Free Men and Natural Slaves in Homer’s ‘Iliad’ and Aristotle’s ‘Politics’ | Kendall Sharp | FFL

Achilles in the Iliad performs his role according to the values of a free and equal citizen in the later polis. In this lecture from the University of Chicago’s Basic Program, Kendall Sharp revisits the quarrel between Achilles and Agamemnon in Homer’s Iliad and reads it through Aristotle’s language of politics and natural slavery. Sharp shows that Agamemnon is not a modern-style general, but the first among equals in a community of free warriors who rule one another by persuasion rather than command. Achilles’ rage, and his refusal either to kill Agamemnon or simply sail home, turns on his need to remain inside this circle of equals where honor and reciprocity give meaning to a short life. Working carefully through key scenes of Book I, Sharp traces the economy of prizes, ransoms, and war captives in Book I. He then places Achilles’ language beside Aristotle’s account of the polis, where equality, consent, and proportionate reciprocity “hold cities together,” and examines Aristotle’s distinction between natural masters and natural slaves. The lecture closes by tracing how these ideas were later invoked in debates about conquest and enslavement, and by reflecting on what Homer and Aristotle can—and cannot—offer to discussions of freedom, status, and historical forms of slavery. Key Questions •Why does Achilles neither kill Agamemnon nor simply return home, despite his fierce criticism of the leader? •In what ways does Achilles’ language anticipate the polis institutions that Aristotle later theorizes? •What does Aristotle mean by “natural masters” and “natural slaves,” and how does this framework illuminate Achilles’ judgment of Agamemnon? •How do scenes of ransom, prizes, and war captives in Homer reveal ancient forms of slavery and their difference from modern ones? •How were Aristotle’s ideas about slavery later used in arguments about conquest and colonial enslavement? Chapters 00:00:04 Welcome, event logistics, and overview of the Basic Program and Graham School 00:05:01 Framing the lecture: Achilles, Agamemnon, and the problem of free equals and natural slaves 00:07:45 Achilles' chief desire: membership in a community of equals and the meaning of honor 00:12:49 Polis language in Achilles: equality, consent, persuasion, and early civic terminology 00:13:50 Books IX and XVI: Achilles explains his rage in the language of citizenship 00:24:01 Book I revisited: Agamemnon's demand for compensation and the breakdown of reciprocity 00:36:10 Achilles as proto-citizen and the turn to Aristotle's Politics 00:40:19 Aristotle on reciprocity, equality, consent, and turn-taking rule among citizens 00:46:50 Q&A: Who counts as an equal? Kings, Thersites, and the oligarchic character of the Greek camp 00:55:08 Q&A: Unwritten rules, legality, and Homer's anachronistic projection of polis values 00:59:13 Q&A: Why a captive woman matters as a war prize and the status of elite captives 01:03:51 Q&A: Aristotle's doctrine of natural slavery, its later use in colonial debates, and teaching difficult texts 01:08:53 Closing thanks and the Basic Program's collective Zoom applause tradition About the Speaker: Kendall Sharp is the Sheffield Family Distinguished Instructor in the Basic Program of Liberal Education for Adults. He holds a PhD from the Committee on Social Thought and a BA from the College at the University of Chicago. He has also taught at the University of Western Ontario, DePaul University, and the University of Illinois-Chicago, and the College. He rejoined the Basic Program in 2019, having last served on the staff from 1999–2000. His research and publishing focus on Plato’s dialogues as literary expressions of the philosophical life. About the Basic Program The First Friday Lecture series is presented by the Basic Program of Liberal Education for Adults. The Basic Program is a four-year certificate program for intellectually curious learners who want to read and discuss the Great Books in a serious, welcoming community. Through close reading and weekly conversation, students engage works of literature, philosophy, history, and social thought by authors such as Plato, Aristotle, Dante, Shakespeare, Woolf, and Morrison—guided by outstanding instructors, with no prerequisites, tests, papers, or grades. Offered online and in person, the program invites adults from all backgrounds to deepen their thinking, broaden their perspective, and join a lifelong community of readers. Learn more at https://graham.uchicago.edu/program/basic-program-of-liberal-education/ About Graham The Graham School is a one-of-a-kind intellectual community that brings the best of the University of Chicago to lifelong learners who are seeking discovery and discernment. Through an array of distinctive programs and courses in the Great Books, the liberal arts, and advanced leadership, we welcome learners who seek to deepen their understanding of the world and lead examined lives of purpose. Learn more at https://graham.uchicago.edu