Epic Heroism And Values Of The Iliad - 1030 Words

Hope Schoenhut DWC 101: Paper 1 November 1, 2017 Epic Heroism and Values of the Greek and Roman Culture The image of Achilles killing Hector and the image of Aeneas killing Turnus classify them as epic heroes. In the Greek epic poem the Iliad, Homer portrays Achilles as an enraged warrior fighting for revenge for a woman he loved. In the Roman epic poem the Aeneid, Virgil portrays Aeneas as fleeing the city of Troy to establish a new city. Achilles and Aeneas are epic heroes because they both show courage, boldness, and embody the ideals of their nation. Homer portrays Achilles as individualistic, while Virgil portrays Aeneas as valuing the gods, family, and state, each highlights the ideals of his own culture. Achilles and Aeneas†¦show more content†¦The Greeks valued individualism; there are several clear examples throughout the Iliad that show Achilles as individualistic. Achilles commits selfish acts, one of which was when he and Agamemnon converse in book 1. Rather than continuing to fight for the state with the Greek forces, Achilles lets personal relationships distract him from the obligations of war. Agamemnon takes Achilles’ prize, Briseis, away to prove his power. In response, Achilles threatens to go â€Å"back to Phthia† because he feels it is â€Å"Far better to head home†¦ than stay† (Homer 6). This demonstrates Achilles boldness and that he values himself and his reputation over the state. If Achilles were to value the state, similar to the Romans, Achilles would not allow the conditions with Agamemnon to interfere with the war. In addition, Achilles, the strongest warrior, abstains from the war as revenge for Agamemnons’ actio n. Achilles engages in the war once Hector kills Patroclus, Achilles’ best friend. As retribution for killing Patroclus, Achilles courageously enters the war and murders Hector in book 22. Achilles’ â€Å"heavy bronze apex pierced the soft neck but did not slit the windpipe, so that Hector could speak still.† (Homer 433). Achilles decides to make Hector suffer through his last moments of life. By allowing the other Greeks to stab Hector’s body with their spears, Achilles continues to disrespect the corpse. Subsequently, Achilles â€Å"pierced the tendons above the heels and cinchedShow MoreRelatedHeroism Depicted Throughout The Epic Poem, The Iliad And The Knights Tale866 Words   |  4 PagesHeroism is shown through the ages in a variety of areas all over the world. One of the greatest examples of how heroism is depicted within a literary work is in Homer’s epic poem, The Iliad. Although the ideals of heroism are apparent in the poem, it is important to understand how the same theme can be seen through other works of literature. The Knights Tale, which is one of the greatest stories that Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales has to offer. 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