Iliados komentaras kaip priešprieša karui. Simone Weil ir graikai

Abstract

The article focuses on some of Simone Weil’s philosophical writings against war, which she published in the context of the Second World War. Her translations and commentaries on Greek myths, philosophy, and poetry were at the core of her political thought and action. One of the main purposes of this article is to study Weil’s idea of the Trojan war as paradigmatic in human history. The philosopher’s interest in ancient authors was determined by her philosophical, pedagogical, as well as social activities. Weil’s translations and commentaries on Homer’s Iliad were deeply influenced by her reflexions on the origins of Hitlerism. Weil’s philosophical gloss on the Iliad was based on a radical cultural and political confrontation between Greek philosophy, which she associated with spirituality, and ideology of violence, which she attributed to Roman imperialism. Within the broader context of Weil’s philosophy, the article focuses on the key concepts that the philosopher introduced in her commentaries on the Iliad, such as hero, misfortune, thing, and force. Weil’s philosophy seems to be very timely in wartime because it underscores the demand for a pure inner and courageous view of war by philosophers – just like Homer’s view of the Trojan war.