* Chryseis
* Chryses (priest of Apollo)
* Clytius
* Coön
* Dares Phrygius
* Deiphobus (prince of Troy)
* Dolon
* Epistrophus
* Euphemus
* Euphorbus
* Glaucus
* Gorgythion
* Hector (prince of Troy)
* Hecuba (queen of Troy)
* Helenus
* Hyperenor
* Hypsenor
* Iamenus
* Ilioneus
* Imbrius
* Iphidamas
* Kebriones
* Laocoön
* Lycaon (prince of Troy)
* Melanippus
* Memnon (King of Ethiopia)
* Mentes
* Mydon
* Mygdon of Phrygia
* Othryoneus
* Pandarus
* Panthous
* Paris (prince of Troy)
* Pedasus
* Peirous
* Penthesilea (Queen of the Amazons)
* Phorcys
* Podes
* Polites
* Polydamas
* Polybus
* Polydorus (prince of Troy)
* Polyxena (princess of Troy)
* Priam (king of Troy)
* Pylaemenes
* Pylaeus
* Pyraechmes
* Rhesus of Thrace
* Sarpedon (king of Lycia)
* Scamandrius
* Theano
* Ucalegon

Gods|

* Aphrodite
* Apollo
* Ares
* Artemis
* Athena
* Dionysus
* Eris
* Hades
* Helios
* Hephaestus
* Hera
* Hermes
* Hypnos
* Iris
* Leto
* Poseidon
* Scamander
* Thanatos
* Thetis
* Zeus

Major deities|

* Aphrodite
* Apollo
* Ares
* Artemis
* Athena
* Hades
* Hephaestus
* Hera
* Hermes
* Poseidon
* Zeus

Minor deities|

* Deimos
* Eris
* Iris
* Leto
* Phobos
* Proteus
* Scamander
* Thetis

Sections|

* Catalogue of Ships
* Deception of Zeus
* Judgment of Paris
* Trojan Battle Order
* Trojan Horse
* Named Sections in Homer

Study|

* Dactylic hexameter
* Homeric scholarship
* Homeric Laughter
* Homeric Question
* Chorizontes
* Jørgensen's law
* Historicity of the Iliad
* "The Iliad or the Poem of Force" (1939 essay)
* Interpretation of Achilles' and Patroclus' relationship
* Milawata letter
* Parallels between Virgil's Aeneid and Homer's Iliad and Odyssey
* Rediscovering Homer

Manuscripts|

* Ambrosian Iliad
* Codex Nitriensis
* Papyrus Oxyrhynchus 20
* Papyrus Oxyrhynchus 21
* Uncial 098
* Venetus A
* Venetus B

Alternate versions|

* Ilias Latina (60-70 CE)
* Dictys Cretensis Ephemeridos belli Trojani (c. 4th century)
* Daretis Phrygii de excidio Trojae historia (5th century)
* Hermoniakos' Iliad (14th century)
* Men in Aida (1983)

Translation|

* English translations of Homer
* "On First Looking into Chapman's Homer"
* On Translating Homer

Literature|

| Verse|

* Aeneid (19 BCE)
* Priapea 68 (c. 100)
* Roman de Troie (1155)
* De bello Troiano (1183)
* Troilus and Criseyde (c. 1380s)
* The Rape of the Lock (1712)
* The Shield of Achilles (1952)
* War Music (1959)
* Omeros (1990)

|

Novels|

* The Firebrand (1987)
* Black Ships Before Troy (1993)
* Troy (2000)
* Ilium (2003)
* Ransom (2009)
* The Song of Achilles (2011)
* Starcrossed (2011)
* The Silence of the Girls (2018)

Stage|

* Rhesus (5th century BC play)
* Troilus and Cressida (1602)
* The Trojan War Will Not Take Place (1935)
* The Golden Apple (1954 musical)

Films|

* Helena (1924)
* Helen of Troy (1956)
* The Trojan Horse (1961)
* Troy (2004)

Television|

* The Myth Makers (1965)
* In Search of the Trojan War (1985)
* Helen of Troy (2003 miniseries)
* Troy: Fall of a City (2018 miniseries)

Music|

* King Priam (1961 Tippett opera)
* The Triumph of Steel (1992 album)
* "And Then There Was Silence" (2001 song)

Art|

* Revellers Vase (c. 510 B.C.)
* Statue of Zeus at Olympia (c. 435 B.C.)
* Menelaus supporting the body of Patroclus (200-150 B.C. sculptures)
* Tabulae Iliacae (ancient Roman Empire reliefs)
* Achilles and Briseis (1st century painting)
* Thetis Receiving the Weapons of Achilles from Hephaestus (1632 painting)
* Hector (1778 painting)
* Andromache Mourning Hector (1783 painting)
* The Loves of Paris and Helen (1788 painting)
* Jupiter and Thetis (1811 painting)
* The Anger of Achilles (1818 painting)
* The Ambassadors of Agamemnon in the tent of Achilles (1801 painting)
* The Apotheosis of Homer (1827 painting)

Phrases|

* "Achilles' heel"
* "Ever to Excel"
* "Hold your horses"
* "In medias res"
* "Noblesse oblige"

Other|

* Age of Bronze (comics)
* Blood rain
* Heraclitus
* The Iliad Bookshop
* Sortes Homericae
* Warriors: Legends of Troy (video game)
* Weighing of souls
* Where Troy Once Stood

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