To the Editor:
Whatever the substantive merits of Dan Belkin's recent article (The Dartmouth, October 20) may be, his literary allusion could use some work. Belkin claims that "Achilles would have had sense not to invite Iraqi insurgents to 'bring it on.'" But one familiar with the Iliad would recall Book XX, verses 343-44: "[Achilles] looked fiercely on Hector and said, 'Draw near, that you may meet / your doom the sooner.'" (S. Butler, trans.). Had Samuel Butler translated Homer's work today, he could scarcely have found a better idiom than "Bring it on." At the end of the day, there is nothing wrong with not knowing the classics, but it is dangerous to pepper one's argument with allusions to works one has not read and dishonest to make references one knows to be false. As for Belkin's other claims, I leave the fact-checking to those more knowledgeable than I.
