Achilles Slaughtered The Great Trojan Hero Essay - 1271 Words

Achilles slaughtered the great Trojan hero, Hector and single-handedly changed the tide of the battle. He was a marvelous Greek hero, but his accomplishments paled in comparison to his friend Odysseus. In addition to accruing glory and fame in the Trojan War, Odysseus went on to write history in an epic journey all across the Mediterranean to return to his family. Odysseus acquired more kleos than any other Greek hero in Homer’s epics. The Greeks considered kleos to be the measure of a man. Unlike modern western civilization, the Ancient Greeks didn’t believe in immortality through an afterlife, but naturally, they still sought something permanent, something to give them a purpose in life. They fulfilled this psychological need by creating a glorious legacy, and achieving kleos in the eyes of their peers in order to â€Å"†¦measure one’s value to others and to oneself,† (Charles Segal, 22). In fact, the Greeks thought that their reputation, their kleo s, â€Å"†¦was more important than life itself,† (Charles Segal, 22). Many heroes attain kleos in Homer’s literature, but none so much as Odysseus. Only Agamemnon, Menelaus, Diomedes, Hector, Aeneas and Achilles could even begin to rival Odysseus’ reputation. While all of these heroes were praised for their actions, a few stand above the rest. Menelaus, Diomedes, and Hector were incredibly skilled soldiers and leaders, but their claims to kleos are based solely on their battlefield accomplishments and none of their battlefieldShow MoreRelatedAchilles, Agamemnon and Hektor, Three Great Heroes with Different Characteristics.1485 Words   |  6 PagesAchilles, Agamemnon and Hektor, three great heroes with different characteristics. In the center of ancient Greek history are the big heroes, Gods and Goddesses but one of the heroes described with mastery is Achilles the Greek hero who is not described with disdain like other Greek heroes but with more love. The wrath of Achilles and the death of Hector, the biggest hero amongst Trojans, are described with rare mastery and love for Achilles despite the fact that he commits a cruel deed by killingRead MoreAchilles Slaughtered The Greatest Trojan Hero Essay1276 Words   |  6 Pages Achilles slaughtered the greatest Trojan hero, Hector and singlehandedly changed the tide of the battle. Achilles was a marvelous Greek hero, but his accomplishments were minor compared to his friend Odysseus. He also accrued glory and fame in the Trojan War but in addition went on to write history in an epic journey all across the Mediterranean to get home to his family. Odysseus acquired more kleos than any other Greek hero in Homer’s epics. In the Greek’s eyes, kleos was the measure ofRead MoreAchilles : A Tragic Hero1604 Words   |  7 Pagesonly the story of the last year of the Trojan War, but also the tale of the hero Achilles. In the Iliad, Achilles is a very complex hero who, known for his rage, determines both his own destiny and the fate of a nation and its people. Achilles may be remembered for his anger, but that doesn’t define who he is as a character. Achilles has both good reasons and good intentions as to why he chooses to react in anger. The speaker only elaborates about how Achilles reacts in response to his rage to entertainRead MoreWar Is Naturally Violent, And The Iliad Essay1606 Words   |  7 Pagesdetailed depictions of death do not glorify the actual acts of warfare. Even the gods and heroes are critical of taking too much pleasure in waging war, though the epic celebrates the men who are good at it. Several of the heroes, like Diomedes and Achilles, single-handedly hold off t he enemy and in doing so, seem to rise above the limits of normal men. They even escape the ignobleness of death and are called â€Å"beautiful† after dying. In all, the Iliad acknowledges the realities of war and does not glorifyRead MoreMost Honorable Character: Hector or Achilles?1252 Words   |  6 PagesCharacter: Hector or Achilles? Honor: honesty, fairness, or integrity in one s beliefs and actions; this is the definition by which these two characters, Hector and Achilles, ought to be judged. By taking this definition to heart, Achilles is far from honorable. Throughout the Iliad, Achilles acts on rage and revenge. â€Å"Rage-Goddess, sing the rage of Peleus’ son Achilles, murderous, doomed, that cost the Achaens countless losses, hurling down to the House of Death so many sturdy souls, great fighters’ soulsRead MoreWeakness Of Heroes In Macbeth1475 Words   |  6 PagesThe typical hero is ordinarily seen as strong, independent and courageous. While some may think heroes would gain strength and bravery from knowing their fate, knowing one’s future can actually lead to the destruction of a hero, no matter how invincible they are. Their downfall takes place because heroes allow this knowledge to run their actions in the most disastrous way possible. The so called heroes from books like â₠¬Å"The Iliad† and â€Å"Macbeth† allow further insight to how this knowledge can becomeRead MoreAchilles Shield Is Much More Than A Tale Of War And Glory2478 Words   |  10 PagesAchilles shield is much more than a tale of war and glory. Within the text, lies the struggles of life and death and the relationships between a god with a man, earth and the heavens, and a boy with his mother. This is the tale of the, birth, life, and death of one of the greatest heros ever to live. However was his status worth his life? Is death a worthy price for eternal life in legend and song? Is it wrong for a mother to let her son die, for an ultimately pointless cause, to let him give hisRead MoreThe Epic Of The Trojan War Essay2260 Words   |  10 PagesThe Trojan War is one of the most legendary stories of warfare of all time. This war define the way Ancient Greek culture has been viewed up to the modern 21st century. Nothing is off limits in love and war, and the origin of the T rojan War help people realize the illimitable rules of life. The story of Prince Paris of Troy and Princess Helen, the once before wife of Sparta’s King Menelaus, exemplified true love and gruesome war tactics. As a result of this war, many lives were lost but the relentlessRead MoreFilm Analysis Of Troy2026 Words   |  9 Pageslength is 186 minutes. It is loosely based on Homer s Iliad in its narration of the entire story of the decade-long Trojan War - condensed into little more than a couple of weeks - rather than just the quarrel between Achilles and Agamemnon in the ninth year. Achilles leads his Myrmidons along with the rest of the Greek army invading the historical city of Troy, defended by Hector s Trojan army. The end of the film (the sack of Troy) is not taken from the Iliad, but rather from Virgil s Aeneid as theRead MoreThe Epic Of Gilgamesh And The Iliad2165 Words   |  9 Pages Student’s Name Instructors’ Name Course Name Date Gilgamesh and Achilles as Portrayed in the Writings â€Å"Epic of Gilgamesh† and â€Å"The Iliad† â€Å"Epic of Gilgamesh† and â€Å"The Iliad† presented conflict between the ancient kings, the gods, and finest warriors with other ordinary community members. Throughout the writings Gilgamesh, the king of Uru Community, and Achilles, one of the greatest Greek warriors, struggled to resolve the conflicts between the gods and their community members. However, Gilgamesh