The Iliad by Homer (second reading)

Thanks to Robert Fagles, I could at last really enjoy Homer’s The Iliad! (this is a very-very late post—I finished the book on May, but due to our moving-preparations lately, I haven’t been able to write a proper review for more than two months. My memory of the book has quite faded, but I’d try to recall things which I found interesting).

Years before, I have read the abridged translation of The Iliad. I knew this is a great epic poem that you should read at least once before you die. But unfortunately, this Indonesian edition that I read re-wrote the epic to a prose. Maybe it’s because my fellow citizen rarely read poems, so the publisher decided to sell it as a mere story book to make it more saleable (*sighing hard). Nevertheless, I quite enjoyed it at that time, but still didn’t get the epic. I knew that I must read the epic one day. But, honestly, I slightly dread of reading an epic poem—hence my delaying of getting to it sooner. Then I stumbled upon this Robert Fagles’ translation, and finally….read this epic poem! ^_^

Now I can say that I love The Iliad! Since it is about war, some passages can be much similar. And the names… they were so much, at the end I couldn’t follow anymore, who was on which side (apart from the big heroes). Take that aside, it was a heroic story written beautifully as a poem. Often I couldn’t help reciting it when I was alone.

Do you tend to take side when reading war stories? I do. From the beginning, I took side with the Trojan. I have no respect for most of Achaean top chiefs—especially Agamemnon, Achilles, and Menelaus. They were selfish and arrogant; and thinking how disputes about women could cause (or alter the course of) a war—! Menelaus is probably the worse—he’s such a cry-baby! When a man lost his wife because another man stole her, he should challenge him to duel, and end it between them. But no, Menelaus ran to his brother, and never stopped him when he decided to start the war. No, I could never take side with the Greeks! And Achilles… what a spoiled little brat he is!

My favorite passage is when Hercules stopped at his house for the last time, meeting his wife and playing with his son. I know he is a temperate man (maybe his only flaw), but I think I loved him more than the others because of this scene. He deserved to be a hero. While his dear little brother….. meh! -_-

That was all that I still remember from The Iliad—definitely a worthy reading, a great epic. I still have to reread The Odyssey—which I have first read also from abridged turn-to-prose Indonesian translation—but with slightly less excitement that I have felt for The Iliad. Hopefully I am wrong!

Mahabharata (2): An Indian Epic Mythology

This is the second part of Mahabharata, one of the longest epic mythology in the world, depicted a rivalry between two families: Pandavas and Kauravas, which would cause one of the greatest wars in Indian ancient mythology. I read the graphic novel version, retold by one of the greatest Indonesian illustrators, and it was illustrated in Indonesian folklore. In the first part we have learned about Pandavas and Kauravas ancestors, how they were born and brought up by the elders. We have got to know how Kauravas always had envy towards Pandavas, which had begun from their mother Gandhari. In the end of part one we knew that the Kauravas—especially Duryodana—decided to take revenge to their cousins. This part two began with an invitation from King Duryodana to the Pandavas to return the visit to Hastinapura palace.

Without any prejudices, Yudhisthira as King of Indraprashta along with the Pandavas, Kunti—their mother, and Draupadi arrived at Hastinapura, and welcomed by Kauravas with all hospitality. The elders, Bhishma, Dhritarashtra and Vidura happily watched their children lived as a big happy family. Little did they know that behind all the hospitalities, Kauravas—helped by their uncle Shakuni—has an evil plan to take their revenge. Until then I always see Yudhisthira as a perfect human being with all his nobleness quality, however in this part two, Yushisthira’s weakness was revealed: he was a severe gambler! Shakuni knew this, and set a trap for Pandavas through a dice game. Of course, it seemed at first like a fun game, while they let Yudhisthira won huge pile of gold coins.

Actually I sensed that his brothers at first disagreed with Yudhisthira’s decision to play the game, however they were taught by their mother to always respect their elder brother (the King), so they just sat down and take a wait-and-see attitude. However, winning after winning had affected them all, so that they finally even supported Yudhisthira to raise the bet using all the money he had won. At that crucial time, when the air of greediness had enveloped everyone, Shakuni silently replaced the dice with a false one (though I can never imagine how this particular dice could mechanically serve his evil purpose). And now, with the false dice, Pandavas lost the game, coin after coin that they had won previously have moved to Kauravas’ hands. And finally without any money left, Duryodana challenged poor Yudhisthira to bet on their Kingdom, Indraprashta! This has become absurd, I could not understand how wise people like Pandavas could agree thing like that. From this scene, I had learned when I was first read Mahabharata as a child, that greediness is one of men’s biggest sin, that it is difficult to reject a fortune when it seems so close to reach.

Of course Pandavas finally lost, not only their Kingdom, but also their freedom, for now they were not princes any longer, they were just slaves. But the worst part has not yet come because Draupadi had become one of the objects of the bet, and now that they have lost, Durshasana (Duryodana’s second brother) dragged the poor Draupadi, then began to disrobe her in public because Duryodana wanted to see her naked. Fortunately the gods saw this and prevented Draupadi from being humiliated through the help of Dharma (the god, Yudhisthira’s father). Despite of Durshasana’s effort to disrobe Draupadi, the cloth had never come to end. Finally Durshasana gave up, leaving Draupadi with her body still covered, but her soul was wounded by the biggest humiliation a woman can take.

The scene of Draupadi humiliated

It’s interesting to see how the Pandavas reacted to Draupadi’s humiliation. You will think that Yudhisthira would be enraged by his wife’s humiliation, but surprisingly, he was just as calm as a lamb! Actually almost all the Pandavas just watched the humiliation in silence because they were slaves now. How ridiculous it was! I’m glad that at least Bhima, although he was a slave too, turned away from the scene that hurt his feeling. At least he showed that he was agitated by the scene, not as passive as the husband! After I reread Mahabharata as an adult, I begin to think that Bhima had perhaps a kind of affection for Draupadi. Despite of his rough manner, Bhima showed tenderness to Draupadi. He always stood by to protect her, and was willing to do anything for her, even if it was only to search for flowers for Draupadi’s hair; something I had never seen in Yudhisthira.

It concerned me too that the elders—Bhima and Vidura especially—who supposed to maintain the peace between their children, failed to see the evil plan Kauravas had set all those times. They were blinded by Kauravas kindness and hospitality, which astonished me. Vidura at least must have seen it, must have suspected it, for he once had detected Kauravas evil plan to murder Pandavas and saved them (see part one). How could he now think that Kauravas had treated Pandavas as their true brother? Or have they been blinded by the comfort of living they got from the Kauravas? With Dhritarashtra I could understand, I think deep in his heart he have always wanted his own sons to protect Hastinapura throne. But ironically, after Duryodana became a King, Dhritarashtra did not have authority towards his sons, he even feared of them (there were hundred of them anyway!), that he could not defend Pandavas at the end. Tragically, Bhishma and Vidura did not have the authority also to guide them; Duryodana trusted Shakuni more than anyone else in the world.

Anyway, it was finally decided that Pandavas should be exiled to a forest for twelve years and during the thirteenth year they must live in undercover and must not be found by Kauravas, or otherwise they must through another twelve years exile. The Pandavas and Draupadi lived their exile in patience; they got through every sorrows and obstacles together in silence. Along the thirteen years their friends never left them, especially Krishna who had been their worthy advisor and true friend they can put their trust. It was Krishna too who instructed Arjuna to meditate to gods to get weapons. As a result of his meditation (he was the best in meditation among men), Syiva granted Pasopati, and Indra granted Pancaroba.

There are a lot of things happened during Pandavas’ exile, it seems that the exile was to purify their soul and strengthen their characters to prepare them for the big war to come. For the gods have already known that the Kurukshetra war must happen in the future between Pandavas and Kauravas, and as Vyasa said, it was not from Pandavas part that the war must take place, it was from Kauravas’. From Hanuman (Bhima’s brother from Vayu) Pandavas learned that the gods could have helped them to punish Kauravas and released them from the great sorrow if they have wanted it, however Pandavas must keep getting through all the hard times, with honesty and wisdom. And isn’t that how men should regard their life too? We often asked God why all these bad things should continuously happen? Can’t God do something with His almighty power to destroy the evils? But it was God wish for men must get through all the sorrows and hard times during their life to prepare them, to purify them for eternal life. That was one deep reflection that I found in Mahabharata which make it valuable, the wisdoms of life.

There was also a wise quote from Sthuna, a giant who exchanged sex with Shikhandi. Shikhandi was born as a female, however gods has planned her to carry the oath of Amba to end the life of Bhishma (you must read about this in part one). When she has grown up, gods instructed her to go to a wise giant called Sthuna and they prayed to gods together to exchange sex. Sthuna became a woman, and Srikandhi became a man. Sthuna’s King thought it was stupid of him to let the sex exchange happened, for “women are weak creatures who often being the cause of wars between men who fight for them”. However Sthuna stood for women, saying that it was not women’s fault, it was men who were greedy and cannot control their passion; that they enjoyed killing each other. Human being should live their life in what God have given them; and they must accept it with pure heart. What a lesson!

From Dharma (the god of wisdom, Yudhisthira’s father) we also got another lessons:

1. The enemy that is most difficult to beat is passion.

2. The worst human being is he who likes to slander others.

3. The best human being is he who accepts God’s will.

4. The illness without cure is avariciousness.

5. The perfect human being is he who always cautious towards the nature even before he was born.

One irony that justified the evil of Kauravas and the kindness of Pandavas took place in the forest during the exile. The Kauravas got a ridiculous idea to see the sorrows of Pandavas while they would show off their richness by having a party in the middle of the forest darkness (very stupid, eh?). While they were drunk, a group of evil forest creatures attacked them mercilessly. When Pandavas heard the noise and realized that the Kauravas were attacked, they came to help fighting the creatures and released the Kauravas. They did all this in silence, because they knew they were obliged to help others who were in need, even if it was their enemy who have unfairly caused their sorrows for twelve years! What a beautiful lesson for us to love others, including our enemies.

And finally the last year of their exile came, Pandavas must go in disguise. They all served the Virata kingdom, Yudhisthira as a historian, Draupadi as a maid servant, Arjuna as an arts and dancing teacher—I can’t imagine him, the best swordsman in the universe must disguise as a coquettish man :). Nakula and Sadeva would be horsemen, while Bhima would serve as a butcher. Really, I think Bhima’s disguise was the weakest because he always fit the humble life of the Sudras (the lowest level in Indian society). This period of disguising was quite comical and entertaining….

In short they could get through the one year period of disguising safely. Now it was time to ask Kauravas to give Indraprashta back to them as they have successfully served the exile. It was Krishna who volunteered to be Pandavas’ ambassador. Here again I see the weak personality of Yudhisthira. He was a King, and it was he who should take the initiative to ask for his rights. But no, when Krishna asked him what he would do next, he said that he would be pleased to take anything that Duryodana would give them, even if it’s only the half of the kingdom. What?? Have you lost your mind? After all they did to you, and that was because of YOUR mistake that your wife and brothers should take the sorrows! And now you just want to wait for Kauravas kindness? Oh…how I want to slap his passive face!! And don’t be surprised if Arjuna and Bhima had not the courage to contradict their elder brother. It was finally Draupadi who ‘slapped’ them all with what she said. Yes! It was Draupadi who suffered the most, and it was—ironically—a woman who was braver than all the best knights in the kingdom, who finally opened their eyes! What Kauravas did to them was beyond any sense, and yet they did all their wish in patience, but now it is time to ask for their rights, they must fight now, once and for all, they must not beg again for their kindness, because Pandavas had the same right as Pandu’s sons.

Krishna had the same idea too, but he must half push them to make their mind. Here, again, Yudhisthira still could not make his mind, he moved the obligation of making decision to Bhima and Arjuna. And fortunately this time, both of them firmly stated that they will ask for their rights, and would fight for it if it was needed. Whew…finally! With that decision, Krishna met with Kauravas as Pandavas’ ambassador. Here you would feel the tension, because, as Vyasa had predicted earlier, it was Kauravas’ decision that would make the war must take place. The Kauravas, despite of their promise, refused to return Indraprashta to Pandavas, and with that the war was inevitable! To describe Kauravas stubbornness, Krishna—burned with rage—suddenly transformed into a huge giant (this is the sign of Vishnu when he was in severe anger), that need Dharma to calm him down before he crushed Hastinapura by himself. And so this is the end of Mahabharata, the Kurukshetra war would be depicted in the next sequel Bharatayuda.

From this mythology we knew that from the beginning, greediness was always the cause of human disputes. They killed each others because they were never satisfied of what they had, because they wanted more. All the sorrows that happened in life were because men could not control themselves. Mahabharata was told and retold beautifully for centuries, and the lessons and values taught us of the most essential aspects in life.

Five of five stars for Mahabharata and the beautiful illustration by R.A. Kosasih, Indonesian senior illustrator who has just passed away last month.

Mahabharata (1): an Indian Epic-Mythology

If you are familiar with Greek mythology, Iliad and Odyssey from Homer, Mahabharata is an Indian mythology which is ten times longer than the Iliad and Odyssey combined into one book. This ancient epic tales was predicted to be written around the year of 500 BC by a monk called Vyasa. It’s a kind of family saga, the Pandavas and Kauravas. I read the graphic novel version, re-told by one of the greatest illustrator in Indonesia: R.A. Kosasih (recently passed away). The most interesting thing of this graphic novel is that Kosasih put the Indian mythology into Indonesian folklore nuances, from the clothes and the names they called each other, that when I first read it as a child, I have always thought that Mahabharata was an Indonesian tale! Apart from the cultural aspects, Mahabharata was a beautiful epic about love, brotherhood, sacrifice, greediness and revenge.

Like Greek mythology, there were alliances between gods and human. The gods always monitor and control every thing happened on earth from their place “up there”. When men were in danger or sorrow, they could meditate and called the gods to help them with their maneuver. When men hated each other, they could spell a curse towards another, and when the gods approved, the curse would be affected right at that moment.

This graphic novel were divided into two volumes, the first one depicted the ancestors of Pandavas and Kauravas. Mahabharata was the early setting of one of the greatest wars in epics between the two families: Pandava and Kaurava; here we learned about their ancestors and the seeds of hatred that would turn into war. The war itself was told in Bharatayudha. 

It all began with a kingdom named Hastinapura, which was ruled by King Shantanu. One day, the lonely king went hunting in a forest and met a very beautiful girl whom he fell in love with. The girl was actually the Ganga goddess. They were married and had a son named Devavrata before the Ganga goddess finally returned to heaven. Devavrata grown up as a courageous, wise, strong, handsome, and smart young man (he was half god and half man anyway). He loved his father very much, but noticed that his father was not happy recently and finally got very ill. He asked him why, and King Shantanu told his son that one day he had met a beautiful girl named Satyavati—a daughter of a fisherman—whom he has fallen in love with. He could not marry her because Satyavati had had an oath that she would only marry a King, and that their son must heir the throne and become the future king. As Shantanu has made Devavrata his successor, he knew he could never marry the woman he loved.

Satyavaty was actually a princess from a kingdom, but has been put into an exile because of a strange and humiliating illness. She married a monk and had a son who was called Vyasa. That was how she had that oath. Devavrata, being a devoted son, promised that he would release his right of the throne so that his father could marry the woman he loved. But what about his future children, what if they demand their rights?, asked the dying father. And then Devavrata made an oath that he would take a lifelong celibacy so that the throne would always be safe. The gods heard and admired the great sacrifice Devavrata has made for his father’s sake, and gave him a new name: Bhishma. King Shantanu then married Satyavati and had two sons: Chitrangada and Vichitravirya.

Chitrangada—the future king—died suddenly in a very young age, left Vicitravirya who was not as good as his died brother in swordsmanship. At that time there was a competition held by a King to find a husband for his three princesses. Satyavati wanted a wife for King Vicitravirya, but knowing that he was not a good swordsman, Bhishma volunteered to fight in the name of the King. Shortly, Bhishma won the three princesses: Amba (the eldest), Ambika and Ambalika. Amba felt she was too old for Hastinapura’s King, and has fallen in love with Bhishma instead. She asked Bhishma to marry her, but Bhishma—who has sworn not to marry—refused her. Amba kept approaching Bhishma, and the later, in order perhaps to fight his own passion accidentally shot Amba with his arrow. In her last breath, Amba begged the gods that her soul would transformed in the body of a woman who would take Bhishma’s life in the future. And the gods approved it.

A sudden death came to King Vicitravirya, leaving the throne of Hastinapura without a successor. In desperation, Satyavati called for his son, Vyasa who agreed “to father children” with Ambika and Ambalika (this was a common practice in India when a man cannot have child). Vyasa was pictured as a man with terrifying looks, so when he came to Ambika, the girl kept shutting her eyes. Later on she gave birth to a blind child (because she kept shutting her eyes during the process). Ambalika has been warned by Vyasa not to shut her eyes like Ambika, however the disgust made her face grew pale during the process, and her child born with pale skin. Unsatisfied with the result, Satyavati asked his son to father one more child with one of the princesses. However, both Ambika and Ambalika did not want to have another session with Vyasa, so they arranged a maid to replace them. From her, born the third child. They were named: Dhritarashtra (the blind), Pandu (the pale skin), and Vidura.

Pandu—despite the fact that he was a second son—was made King because a blind man cannot rule a Kingdom. When they were grown up, Pandu went to a competition to get a wife, Dhritarashtra and Vidura came with him. Pandu, helped by Dhritarashtra, won the competition and brought home Princess Kunti. However there are two other contestants who were not satisfied with the result; they challenged Pandu to do another fights, and if they were lost, they would give their sisters to Pandu. In short, instead of one wife, Pandu brought home three princesses: Kunti, Madri and Gandhari. Satyavati instructed Pandu to share one of them with Dhritarashtra while Vidura refused to have a wife. Then came the selection day, and of course the three princesses were terrified they would be chosen by the blind young man instead of the handsome Pandu. The three secretly prayed to their gods to help them, however in a strange coincidence, Gandhari was chosen by Dhritarashtra.

One day Pandu went hunting to the forest and shot a pair of deer who were making love. The deer turned out to be a monk who transformed himself and his wife to a pair of deer to have privacy when they made love. The monk then cursed Pandu that he won’t be able to have sex for the rest of his life, for whenever he had passion to his wives, he would soon die. Pandu retired to be a monk together with his wives, and left the throne to Dhritarashtra while he was away. Now being a queen, Gandhari was never satisfied because she knew when Pandu returned, she won’t be queen anymore. She prayed to gods to give her a lot of children to protect the throne. The gods answered her prayers, Gandhari was soon pregnant.

However, instead of a baby, Gandhari gave birth to a piece of flesh when she was walking at the garden one night. She kicked the flesh in disgust, and the flesh divided itself to many pieces. The god instructed Gandhari to cover the fleshes with leaves, and went to sleep. In the morning, the fleshes had turned into babies, one hundred babies! Now Gandhari has her protector for Hastinapura throne, and the one hundred children were called the Kaurava. The news came to Kunti and Madri, they too wanted to have their own children, however as Pandu was unable to give them child, they prayed to their gods. The gods fulfilled their wishes, Kunti was given three sons, one from Dharma (the god of justice) and born Yudhisthira, one from Vayu (the god of the wind) and born Bhima, and one from Indra (the lord of the heaves for sons) and got Arjuna. Madri gave birth to twins: Nakula and Sahadeva from Ashwini (the twin gods). Te fifth of them were called the Pandava. However, Pandu could not keep his passion towards Madri, and when they made love, Pandu died.

Lived in the same palace, Pandavas and Kauravas grew up as different characters. While Pandavas became good and polite young men, Kauravas who were being spoiled by their mother has become villain and greedy. Dhritarashtra made Yudhisthira a crown prince, but he kept the ambition to made his own son Duryodana (the eldest of Kauravas) to be the king of Hastinapura (he might have been persuaded by the greedy Gandhari). Kauravas, helped by their evil uncle Shakuni (brother of Gandhari) made a plan to get rid of Pandavas in a fire accident. Luckily for Pandavas and their mother Kunthi, their wise uncle Vidura has made protection for them by instructing his men to dig a tunnel beneath their palace. Saved from the fire accident, the Pandavas returned to Hastinapura only to find that Duryodana has been made King. The elders had a meeting, and decided that the Pandavas should build their own kingdom which was called Indraprashta. When they were on pilgrimage to return from fire accident, Arjuna has won Draupadi as a wife. Here there are ambiguities, in the version I read, Arjuna refused to marry Draupadi and gave Draupadi for his brother Yudhisthira, who finally agreed to marry her. However, in the original version, Kunthi asked Arjuna to share Draupadi with all his brothers. Draupadi finally married all five of Pandavas (this too, a common practice in India, a woman can have more than one husband).

Draupadi & her five husbands-the Pandavas

One day when Indraprashta has become a big kingdom, they invited the Kauravas to the palace. There Duryodana grew envious of the elegant palace of Pandavas. It was added with a humiliating accident where Duryodana splashed in the water when he thought it was glossy floor. The Kauravas came home with revenge in their head, and since then they could not think other than a perfect plot to humiliate the Pandavas.

It was long, I know! :) And this is just PART ONE of Mahabharata, there will be part two! I write the entire plot here to memorize them myself. From the story, I just realized that the four elements of life: love, hatred, greediness and revenge are always the plot of most stories of human lives. And those were also the most causes of wars. I read Mahabharata as I was a child, and I re-read it many times after that. One thing I just realized as adult reader (and after I can browse the internet) that Vyasa is believed to be the same person as Krishna Dvaipayana. It was not mentioned here in the graphic novel I read; Krishna here was the King of Dwaraka, an advisor to Pandavas, whose main concern was to keep the whole kingdom in peace. He was invincible in fighting, because he was the incarnation of Vishnu god. To imagine that Krishna and Vyasa was the same person would be interesting. I think I should keep reading the Part two (and perhaps continue on to Bharatayudha) to learn more about this.

Oidipus Sang Raja

Jujur, saat pertama kali memutuskan membeli buku ini dalam rangka mendukung gerakan #SavePustakaJaya (membantu penerbit Pustaka Jaya untuk kembali bangkit), aku ragu-ragu. Sebelum ini, aku belum pernah membaca karya sastra yang berbentuk drama. Bayanganku, pasti buku ini akan membosankan. Terus terang saja, drama yang kubayangkan itu adalah drama ala sinetron kita yang mendayu-dayu lebay itu, yang ternyata salah besar! Drama ala Yunani Kuno ini berbentuk ode, yaitu semacam puisi yang dinyanyikan. Dan ternyata…aku jatuh cinta pada buku ini!

Drama dibuka dengan datangnya para demonstran yang mengelilingi altar di luar istana kerajaan Thebes. Oidipus, sang Raja Thebes pun keluar menanyakan keresahan mereka. Mewakili rakyat, seorang pendeta tua mengungkapkan bencana yang tengah melanda negeri mereka. Tanaman terserang hama dan wabah penyakit membawa kematian. Dalam pengaduannya itu, pendeta mengingatkan Oidipus akan aksi heroiknya dulu saat ia memecahkan teka-teki Sphinx sehingga menyelamatkan negara mereka. Sesungguhnya, karena jasanya itulah Oidipus kini menjadi Raja Thebes, yang memerintah bersama sang permaisuri, Jocasta.

Ingin menolong rakyatnya, Oidipus lalu mencari tahu penyebab para dewa menimpakan bencana itu. Untuk itu Oidipus telah mengutus Creon iparnya untuk bersembahyang ke kuil dan bertanya pada Dewa Apollo. Jawabnya kemudian datang: semua malapetaka itu jatuh akibat sebuah pembunuhan yang belum terungkap. Pembunuhan atas Laius, Raja Thebes terdahulu, yang menurut kabar dibunuh sekawanan penyamun. Maka Oidipus pun, di depan seluruh rakyat bersumpah akan menemukan pembunuhnya dan menghukum dengan mengasingkannya dari Thebes.

Ternyata jatidiri sang pembunuh bukanlah sepenuhnya tak diketahui. Ada pendeta agung bernama Teirisias yang diduga mengetahui rahasia ini. Maka Teirisias pun dibawa menghadap dan diinterogasi oleh Oidipus. Awalnya Teirisias menolak membeberkan jatidiri sang pembunuh, karena fakta yang ia ketahui sangat berbahaya. Namun karena didesak sang Raja, Teirisias pun membuka rahasia besar yang mengagetkan, sambil menuntut Oidipus menaati sumpahnya. Karena sang pembunuh Laius, menurutnya, adalah Oidipus sendiri! Bukan itu saja, Oidipus diyakini sesungguhnya adalah putra Laius yang dibunuhnya, dan Jocasta yang telah dikawininya.

Tak terkatakan murkanya Oidipus, sampai ia menuduh Teirisias bersekongkol dengan Creon untuk mengkudeta tahtanya.

Untuk menelusuri kebenaran, seorang gembala yang menjadi saksi mata tunggal kematian Laius pun dihadapkan. Dan kesaksiannya meneguhkan ketakutan Oidipus yang paling besar. Ternyata ia lah sang durjana yang telah disumpahinya. Ia lah yang telah meninggalkan noda yang tak terperikan bagi Thebes. Ia sudah membunuh ayah kandungnya, dan mengawini ibu kandungnya.

Lalu bagaimanakah nasib Oidipus selanjutnya? Dan bagaimana ia sampai membunuh ayahnya dan mengawini ibunya tanpa menyadarinya?

Membaca buku ini lumayan mengasyikkan. Meski kisahnya diceritakan lewat ode, namun pembaca justru bisa makin terhanyut dalam emosi para tokohnya, terutama pada Oidipus. Tak dinyana bentuk ode pun tetap dapat membuat sebuah kisah mengalir dengan sempurna, tanpa terasa berlebihan, namun tetap bermakna.

Dari buku ini aku belajar banyak tentang bentuk ode ala Yunani Kuno. Selain para tokoh bergantian berpuisi, ada saat-saat jeda antara scene yang satu dan scene selanjutnya –di mana panggung kosong dari para tokoh—dan diisi oleh paduan suara yang menyanyikan penghantar antar babak. Mereka bergantian membawakan strophe dan antistrophe, yang lalu ditutup dengan epode. Antistrophe adalah bagian yang menjawab dan menyeimbangkan strophe. Jadi, kalau strophe dibawakan dengan nada berapi-api dan bersemangat, maka antistrophe akan menjawab dengan nada melankolis, dan begitu selanjutnya. Sedangkan epode merupakan semacam penutup atau kesimpulan dari suatu babak. Kurasa, di buku ini bagian epode itu diisi oleh Pemimpin Paduan Suara.

Untuk memberikan gambaran isi buku ini, berikut adalah salah satu petikan puisi yang dinyanyikan Oidipus untuk menenangkan rakyatnya di bagian awal drama:

"Telah kulihat semua penderitaanmu
namun tak ada yang melebihi penderitaanku.
Berbagai penderitaanmu adalah tunggal dan satu,
tapi penderitaanku lebih dari satu.
Kecuali menderita untuk diriku,
aku menderita untuk dirimu,
dan juga menderita untuk Thebes."

[penggalan dari bagian lain]

"Baiklah! Akan kukejar jejaknya
dari mula pertama.
Akan kulunasi keadilan demi Dewa,
demi rakyat dan demi yang wafat.
Akan kaulihat aku memburu sang durjana
demi Apollo dan demi Thebes negeri kita."

Dari dua penggal ode itu, aku bisa merasakan bahwa sebenarnya Oidipus adalah raja yang baik, yang mau ikut memikirkan penderitaan rakyatnya.

Empat bintang untuk Sophokles yang telah menciptakan drama ini, dan bagi penerbit Pustaka Jaya yang telah menerjemahkannya dengan baik pula, hingga ode ini masih bisa kita nikmati meski telah diterjemahkan dari versi aslinya.

Catatan:
Apakah anda mengenal Penerbit Pustaka Jaya? Penerbit ini banyak menerbitkan buku-buku klasik dari penulis dunia seperti Fyodor Dostoyevsky, Leo Tolstoy, Mark Twain, Ivan Turgenev dll. Review ini dibuat dalam rangka mendukung gerakan #SavePustakaJaya dari kebangkrutan, agar karya-karya sastra berkualitas dunia tetap boleh kita nikmati bersama. Ayo bergabung bersamaku, beli dan bacalah buku-buku terbitan Pustaka Jaya melalui: Demi Pustaka Jaya

Judul: Oidipus Sang Raja
Penulis: Sophokles
Penerjemah: Rendra
Penerbit: Pustaka Jaya
Terbit: 2009
Tebal: 146 hlm

The Odyssey of Homer

Odysseus adalah salah seorang pahlawan bangsa Achaean yang turut berperang melawan Troy. Alkisah, setelah sepuluh tahun berperang melawan Troy, pasukan Achaean pulang dengan membawa kemenangan. Namun rupanya Zeus, dewa pemimpin semua dewa, tidak menyukai hal ini sehingga meski Achaean dibiarkan menang, namun proses kepulangan orang-orang Achaean ke negerinya sendiri dipersulit oleh Zeus. Salah satu pahlawan Achaean yang bernasib paling buruk dalam perjalanan pulang ini adalah Odysseus. Kisah liku-liku perjuangan hidup-mati Odysseus demi bisa pulang ke Ithaca dikisahkan dalam epic The Odyssey, yang merupakan salah satu epic terbesar sepanjang masa, bersama dengan The Iliad yang juga karya Homer.

Epic ini dibuka dengan sebuah rapat yang terjadi di puncak Olimpus, tempat tinggal para dewa. Athena, putri Zeus, membujuk ayahnya untuk menolong Odysseus untuk dapat pulang ke negara dan keluarganya, setelah selama sepuluh tahun berkelana dari satu pulau ke pulau lain, dan akhirnya ditawan oleh seorang dewi yang jatuh cinta padanya, bernama Calypso. Athena memanfaatkan kesempatan ketika Poseidon, dewa yang membenci Odysseus, sedang pergi. Beroleh restu dari Zeus, Athena pun segera bekerja.

Pertama-tama ia mendatangi Telemachos, putra Odysseus yang kini telah berusia 20 tahun. Ternyata karena Odysseus tak kunjung pulang dari Troy, ada 108 orang raja dan pangeran muda yang dengan kurang ajarnya merayu istri Odysseus, Penelopeia, agar menikahi salah seorang dari mereka. Bukan saja menginap di istana Odysseus, mereka juga berlaku seenaknya dan menghabiskan harta dan makanan Odysseus, karena mereka berpikir sang raja Ithaca telah meninggal.

Maka Athena pun membangkitkan keberanian Telemachos untuk pergi ke kediaman Nestor untuk menanyakan keberadaan ayahnya. Karena, selama ayahnya belum pulang, sulit baginya untuk mengusir para pelamar ibunya. Sementara itu Zeus mengutus Hermes untuk memaksa Calypso membebaskan Odysseus. Akhirnya Odysseus pun memulai perjalanan pulangnya. Namun, itu tak berarti perjalanan itu akan berjalan mulus. Zeus telah mentakdirkan Odysseus mengalami berbagai macam rintangan. Ditambah lagi, karena dalam perjalanan itu Odysseus telah membutakan mata raksasa cyclop yang adalah putra Poseidon, Poseidon pun makin bertambah murka. Dan rintangan demi rintangan yang seolah tak ada habisnya harus dihadapi Odysseus. Satu persatu anak buahnya tewas, hingga akhirnya Odysseus pun sendirian. Berhasilkah ia pulang? Dan apakah Penelopeia masih mau menunggunya setelah berpisah selama 20 tahun?

Berbeda dengan The Iliad yang lebih dinamis dengan banyak tokoh yang terlibat dalam perang, The Odyssey ini seolah menjadi antiklimaksnya. Odysseus menjadi tokoh sentral di keseluruhan kisah, dan meski perjalanan pulangnya dipenuhi tantangan dan aksi seru, tetap saja aku sempat merasa bosan di tengah-tengah. Begitu dominannya Odysseus, sehingga kematian tokoh-tokoh penting di The Iliad seperti Agamemnon dan Achilles, terasa hambar dan tidak berkesan.

Baru pada bagian akhirlah cerita menjadi agak berbobot berkat sedikit aksi. Namun, tetap saja terasa beda. Kalau dalam The Iliad para pahlawan berperang melawan negara lain, di The Odyssey, Odysseus berperang di rumah sendiri saja.....

Pengulangan adegan juga salah satu aspek yang membuatku bosan. Saat Odysseus atau Telemachos dalam perjalanan dan singgah ke istana suatu negara, selalu saja ritual “kunjungan orang asing” yang sama berlangsung. Mula-mula tamu akan dijamu makan, lalu disuruh bercerita dari mana asalnya dan maksud kedatangannya. Setelah makan, semua orang menuangkan anggur dari cawan masing-masing ke tanah untuk berdoa pada para dewa. Lalu sebelum si tamu pulang, sang tuan rumah akan memberikan berbagai hadiah-hadiah indah yang belum pernah dilihat tamunya. Aku mengerti bahwa itu memang kebiasaan bangsa Yunani yang berlaku saat itu. Tapi kalau ritual itu dikisahkan berulang-ulang pada setiap kunjungan, lama-lama bosan juga.

Mungkin saja…. memang begitulah karakter sebuah epic. Karena epic itu pada dasarnya adalah puisi naratif, maka mungkin saja terjadi banyak pengulangan. Bagaimana pun, keberanian dan kegigihan Odysseus yang pantang menyerah dalam menghadapi rintangan patut diacungi jempol. Entah sudah berapa kali ia harus menantang maut. Dari raksasa kanibal hingga ke monster menakutkan, dari sihir hingga harus mengarungi keganasan laut setelah terlempar dari kapal, semuanya mampu dihadapi Odysseus. Tak heran, The Odyssey merupakan epic kepahlawanan terbesar sepanjang masa. Tiga bintang untuk buku ini!

Judul: The Odyssey of Homer
Penulis: Homer
Penerjemah: A. Rachmatullah
Penerbit: Oncor Semesta Ilmu
Terbit: 2011
Tebal: 317 hlm

The Iliad of Homer

Homer dikenal sebagai seorang penyair epik terbesar di dunia barat yang berasal dari Yunani. Dua karya terbesarnya, The Iliad dan The Odyssey berkisah tentang sebuah perang besar yang terjadi antara Yunani dan Troy, yang dikenal dengan Perang Troy. The Iliad, yang ditulis pertama kali oleh Homer, menuturkan tahun-tahun akhir Perang Troy yang dalam sejarah diperkirakan terjadi selama 10 tahun, di sekitar tahun 1200 SM. Aslinya, The Illiad berbentuk puisi, namun Penerbit Oncor Semesta Ilmu telah menerjemahkannya bagi kita dalam bentuk sebuah cerita, sehingga lebih mudah untuk dicerna.

Paris atau Alexandrus adalah Pangeran Troy yang telah menyulut Perang Troy. Dalam kunjungannya ke Sparta, ia menculik Helen, ratu Sparta yang saat itu adalah wanita tercantik di dunia. Helen adalah istri Raja Menelaus, adik raja Mycenae: Agamemnon. Agamemnon juga merupakan Raja Agung Achaean (yang terdiri dari banyak kerajaan-kerajaan kecil) atau yang disebut Yunani. Menelaus yang murka meminta Agamemnon adiknya untuk mengangkat senjata dan memerangi bangsa Troy. Kalau masih bingung, anda perlu membaca terlebih dahulu buku tentang awal mula Perang Troy.

The Iliad dibuka dengan perseteruan Agamemnon dengan pahlawan yang menjadi ujung tombak seluruh pasukan Achaean, yakni Achilles dari Phthia. Penyebabnya adalah wabah mematikan yang telah didatangkan oleh dewa Apollo kepada pasukan Achaean. Agamemnon rupanya telah menawan seorang gadis menjadi istrinya. Gadis ini putri seorang pendeta bernama Chryses. Karena Agamemnon tak mau membebaskan putrinya, Chryses memohon bantuan pada Apollo.

Agamemnon yang keras kepala akhirnya setuju untuk memulangkan putri Chryses, namun meminta hadiah pengganti. Hadiah yang ia minta adalah Briseis, gadis milik Achilles. Achilles meradang karena penghinaan Agamemnon dan akhirnya menarik diri dari medan perang. Tak cuma itu, Achilles minta bantuan ibunya, Thetis untuk memberi Troy kemenangan. Dengan itu ia berharap ketika panik karena kalah, Agamemnon akan memohon-mohon dirinya untuk ikut perang dan Briseis akan dikembalikan kepadanya. Jadi Thetis menghadap pemimpin para dewa yakni Zeus di istananya di Olimpus, dan Zeus pun berjanji untuk mengabulkan permohonan Thetis.

Dari sini jelas terlihat bagaimana Homer memasukkan peran dewa-dewi yang banyak berpengaruh dan terlibat dalam kehidupan manusia. Dalam perang Troy ini saja Zeus, Hera (istri Zeus), Athena (putri Zeus), Aphrodite, Poseidon, Ares dan Apollo tercatat sering membantu kedua belah pihak yang berperang. Kadang-kadang bahkan terkesan manusia itu layaknya alat bagi para dewa. Kita jadi dibuat berpikir, sebenarnya yang berperang ini dewa melawan dewa atau manusia melawan manusia?

Hampir di sepanjang buku ini dikisahkan peperangan yang seimbang antara Achaean dan Troy. Berkali-kali Achaean memukul mundur Troy, dan berkali-kali pula Troy balas menyerang setelah mendapat suntikan semangat dari Hector, putra tertua Raja Troy, Priam, yang merupakan pemimpin dari pihak Troy. Begitu juga sebaliknya, ketika pasukan Achaean melemah ketika diserang pasukan Troy, Diomedes yang paling berani di antara pahlawan Achaean akan maju dan membunuh banyak ksatria di pihak Troy untuk mengobarkan kembali semangat pasukannya.

Dan di sepanjang waktu itu para dewa turut menyaksikan sekaligus mengontrol jalannya peperangan. Tak heran bahwa Perang Troy dapat berlangsung hingga sepuluh tahun, karena begitu salah satu pihak kalah, dewa akan melindungi mereka. Aphrodite, Apollo dan Zeus adalah dewa-dewi yang membantu Troy, sementara di pihak Achaean ada Hera, Athena dan Poseidon. Keberadaan para dewa yang membantu manusia ini dipercaya sebagai hiasan yang dipakai Homer untuk mempercantik kisah epik ini.

Pada satu titik, Hector mampu mengobrak-abrik pertahanan Achaean sehingga Agamemnon yang terdesak merayu Achilles untuk membantu mereka berperang. Achilles yang masih sakit hati tetap menolak, bahkan setelah Agamemnon menjanjikannya berbagai hadiah. Pasukan Troy kemudian mematahkan pertahanan Achaean dengan memasuki tembok tinggi dan parit yang dibangun Achaean untuk melindungi kapal-kapal berisi harta rampasan mereka. Hector lalu memerintahkan pasukannya untuk membakar kapal musuh.

Di tengah kepanikan itu, Patroclus --seorang sahabat karib yang paling dicintai Achilles-- tergerak untuk maju perang. Ia mengenakan baju perang Achilles dengan tujuan untuk mengelabui musuh. Majunya Patroclus memang telah direstui Zeus, karena hanya dengan kematian Patroclus di medan perang, Achilles akan sedih dan ingin membalas dendam. Dengan demikian, ia pun akan berdamai dengan Agamemnon dan maju berperang untuk merebut kemenangan bagi Achaea. Dan itulah yang terjadi. Patroclus akhirnya terbunuh di tangan Hector, maka kini Achilles mengincar Hector untuk membalaskan dendam!

ilustrasi ketika Achilles bertarung dengan Hector

Berhasilkah Achilles membunuh Hector? Dan apakah para dewa yang membela Troy akan melindungi Hector? Menarik untuk membaca bagian-bagian akhir buku ini yang menyisakan adegan seru yang heroik sekaligus mengharukan. Perang Troy merupakan salah satu perang terbesar yang pernah terjadi dalam sejarah, dan Homer telah berhasil merangkumnya agar kita boleh menikmati kisah terhebat tentang keberanian, cinta, ambisi dan kepahlawanan sepanjang masa ini. Empat bintang untuk The Iliad!


Judul: The Iliad of Homer
Penulis: Homer
Sumber: The Iliad of Homer (The Project Gutenberg Etext of The Iliad, translated by Samuel Butler)
Penerbit: Oncor Semesta Ilmu
Terbit: 2011
Tebal: 248 hlm

Kehancuran Troy (The Aeneid)

Perang Troya mungkin merupakan salah satu perang paling terkenal yang pernah ada. Setidaknya ada sangat banyak kisah dan buku yang mengangkat perang ini. Troya adalah perang antara Yunani (kaum Achaean) dan kota Troy, gara-gara Pangeran Paris dari Troy merebut Helen, istri Raja Sparta: Menelaus, yang adalah wanita tercantik sejagat pada waktu itu. Seperti yang anda mungkin pernah baca atau tonton filmnya, pasukan Yunani akhirnya bisa mengalahkan Troy berkat siasat “kuda Troya”, yaitu dengan menyusupkan pasukan Yunani ke dalam patung kuda dari kayu sehingga berhasil masuk ke dalam kota Troy. Nah, kisah Kehancuran Troy ini bermula dari malam yang bersejarah itu.

Pada malam itu Raja Troy yang bernama Priam pergi ke pantai untuk melihat apakah isu bahwa pasukan Yunani sudah meninggalkan Troy dengan kapal-kapal mereka adalah benar. Alangkah terkejutnya ia ketika mendapati sebuah patung raksasa berwujud kuda terbuat dari kayu berdiri sendirian di gelapnya malam, sementara pasukan Yunani telah menghilang. Timbul perdebatan apakah sebaiknya patung itu dibawa masuk ke dalam kota atau dihancurkan saja. Tiba-tiba datang orang asing bernama Sinon yang mengaku orang Yunani, tapi telah difitnah sehingga kini berharap boleh bergabung dengan Troy. Ia bercerita bahwa pendeta Yunani meramalkan bahwa pasukan Yunani harus pulang dulu ke negaranya untuk kemudian kembali lagi dan menyerang Troy. Sinon menyarankan rakyat Troy membawa masuk patung kuda itu sebagai persembahan kepada Dewi Athena (yang telah membantu Yunani untuk mengalahkan Troy).

Patung itu akhirnya dibawa masuk ke kota. Ketika kota Troy tengah terlelap, Sinon diam-diam membuka patung itu dan dari dalamnya keluarlah komandan pasukan Yunani yang selama ini bersembunyi di situ. Mereka bersama seluruh pasukan lainnya yang selama itu bersembunyi di pulau kecil dekat situ lalu menyerang dan membakar kota Troy. Malam itu Aeneas --pemimpin tertinggi pasukan Troy setelah kematian Hector-- didatangi oleh Hector dalam mimpi yang menyuruh Aeneas melarikan diri karena kelak Aeneas lah yang akan mendirikan negara baru bagi sisa rakyat Troy. Malam itu juga Raja Priam tewas dibunuh oleh Pyrrhus (putra Achilles), dan seluruh kota Troy terbakar. Singkat kata, bersama ayah dan putranya (Ascianus) serta orang-orang Troy yang selamat, Aeneas yang dilindungi ibunya --Dewi Aphrodite-- segera bertolak dengan kapal ke lautan.

Lukisan yang menggambarkan Aeneas membopong ayahnya, disertai istri dan putranya menyelamatkan diri dari kebakaran (karya Federico Barocci, 1598, sumber: Wikipedia)

Perjalanan ke Itali

Perjalanan menuju negeri baru itu dilalui dengan penuh perjuangan dan jungkir balik oleh Aeneas dan rombongannya. Mereka menjelajahi daratan Eropa, Asia hingga Afrika, dan sempat singgah di beberapa negara. Sudah menjadi kehendak dewata bahwa bangsa Troy akan membangun negeri baru di Hesperia, atau yang disebut Itali. Kelak Roma ditakdirkan menjadi salah satu bangsa besar dan terhormat di dunia. Namun sebelum itu, kaum Troy harus melewati perjalanan yang jauh dan memutar karena mereka tak dapat singgah di Yunani. Walau begitu mereka tak perlu takut karena Apollo dan para dewa lainnya akan membantu mereka. Ketika singgah di kota Carthage, Aeneas sempat terlena dan melupakan sejenak misinya mencari negeri baru, berkat keramahan Ratu Carthage yang bernama Dido. Dan rupanya (meski tidak ditunjukkan dengan jelas di buku ini), Dido lalu jatuh cinta pada Aeneas. Maka Zeus pun mengutus Hermes untuk mengingatkan Aeneas untuk segera melanjutkan perjalanan. Aeneas pun terpaksa meninggalkan Carthage secara diam-diam agar Dido tidak murka.

Ketika mereka hampir mencapai Itali, rombongan Troy singgah agak lama di negeri Sicily untuk memakamkan Anchises yang meninggal dalam perjalanan. Saat itu Dewi Hera yang benci pada Aeneas berusaha menggagalkan niat Troy untuk pergi ke Itali. Hera adalah istri Zeus, dan dalam mitologi Yunani para dewa/dewi biasa bermusuhan dan bersekutu, persis seperti manusia. Mereka pun bersekutu/bermusuhan dengan manusia, dan sering campur tangan dalam hidup manusia. Namun karena perjalanan Aeneas itu sudah menjadi kehendak dewata, maka akhirnya mereka bisa lolos dari bahaya dan melanjutkan perjalanan hingga mendaratlah mereka di pulau Latium atau Itali.

Perang Latin vs Troy

Raja Latium (atau Latin) bernama Latinus. Ia memiliki putri bernama Lavinia, yang menurut ramalan akan dipersunting seorang asing. Maka ketika Aeneas dan rakyat Troy mendarat di pulaunya, Raja Latinus yakin bahwa Aeneas adalah calon suami Lavinia. Di lain pihak, istrinya ingin menikahkan Lavinia dengan Pangeran Turnus yang gagah dan tampan. Di sini lagi-lagi dewi Hera melihat peluang untuk menghancurkan Aeneas. Ia memanggil Alecto dari neraka untuk menyalakan api kemarahan di hati rakyat Latin dan menyulut kecemburuan di hati Turnus sehingga akhirnya terjadilah sebuah perang. Kalangan dewata sekali lagi heboh. Aeneas diperingatkan dalam mimpi untuk bersekutu dengan Raja Evander dan pasukan Tuscan yang juga memusuhi Latin. Sementara Aphrodite minta tolong Dewa Api untuk membuatkan perangkat perang bagi putranya, dan dewa-dewa lainnya turun tangan membantu bangsa Troy. Bagian ke dua inilah yang kurasa lumayan “menggigit” karena di sana kita bisa melihat keberanian dan karakter Aeneas.

Seperti yang kita semua ketahui, kerajaan Romawi kelak memang menjadi kerajaan besar yang menguasai dunia. Aeneas merupakan leluhur bangsa itu, karena dari keturunannya lah raja-raja Romawi berasal.

*****

Kehancuran Troy ini adalah versi terjemahan yang diambil dari The Aeneid karya Virgil. Virgil adalah salah satu penyair epic Roma terbesar. Aslinya, The Aeneid memang merupakan puisi yang dirangkai untuk mengisahkan perjalanan bangsa Troy menuju negeri baru dan perang di tanah baru itu untuk akhirnya mendirikan kerajaan Romawi. Kehancuran Troy ini adalah versi ringkas yang diterjemahkan dalam bahasa Indonesia. Anda tak akan menemukan secuil pun puisi di sini, karena sudah dijadikan semacam kisah epic. Secara keseluruhan, sangat terasa bahwa buku ini adalah versi ringkas, sehingga kita jadi kurang merasakan ikatan emosi dengan kisah maupun tokoh-tokohnya. Mungkinkah karena aslinya adalah puisi? Entahlah...

Kisah bangsa Troy ini memang memiliki banyak aspek, mungkin akan lebih baik kalau kita menyempatkan membaca dari awal kisah perang Troy, yaitu di buku The Iliad dan The Odyssey karya Homer, sebelum melanjutkan ke Kehancuran Troy ini. Bagaimanapun, penerbit Oncor Semesta Ilmu patut diacungi jempol atas inisiatifnya untuk menyuguhkan versi sederhana yang gampang dimengerti mengenai salah satu mitologi Yunani ini. Satu bintang untuk Aeneas, satu untuk Virgil, dan satu lagi untuk Oncor!

Judul: Kehancuran Troy

Penulis: Virgil

Sumber: The Aeneid, by Virgil, terbitan Macmillan th. 1936

Penerbit: Oncor Semesta Ilmu

Terbit: Juli 2011

Tebal: 134 hlm