I write to you as a proud mother, who has watched you grow passed the world’s expectations. Although you are an educated woman, I have to give you my motherly advice I have held onto since reading the Iliad. Before you embark on the next challenge in your life, reread and learn from the women in the Iliad. Take the strength, courage, and integrity displayed by them and incorporate their attributes into your next journey. Growing up, I realized you would not take things as they are. Everyday there was a new question and we had to research why things were the way they were. You would ask me “Mom, why are the clouds white and why does the sky always change colors?” I would then wonder where all these questions would lead you. Your curiosity and relentlessness to circumference to the one mere image of yourself the world saw, was what pushed you to be more.
You remind me of Athena, the Goddess of wisdom along with her courage, law and justice, war, strength, and skill. All the attributes you have learned through the injustices you have seen and experienced in life. Athena, who was swallowed along with her mother, scared the almighty Zeus in thinking he would be overthrown by his child. With her wisdom and war attitude she gives Zeus terrible headaches until one day she was born from Zeus’s head. Fully grown and armed, Athena was ready to live her life to her curiosity and to protect.
Today women are born into the world, where genders are not treated equally. Athena defends herself in the Iliad and we must incorporate this into ourselves. I noticed how intrigued and patient you were as a child just as Athena is. Waiting calmly, while watching your surrounding world, for issues and knowing when to be active against them. This describes you, my daughter, and Athena as owls, that calculates moves to protect and embodies wisdom. Be an owl. Watch and observe every sound in your job as senator. Think before you react and defend your arguments, and you will soar fully armed.
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Always use the elements of persuasion, ethos, pathos, logos, and Kairos, for public speeches and daily life as senator. Each element of persuasion can help your speech become powerful like the mighty Gods and Goddesses of the Iliad. Athena uses ethos by establishing her character as a goddess over time. She is honored as a goddess in major cities for her ease in mastering male dominated skills, known for her war victories and strategies, and known for her protectiveness of heroes. As Athena tugs at Achilles golden hair, she invokes his respect as she tells him to “end this quarrel and sheathe your sword.” Athena calms Achilles swiftly with her reputation, authority, and respect and he attends to her word “no matter how great his heart’s anger.” Embody the ethos used by Athena. Build a reputable and respected reputation by using the education and skills learned before becoming a senator, which can provide you with authority and respect among your new peers.
My daughter, you are wise just as you are beautiful, and you should feel no shame of that. Helen, considered the most beautiful woman in the Iliad, has been treated like an object and forced to play a passive role as she is battled over during the Trojan war. Her “weeping large tears” and reasonings are ignored by the men that are deciding her future. She longs “for her former husband, her parents, her homeland,” and wishes for death before she came to Troy. Helen believes she is the cause of the war, but the gods are. Helen’s difficult situation creates the persuasion of pathos as she feels deeply but is treated as a lifeless object that must sit back and watch and wait passively while men decide the course of events.
In your journey as a senator, you must keep your empathy and sympathy to connect and influence your audience. Citizens or legislators will see you as a motivator, understand your point of view, accept arguments you make, and act on requests. Let an audience see your passion for your work and do not be ignored or suppress your emotions. Do not become a lifeless object in order to not be “emotional” for a man’s sake as men forced onto to Helen to stop her from thinking for herself. Remember that a group of men decided to go to war on a faulty pretext, claiming a woman, and today, some men will try to make you second guess yourself. Stand tall, raise your voice, be open minded, and beautifully argue.
Hector chooses honor over his family even when his wife, Andromache’s begs him by saying “husband, this courage of yours dooms you. You show no pity for your little son or your wretched wife, whom you’ll soon make a widow.” Andromache’s uses the persuasion of logos to persuade Hector to stay with her. She knows his fate if he leaves for battle and supports her claims with numerous reasons for Hector to stay. Hector, on the other hand, uses Kairos, in a simple reply he says, “if I hid from the fighting like a coward, I would be shamed… not even that sorrow moves me as does the thought of your grief when some bronze-clad Greek drags you away weeping, robbing you of your freedom.” After the speech, Hector rides away on his horse. This delivery and timing of the speech has a greater impact on the audience. In your speeches, you must have correct timing that Hector showed and have evidence to support your arguments.
Homer’s Iliad uses females to convey their intellect and emotion as they are forced into a passive role and used for his story. Men’s choices are shown in choosing aggression, war, and honor over thoughtfulness, peace, and family. My daughter, you must be wise in your choices as a senator. These choices will affect the people and you must be prepared to handle discrimination and unfairness, while holding on to the warrior you are.
