Essay about The Iliad of Homer - 1055 Words

The Iliad is the quintessential epic. It is full with gods, goddesses, heroes, war, honor, glory, and the like. However, for just short while near the very conclusion Homer avoids all of those epic qualities. The banquet scene in Book XXIV is the most touching, the most â€Å"human† scene in the entire poem . In the midst of the dreadful gulf of war and anger there occurs an intimate moment between two men who ironically have much in common below the surface. Priam, old and fragile, makes his way to the camp of the enemy’s greatest warrior late at night. He bears what little treasures have not been exhausted by the ten-year conflict and plans to plead for the rightful return of his son’s body. This is his final heroic endeavor. And perhaps,†¦show more content†¦He calls upon his attendants to remove Priam’s gifts from the wagon and prepare Hektor’s body so that his mournful father may carry him home. But extraordinarily when the body has been washed and wrapped it is Achilles himself that embraces Hektor up and places him in the wagon. At the same time he is embracing his own inevitable fate. Upon returning Achilles invites Priam to join him for supper and reminds him that, mournful as they may be, they must remember to eat. Neither has eaten in days but now it is as if a great weight has been lifted from each man’s heart and a strange healing power has surfaced. Finally relieved, they are able to satisfy one of their basic human needs. Again, Achilles assumes the role of the elder of the two and shares with the old king a story to support his decision to have supper. Again, though he has accepted his death it seems as though Achilles is buying himself a little more time. â€Å"But when they had put aside their desire for eating and drinking,† Priam gazes at Achilles in wonder. In him he sees godlike qualities and he is reminded of his own heroic son. This is again a bizarre occurrence taking into consideration that Achilles has the killed so many of his children. Perhaps Priam accepts those deaths as an element of the war and doesn’t see Achilles exclusively as a killer. If this is so than Priam’s kind heart and ability toShow MoreRelatedThe Iliad By Homer1654 Words   |  7 Pages The Iliad is a collection of poems by Homer describing the 10-year siege on Troy by Greeks in what is now famously referred to as the Trojan War. Several Greek and Trojan characters are worth a special mention in these Homeric poems because of the roles they played in the battles before the war was won, how they conducted themselves to help eventually win the war for their side. This paper specifically investigates the writings in the Homeric poems to look are important in the overall text. 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A hero is someone who do not endeavor to become a hero, but someone who act in admirable ways, often for the better of everyone else. The modern concept of heroism is what defines a true hero. Achilles is a hero in the Iliad, because ofRead 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 have followed in the footsteps to which Homer’s Iliad paved, the impact that the Iliad has played is remarkable in itself. While the Iliad can be credited for much of present day literature we study today, Hollywood can be created for the plethora ofRead More The Iliad of Homer Essay711 Words   |  3 Pages When analyzing the Greek work the Iliad, Homer procures an idealistic hero with an internal conflict, which questions the values of his society and the Greek Heroic Code. The Greek Heroic Code includes respect, honor, and requirements to procure an exorbitant image. To be considered a Greek hero you must meet the perquisites and fulfill all of the aspects of the code. Achilleus was deemed a hero, he was the strongest and swiftest of the Achieans. Achilleus lived up to all of these aspects until