Essay on Differences in Heroes in The Iliad - 780 Words

Differences in Heroes in The Iliad â€Å"What a worthless, burnt-out coward I’d be called If I would submit to you and all your orders, Whatever you blurt out. Fling them at others, Don’t give me commands ! Never again, I trust, will Achilles yield to you – My hands will never do battle for that girl, Neither with you, King, nor any man Alive.†(p 111) With these wrathful words of Achilles to his commander Agamemnon, so begins the sequence of events in The Iliad that ultimately pits Achilles the runner against Hector, breaker of horses. Although these men were already enemies, Achilles being an Achaean and Hector being a Trojan, it is truly Achilles’ rage that makes the rivalry personal. These two men, from opposite sides of the†¦show more content†¦So all can reap the benefits of their king – So even mighty Atrides can see how mad he was To disgrace Achilles, the best of the Achaeans !† (p 114) This decision of prideful betrayal brings many casualties to the Achaean army. Once Agamemnon apologetically offers Achilles many valuable gifts along with the return of his war prize, Achilles refuses. In this rejection, Achilles is putting his own animosity toward Agamemnon above the needs of his fellow Achaeans. His friend Phoenix tells him to think of his diminishing honor, but Achilles answers, â€Å"â₠¬ ¦what do I need with honor such as that ?/ †¦ It degrades you to curry favor with [Agamemnon],/ and I will hate you for it, I who love you./ It does you proud to stand by me, my friend,/ to attack the man who attacks me†¦Ã¢â‚¬ (p 147). Not only does Achilles reject honor, but he egotistically asks his father figure, Phoenix, to give up his in order to take his side. Achilles’ insolent pride backfires on him when he becomes ultimately responsible for the death of his best friend Patroclus. Although Achilles still refuses to fight, he allows Patroclus to where his armor into battle. The sight of what the Trojans think is Achilles terrorizes them at first, but Apollo pushes him down and knocks off Patroclus’ armor. Hector sees the injured imposter on the ground and delivers a fatal wound. Only now, out of personal grief, does Achilles return to the battle.Show MoreRelatedThe Song Of Roland And The Iliad933 Words   |  4 Pages The Song of Roland and The Iliad are both epics that represent the cultural viewpoints of medieval France, and Ancient Greece, respectively. The Song of Roland, based on historical fact, details the heroism of one of Charlemagne’s knights, Roland, when fighting against an overwhelming force of foreigners to defend the rear of Charlemagne’s army. In comparison, The Iliad accounts the triumphs of A chilles during the mythical Trojan Wars to win possession over the beauty of Helen. 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The events captured in the poem cover a few weeks to the end of the war. However, the poem contains deep Greek mythical allusion. It describes the great Greek legends involved in the siege, the events that occurred beforeRead MoreThe Iliad Of The Homer s Iliad Essay1475 Words   |  6 PagesThe Iliad ranks as one of the most important and most influential works in terms of world literatures since its establishment. Between the underlying standard to which the Iliad offers us as audience members, along with the plethora of writers that hav e followed in the footsteps to which Homer’s Iliad paved, the impact that the Iliad has played is remarkable in itself. 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