Achilleus In The Odyssey

When Achilleus allows his anger to control him, he starts to break beyond the norms of humanity and alienates himself from human feeling. He loses sight of remaining dutiful as an influential hero once he allows his anger to disrespect the dead and decide the fate of other human beings. For instance, when he disrespects Hektor’s dying request to have a proper burial, telling Hektor that he wishes that he had enough drive to “hack [his] meat away and eat it raw.” (Iliad 22.347). Although Achilleus’ actions in battle stem majorily from his motivation to avenge Patroklos, he directs his wrath against the world, which has caused him much frustration and has taken Patroklos from him.

From the first pages of Homer’s The Iliad, Achilles is portrayed as vengeful, proud, and petty. As the book progresses, the image of Achilles as a spiteful child is sharpened dramatically. Towards the end of the epic; however, Achilles begins to exhibit qualities that are considered heroic even in today’s society. Once his loyal and trusted friend Patroclus dies, Achilles undergoes a drastic change in character. When he confronts the true horror of death, Achilles puts aside his immature

Justice is a major part of this story and the most significant to the Iliad. Although the word justice can be interpreted in many different ways, It is served by Achilles when he is trying to get back at the son of Priam, Hektor for killing his friend Patroklus who was very special to him. In book 22 Achilles achieves justice for his dear deceased friend as he “drove the spear as he came on in fury.” Achilles wanted Hektor to go through the same pain that Patroklus must’ve experienced and it was only fair that Achilles punished Hektor himself so that they would then be even, although it resulted in two deaths because of them. In addition to Achilles attack on Hektor during his final breaths in book 22, Achilles tells him “I have broken your strength; on you the dogs and the vultures shall feed and foully rip you.” He says these words to him to show him that his actions have consequences and

Here is one of the greatest if not the greatest of the gods, Zeus, complying with Thetis' plea to help the Trojans, and his biggest concern is upsetting his wife. This scene contrasts how the humans lives are in the hands of feeble gods who are sometimes unable to make uninfluenced decisions without the influence of others or worrying about what another will think or say to them simply because she will be ‘scolding all day long'. Another favor which helped turn the tide of war in favor of the Achaeans again involves Achilles and Thetis, however this time she seeks the aid of Hephaestus. Thetis goes to Hephaestus because Achilles armor is in the hands of Hector who killed Achilles dear friend Patroclus.

In book one of the Iliad, a plague is placed on the Achaian army because Agamemnon wouldn’t release Chryseis, a maiden he’d taken as a prize for sacking a Trojan-allied town. Agamemnon refuses to give up Chryseis until Achilleus surrenders Briseis, another maiden, to him as consultation. This insults Achilleus’ pride and is the first event in the epic to fuel his burning rage (1.8-1.611). Due to his leader, Agamemnon, wounding his pride, he refuses to fight for the Achaians for the first 15 books. However, the tide turns in book 16 when Patroklos, Achilleus’ friend, is killed (16.816-16.821). His rage causes him to join the Achaians once more and develope aristeia, where a hero in battle has his finest moments. He nearly single-handedly slaughters the Trojan army by splitting their ranks and pursuing half of them into the river, where he recognizes Lykaon (21.1-21.35).

battle. Achilleus felt some shame in letting his good friend Patroclus die in battle while

Additionally, he appeals to pathos, or emotions, as he mentions their comrades who are lost without Achilleus and urges him to fight on for the pitiful whose suffering can only end with the war. However, Achilleus seems to be more persuaded by Phoinix’s speech. Phoinix, calls out to Achilleus, whom he had “loved out of [his] heart” (Il.9.486) and “made [his] own child” (Il.9.495), to protect his aged fatherly figure. He also shares the story of Meleagros, a hero whose arrogance causes him his bounty, and advises that Achilleus accepts the offer with the promised reward, since “if without gifts [Achilleus] went into the fighting where men perish, [Achilleus’s] honor will no longer be great” (Il.9.604-605) By presenting his case as such, Phoinix simultaneously imposes filial responsibility on Achilleus and looks out for Achilleus’s future like a parent would. Achilleus, while still refusing to help the Achaians, requests Phoinix to stay and suggests that they “decide tomorrow, as dawn shows, whether to go back home again or else to remain here” (Il.9.618-619) Of the three messengers, Phoinix is the only one who manages to get Achilleus to consider his options instead of

The Iliad: Book I, is about the conflict between Achilles and Agamemnon in the beginning of the Trojan War. It shows how vigorous Achilles’ rage was and that he is no one to mess with. The book states “Peleus’ son Achilles, murderous, doomed”. This shows his fury in just a few words. Achilles was a Greek hero who was the son of a Goddess named Thetis. He was an incredible solder; brave, violent and godlike. However, Agamemnon was the commander of the Achaean Army. He was greedy, aggressive and selfish. He was described as “the most grasping man alive”. He absolutely hated Achilles. I feel that he was jealous of how respected Achilles was among the ranks in the army because of his superior skills in the field of battle. Agamemnon claimed Chryseis as his prize, after sacking a Trojan town. Chryseis was a daughter of a Priest of Apollo, Chryses. He offered an enormous ransom to get his daughter back. At first Agamemnon didn’t want it but the people round him persuaded him that it would be best to let her go so they could be released from the plague that Apollo put on them. Agamemnon then poised to Achilles that he is going to steal Achilles prize, Briseis. This is when Achilles’ rage shows at its best. He nearly draws his sword to kill Agamemnon but he is stopped by the goddess, Athena.

In battle, he was often enraged, and it was hard for him to cool down. Achilles was one of the greatest warriors among the Greeks in the Trojan War. When Achilles had to relinquish his wife, as told in the Iliad, he had returned to his tent and did not come out. When this happened, the Trojans had an advantage in the war. The Greeks lost battles one after the other. Though Achilles's best friend Patroclus had an idea to wear Achilles's armor to scare off the Trojans into retreating. This plan fortunately worked for Patroclus, until Chryseis and her father were slain by Agamemnon, in which the god Apollo was angry and helped the Trojan warrior Hector find Patroclus and kill

Only his individual retribution returns Achilles to battle, where he unleashes an incredible slaughter upon the Trojan army, all fueled by this wrath. Achilles’ rampage finally ends at the gates of Troy, opposing Hektor, who represents everything that Achilles is not. Hektor stands as the last line of defense of Troy, and when faced with Achilles he is once again begged to withdraw by his father and wife, a plea which fails. Homer

And this shall be a great oath before you: some day longing for Achilleus will come to the sons of the Achaians, all of them. Then stricken at heart though you be, you will be able to do nothing, when in their numbers before man-slaughtering Hektor they drop and die. And then you will eat the heart within you in sorrow, that you did no honor to the best of the Achaians (65; bk.1, ln.239-244).

Achilleus is the most credible hero in Homer’s Iliad according to the classic definition of an epic hero as suggested by Peter R. Stillman in ‘Introduction to Myth’. Some characteristics include: Heroes have some advantages, but are not invincible, hero’s are often alone, but have friends/guides to help along the way, and heroes descend into darkness but are forever changed after remerging. Firstly, Achilleus has many advantages- he has numerous extraordinary abilities, honourable qualities and perhaps most importantly- he isn’t immortal. On page 343, line 229-240, Achilleus reminds the Achaians that he is the best warrior amongst them and tells them ‘you will be able to do nothing… before man-slaughtering Hektor’. Nobody contradicts Achilleus statement, as the Achaians all know it to be true, and society at that time believed false modesty was not a virtue, and that

“Remind him of that, now, go and sit beside hime, grasp his knees... see how mad he was to disgrace Achilles, the best of the Achaean” (1, 484-490). This pacifies Achilles’ rage briefly while he goes back to the ships and refuses to help the struggling Achaeans on the battlefield because Agamemnon hurt his pride. Another instance that highlights Achilles flaw of anger is when the great Trojan warrior, Hector, kills Achilles close comrade Patroclus. Achilles bursts from his sulking attitude out of the Achaean ships in a rage of passionate fury that even his pride cannot overcome. “My dear comrade’s dead... Hector’s battered down by my spear and gasps away his life, the blood-price for Patroclus, Menotius’ gallant son he’s killed and stripped” (18, 94-109). This signifies Achilles’ zenith of anger and represents the turning point in the epic, along with the transition into his dramatic reversal as a character.

Hektor did not expect Achilles to rejoin forces with Agamemnon. He told his man that it was okay to sleep outside the walls. Early in the morning, Achilles went to the city looking for Hektor. Achilles killed many trojans until he found prince Hektor. While everyone went inside the walls, Hektor stayed and fought Achilles. Although Achilles chased him around the walls of the city a few times, goddess Athena tricked Hektor into fighting Achilles and he got murdered. Achilles took Hektor's body back to the camp. For nine days he dragged his body around in circles as a funeral ritual. After nine days, Hermes took King Priam to see Achilles. He begged Achilles to let him take his son’s body and give him a

471)." Although he is suffering with the death of Patroclus, Achilles is determined to gain revenge on Hector. Soon there after, Hector proves of his persistence by standing in front of his troops and exclaiming, "You fool, enough! No more thoughts of retreat paraded before our people (p. 477)," speaking about forcing the Argives back onto their ships. Hector will not allow his army to disgrace the people again at this point. He wants to prove to them that they are capable of defeating the Achaeans. Without determination, many men would not acquire honor and would not obtain honor in their lives. By showing perseverance, they may just prove to the people that there is a reason for them to be remembered.