
Contents
-
-
-
-
-
-
Towards a Political Theology of Force in Homer and Hesiod Towards a Political Theology of Force in Homer and Hesiod
-
The Alterity of Kratos: Philological and Mythopoetic Interventions The Alterity of Kratos: Philological and Mythopoetic Interventions
-
Misinterpreting Kratos: Zeus’ Deception of Agamemnon Misinterpreting Kratos: Zeus’ Deception of Agamemnon
-
Reinterpreting Kratos: Diomedes’ Rebuke Reinterpreting Kratos: Diomedes’ Rebuke
-
Conclusion Conclusion
-
-
-
-
-
-
2 Kratos before Democracy: Force, Politics, and Signification in the Iliad
Get access-
Published:May 2023
Cite
Abstract
This chapter focuses specifically on the relationship between force and politics in the Iliad. It begins with the infamous “one king” speech of Odysseus (Iliad 2.203–6), delivered on the verge of the dissolution of the Achaean army after Achilles has abandoned the war. In Rogues, one of Jacques Derrida’s last major publications, Derrida uses the one king speech in order to argue for kratos as an ipsocentric force that contrasts specifically with the institution of democracy, which, for Derrida, is a political manifestation of his philosophy of différance. Building on and at the same time differing from Derrida, it is shown in this chapter how the principle of différance may be seen to be at work already in the role that kratos plays both in the Iliad and in the larger mythological tradition pertaining to Zeus. More specifically, the chapter shows how the speeches of Odysseus (Iliad 2.190–206), Agamemnon (Iliad 2.110–41; Iliad 9.17–28), Diomedes (9.32–49), and Zeus (Iliad 8.5–27; Iliad 15.158–67), as well as Hesiod’s Theogony, all point to the unique ways in which the signification of kratos itself remains in a constant state of play through language.
Sign in
Personal account
- Sign in with email/username & password
- Get email alerts
- Save searches
- Purchase content
- Activate your purchase/trial code
- Add your ORCID iD
Purchase
Our books are available by subscription or purchase to libraries and institutions.
Purchasing informationMonth: | Total Views: |
---|---|
May 2023 | 5 |
June 2023 | 1 |
July 2023 | 2 |
September 2023 | 5 |
October 2023 | 6 |
December 2023 | 2 |
January 2024 | 3 |
February 2024 | 5 |
March 2024 | 2 |
April 2024 | 6 |
May 2024 | 1 |
June 2024 | 4 |
July 2024 | 2 |
August 2024 | 1 |
September 2024 | 2 |
October 2024 | 2 |
November 2024 | 8 |
December 2024 | 4 |
January 2025 | 4 |
February 2025 | 2 |
March 2025 | 1 |
April 2025 | 3 |
Get help with access
Institutional access
Access to content on Oxford Academic is often provided through institutional subscriptions and purchases. If you are a member of an institution with an active account, you may be able to access content in one of the following ways:
IP based access
Typically, access is provided across an institutional network to a range of IP addresses. This authentication occurs automatically, and it is not possible to sign out of an IP authenticated account.
Sign in through your institution
Choose this option to get remote access when outside your institution. Shibboleth/Open Athens technology is used to provide single sign-on between your institution’s website and Oxford Academic.
If your institution is not listed or you cannot sign in to your institution’s website, please contact your librarian or administrator.
Sign in with a library card
Enter your library card number to sign in. If you cannot sign in, please contact your librarian.
Society Members
Society member access to a journal is achieved in one of the following ways:
Sign in through society site
Many societies offer single sign-on between the society website and Oxford Academic. If you see ‘Sign in through society site’ in the sign in pane within a journal:
If you do not have a society account or have forgotten your username or password, please contact your society.
Sign in using a personal account
Some societies use Oxford Academic personal accounts to provide access to their members. See below.
Personal account
A personal account can be used to get email alerts, save searches, purchase content, and activate subscriptions.
Some societies use Oxford Academic personal accounts to provide access to their members.
Viewing your signed in accounts
Click the account icon in the top right to:
Signed in but can't access content
Oxford Academic is home to a wide variety of products. The institutional subscription may not cover the content that you are trying to access. If you believe you should have access to that content, please contact your librarian.
Institutional account management
For librarians and administrators, your personal account also provides access to institutional account management. Here you will find options to view and activate subscriptions, manage institutional settings and access options, access usage statistics, and more.