Homer His Life And His Works :: essays research papers

Homer: His Life and His Works Greeks had used writing since c. 1400 BC, but it was not until the late 8th century BC that their literature was first written down. Greek literature began in Ionia with the brilliant epics of Homer, the Iliad and the Odyssey. These mature products of a long tradition of oral poetry brought together a vast body of divine and heroic myths and sagas that served as a foundation for much subsequent Greek literature. The epic view of humankind had a lasting influence on Greek thought; indeed, it has been said that later Greek literature is but a series of footnotes to Homer. Homer is said to have been blind and told his stories orally. Because the facts of Homer’s life when he was born or died, where he lived, who he was- remain unknown and shall most likely never be known. Many scholars have doubted the existence of a â€Å"Homer† and point to his texts as the work of a collection of authors over a long period of time. This criticism stems from a disbelief that epics such as The Iliad and The Odyssey could have been formulated, maintained, and transmitted within an oral culture. However, new research on human memory and careful analysis of text reveals evidence that the textual style of each poem does emanate from one author. We know that he wrote two poems about the Greeks and their gods. The Iliad was Homer’s first epic poem, which tells the story of the Trojan War. His second epic is the Odyssey, which tells the story of a great hero Odysseus, and the adventures he embarks on. Tradition has it that he lived in the 12th century BC, around the time of the Trojan War, in an Ionic settlement, either Chios or Smyrna, where he made his living as a court singer and storyteller. Modern archaeological research has uncovered artifacts similar to those described in the poems, providing evidence that Homer wrote at a later date. Because the poems display a considerable knowledge of Eastern, or Ionian, Greece and are written in the dialect of that region, most scholars now suppose that Homer was Ionian of the 8th or 9th century BC. Homer writes nothing of himself in his poems, but similes in the Iliad and the Odyssey frequently make reference to the humble lives of farmers and artisans, so it is sometimes conjectured that Homer was of this class.

Nursing Accountability in Relationship Essay

In this paper, I will review and implement recommendations based on the findings of the Agency for Health Care Research and Quality (AHRQ) regarding the training of hospital staff to respond to a mass casualty incident (MCI). I will give examples and situations that can affect the effectiveness of proper training and responses to a traumatic event in our city, county, state, or country. For years, hospitals have contemplated the possibility of a mass casualty incident (MCI). Federal agencies planning and responding to these events have determined that it would be overwhelming and catastrophic to any community. The resources would not be sufficient to absorb the needs and requirements for help. These events can be naturally occurring or manmade, for example, hurricane season and tornado season in Texas can be predicted with accuracy. In the West coast, we have constant planning and preparation for the next big earthquake even though we do not know with accuracy when it would be. During hurricane Katrina, we had an excellent opportunity to witness how prepared a city is, and how hospitals can easily be overwhelmed by a massive influx of patients. Examples can be given worldwide, but for the purpose of simplicity we will not elaborate further. Never before have we experienced more threats than in the past few years starting from the Oklahoma City bombing and the 911 attacks as the most horrific examples to site. More and more we have seen our fears become our realities and our vulnerabilities, and this is what has made us rethink our strategies and training for proper response to chemical, radiological, or biological threats. Findings The Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO) requires that hospitals implement and test proper hospital response training twice a year. My hospital, BAMC, a military hospital, has complied with the training and has made significant contributions to the evolution and preparedness in response to a potential or actual event. The military has always been an integral part in training and preparation in regards to logistics and coordination of available resources, but even the best trained or better equipped hospitals cannot compensate for the impact it has on its employees, particularly nurses. Nurses take part and are an important aspect of training and preparation, and they are essential in the response to a crisis or trauma. Working in the emergency department, I often question myself as to how is it that we can train and prepare every year for a mass casualty incident (MCI) when I can see how easily we get overrun and in total disarray. Our hospital is currently capable of taking up to four major traumas all at the same time, but the reality is that even under the best staffed days we get overwhelmed, resourcing quickly to diversion of Emergency Medical Service (EMS) to other hospitals when we have reached maximum capacity. If training then is to prepare us and allow us to be well equipped with the necessary knowledge to perform, why is it that we struggle under small real life case scenarios? The response has to be once again in the level of preparation that each individual nurse takes to be ready to be able to function under very stressful environment. The nurse can be well prepared for future events by performing after action reviews (AAR), which is primordial in determining the stressors and the potential solutions to the problems encountered after each event. Disaster drills are beneficial in the effectiveness of command and control, communication, triage, patient flow, security response, and the roles each practitioner must perform. Recommendations Hospital drills and disaster planning are key and instrumental to make the nurse familiar with his/ her role, as well as the role of all the providers of care and first responders. Proper coordination and adequate allocation of resources are essential. The nurse can be instrumental in his/her flexibility and ability to adapt to different roles under extremely chaotic circumstances. Also, nurses are important for the delegation of tasks and coordination of duties to be taken to stabilize the emergency department for the proper movement of patients arriving and departing. The nurse plays an integral role in the transporting of patient, triage, and treatment of the injured. Properly identifying those who are very critical (expectant, life threatening), and those who are stable and can still function (broken bones, laceration, psychological issues) allows the provider to render the proper and efficient care. The nurse needs to have clear communication with the rest of the staff at every level of the disaster event in order to function and coordinate efficiently. Good documentation needs to be implemented. Nurses need to remain creative in finding ways to document what has been done to a patient with regards of his or her care. In a war zone, we can document key components of patient treatment on the uniforms of soldiers, and the same can be done with civilian population in the absence of computers or charting for short periods of time. Another important aspect is the transport of first aid equipment and supplies as soon as the disaster is identified, including body bags, stretchers, wheelchairs, crutches, splints, IV solutions, blood products, antibiotics, and plenty of analgesics and narcotics. Keeping an adequate number of chaplains, counselors, and security is imperative for the emergency department to maintain order under the chaos and stress. Summary In conclusion, the registered nurse needs to be ever vigilant of the realities of our current situations of the world. Today, more than ever with ongoing climate changes and unpredictable massive storms, tornados, earthquakes, and the impending threats created by man, we are always at risk for an (MCI). Keeping a good understanding of the preparation and the steps to take, and knowing his or her role the nurse can be reassured that he/she will be ready for the unpredictable and often unthinkable. References Training of Hospital Staff to Respond to a Mass Casualty Incident Evidence Reports/Technology Assessments, No. 95 Rockville (MD): Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (US); July 2004 http://angel03. gcu. edu/section/default. asp? id=705202 Mass Casualty Incident (MCI) St. John West Shore Hospital, MCI Overview http://www. emsconedonline. com/pdfs/EMT-Mass%20Casualty%20Incident-an%20overview-Trauma. pdf

Julius Caesar Beware the Ides of March - 1017 Words

The Senate of the Roman Republic are the ruling power over most of the known world. Yet this powerful and influential senate is easily threatened by one man; Julius Caesar. To the senators Caesar is the catalyst for the downfall of a Republic they had worked so hard to create and protect. The playwright William Shakespeare dives into this world of betrayal and ambition with his play The Tragedy of Julius Caesar. Using his voice as a writer he takes the audience into Rome and lets them experience each riveting moment of Caesar’s fall. The play shows that Caesar is not the cause of Rome’s eventual downfall, but the senators who conspire against him and ultimately kill him are the ones reprehensible. Shakespeare introduces the†¦show more content†¦As Brutus thrusts his knife into Caesar’s already bloodied belly, Caesar says one last thing. â€Å"Et tu Brute? Then fall Caesar,† says Caesar with his dying breath (938). Once Brutus and Marc Anto ny share their voluminous speeches, you begin to think about the character of Caesar and realize he is a sympathetic and honorable character. Power corrupts everyone, even the strong who feel they are disregarded from this powerful lesson. Brutus and Cassius were also corrupted by power, Marc Antony too. Even though Caesar was corrupted by an unquenchable thirst for power, he is still an honorable character. Brutus and Cassius may have considered Caesar’s ‘amibition’ a character flaw, what they don’t realize is that they too were ambitious but, because they betrayed Caesar they were not honorable. â€Å"He hath brought many captives home to Rome whose ransom’s did the general coffers fill. Did this in Caesar seem ambitious,† says Marc Antony (950). Here at his funeral Antony speaks in honor of Caesar and gives compelling evidence as to why he not a bad man. â€Å"When that the poor have cried, Caesar hath wept. Ambition should be ma de of sterner stuff,† says Antony (950). It takes an honorable man to shed tears, but to weep? That takes honor. Caesar’s actions as Antony describes them creates the image of a wildly sympathetic character that many audiences can relate to. In the end, a great ruler was killed due to the jealousyShow MoreRelatedWilliam Shakespeare s Macbeth Essay1207 Words   |  5 Pageslike Macbeth or Julius Caesar. The protagonists Macbeth and Banquo conquer the evils that face them throughout the plot. However, the nature of violence that takes place throughout Shakespeare’s plays is in relation toâ€Å"the source of the killing of the soul†(Macbeth and the Nature of Evil). In Macbeth, Macbeth is known as a superhuman warrior, the characteristics of being brave and having ambition. The main reason evil stirs up violence can be seen as examples in Macbeth and Julius Caesar, which is causedRead MoreOmens in Julius Caesar578 Words   |  2 Pagesomens can prevent th e inevitable, in Julius Caesar, the power, though often ignored, and the roles that the omens play are so important in the outcome of the characters themselves and, therefore, the outcome of the play. Omens in Julius Caesar, and especially the refusal to listen to them, are so much of what makes the play a tragedy. From advice for Caesar to beware the Ides of March, to abnormal weather, and the odd and somewhat frightening dreams, Julius Caser is full of vastly different omensRead MoreHow to Identify Villains and Heros Essay704 Words   |  3 Pagesplay, Julius Caesar, shows the difference of heroes and villains using the senators of Rome to show the difference between heroes and villains. The hardest character to determine was the hero Brutus, by analyzing his loyalty, background, and his intentions, one can determine that Brutus was a hero to Rome. Brutus’ loyalty helps shape whether his cause was justice or unjustified. In the beginning, Brutus is walking with Caesar. He even helps him when a soothsayer tells him to beware the Ides ofRead MoreJulius Caesar as the Noblest Roman of Them All Essay686 Words   |  3 PagesJulius Caesar as the Noblest Roman of Them All In William Shakespeares Julius Caesar the victorious Mark Antony calls his rival Brutus, the noblest Roman of them all. At the start of the play we witnessed Cassius persuade Brutus to join a conspiracy to kill Caesar. In my essay I intend to discuss four main characters in order to prove or disapprove Mark Antonys statement. The play starts off with Julius Caesar entering Rome after his victory in the civilRead MoreThe Omen: Forces of Nature Play a Very Important Role in Julius Caesar1127 Words   |  5 PagesForces of nature play a very important role in Julius Caesar. There is much attention paid to omens and nightmares and how they foreshadow Caesars death. The events that lead to the death of Julius Caesar are predicted by omens from multiple characters such as Calpurnia, Caesars wife, the Soothsayer, and a teacher, Artemidorus. The omens in the play were ignored by a majority of the main characters. Even though ignored, these omens appear even after Caesars death to show the guilt-ridden nature of theRead MoreJulius Caesar : A Tragic Hero934 Words   |  4 PagesJulius Caesar is a work of art by William Shakespeare in 1599. Within this play Julius Caesar is portrayed as a tragic hero. A tragic hero is defined as â€Å"the main character of a tragedy [who is] usually dignified, courageous, and high ranking† (novel study guide). Also vital to defining a tragic hero is that, â€Å"the hero’s downfall is caused by a tragic flaw† ( novel study guide). It is very evident that Julius Caesar in William Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar is a tragic hero given that he is of nobleRead MoreAmbiguity In Shakespeares Julius Caesar1395 Words   |  6 PagesIntroduction Overall, the main character, Julius Caesar is a character that readers are often very ambiguous about. On one hand, it is said that Julius Caesar would likely become a tyrant if he was crowned king. On the other hand, Julius Caesar is made out to be a great hero. Therefore, readers are faced with a dilemma about who they should side with in this story. By having many of the supporting characters going against the decision to crown Julius Caesar king, this creates an even larger dilemmaRead MoreFate vs. Free Will Julius Caesar Essay844 Words   |  4 PagesIn the play Julius Caesar by William Shakespeare there are two forces at work fate and freewill and throughout the play they are both fighting for control over man. Fate was shown in the many prophecies and omens that the characters viewed throughout the entire play. Free will as defined in the play is the ability to overcome fate. Although in the end all three of the characters succumbed to their fate, Shakespeare shows again t hat there is a delicate balance between fate and human free will. Read MoreThe Murder of Julius Caesar668 Words   |  3 PagesGUIAS JULIUS CAESAR ATTACKED AS HE SAT IN THE SENATE; LEFT TO DIE AT THE FOOT OF POMPEY’S STATUE Rome, March 15, 44BC - Dictator of the Roman Republic, Julius Caesar has been stabbed and killed by a group of senators, who call themselves the â€Å"Liberators.† Rumor has it they believed that Caesar had become too powerful and they decided that he had to be killed. While attending a meeting at the Senate, Caesar was ambushed and viciously attacked with daggers by the â€Å"Liberators.† Antistius, the attendingRead MoreJulius Caesar : A Tragic Hero937 Words   |  4 Pages Caesar the Great Julius Caesar is a work of art by William Shakespeare in 1599. Within this play Julius Caesar is portrayed as a tragic hero. A tragic hero is defined as â€Å"the main character of a tragedy [who is] usually dignified, courageous, and high ranking† (novel study guide). Also vital to defining a tragic hero is that, â€Å"the hero’s downfall is caused by a tragic flaw† ( novel study guide). It is very evident that Julius Caesar in William Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar is a tragic