Achilles Speech In The Iliad

Kylie Plichta Mr. Kawel English 6 15 January 2017 An Epical Journey Between Times Only certain people can and will be challenged to the point where they do not know where to turn or what to do, these people become heroes. Kick by Walter Dean Meyers and Ross Workman is similar to Odyssey by Homer. The two stories have one main thing in common, the both show a story of a journey to becoming a hero.

They sought to better only themselves independently. In the Iliad, the Achilles is view as the man responsible for certain behavior. He was offered either great glory with a short life or no glory with a long life. His decision was for the path of glory and a short life. Again, this man thought only of himself and not a bit of his people.

When great Achilles, who had refused to take part in the war because of a slight he suffered by Agamemnon, heard the news of his friends passing he said, "It was like my whole world went black. I felt like I lost a part of myself. We were raised together and he was my best friend. I will kill that man, before I am dead, I swear it to the gods in Olympus. " All this he tried to communicate to his soldiers at arms, but they reported that they only "heard a wail that was loud enough to wake the dead.

Patroclus tries to persuade Achilles by telling him to “at least send him out, let him lead a troop of Myrmidons” so that he can “light the way for their army” (Homer 16.43-44). Patroclus expresses that he loves the Greeks too much to just sit around at the camp. He feels very emotional for his friend, so he wants to take his place and fight this war for him. Patroclus still has a mindset that “If the Trojans think” he is Achilles then “they’ll back off and give the Greeks some breathing space” (Homer 16.44-46). Patroclus believes his cleverness can outdo the Trojans in battle.

In the Iliad, Achilles is faced with two choices which he learned of through his mother, Thetis, which are kleos,”fame,” and nostos, “homecoming.” If Achilles decides to return home, he will lose his kleos, but will have more time at home and an unchallenging death. Though if he stays in Troy and fights his nostos will be lost, but he will obtain kleos. Achilles understands that living would be an extension of time, but that just time itself has no value. At first he chose nostos and after the shift in his anger towards Agamemnon he chose kleos.

In Book 9 of Homer’s Iliad, Achilles commander of the Myrmidons, criticizes the Achaeans’ motives in joining the Trojan War and claims that their involvement was not justified. The Achaeans are desperate for help and are even contemplating surrendering the war, so Nestor suggests that they try to persuade Achilles, the best Achaean warrior, to return and assist them in the battle. Achilles had previously withdrawn his assistance, since Agamemnon insulted him and stole his war prize Briseis. Odysseus and several other notable Achaean warriors approach Achilles and echo Agamemnon’s request to have Achilles return, in exchange for a plethora of gifts and Briseis.

Thetis- Achilles’ mother- responds to the former quote, “You’re doomed to a short life, my son, from all you say,” and this shows that the moment Achilles goes for glory, he seals his fate to die (Homer, Iliad

Misopeliades tell the men that he thinks it’s a bad idea for Achilles to go and fight in war because he never does anything right. Misopeliades feels Achilles will only make things worse than what they are already. Misopeliades thinks he is only thinking of going to the war because he wants to be seen as respected by his people. The whole war wouldn’t be as bad if Achilles didn’t become so enraged over such a little situation.

Achilles is seen to be full of wrath in the beginning of the book. This wrath is not caused only because Agamemnon takes his prize of war. He is angry at the system which allows Agamemnon to play around with other people’s honors and the system which allows him to decide who gets how much honor. In other words, Achilles does not like the idea that someone else can decide what happens to his honor, despite him deserving most of the honor in relation to how much he contributes in war. As the story proceeds, Achilles seems to contradict himself a lot, and the concept of honor helps us understand this better.

Achilles is maddened and appeals to his goddess mother saying, “If I am to die soon, shouldn’t I have what I want?” Feeling only sorrow for her son, Thetis requests Zeus to cause to Greeks to lose until Achilles fights again. Slowly the Greeks are pushed back farther and Agamemnon pleads with Achilles, offering Briseis back. Achilles declines due to his pride and the Trojans come close to burn the Greek ships. Even when a ship was burning, Achilles refused to fight and instead sends out Patroclus.

The Iliad, written by the legendary Greek poet, Homer, is set during the ten-year Trojan War. The war was fought by the Trojans and the Achaeans (Greeks), taking root from a dispute over Helen, the wife of Menelaus, kidnapped by Paris of Troy. The kidnapping of Helen sparked outrage in the Achaean theater, causing multitudes of kingdoms to send their ships and best men, such that of the famous Achilles, to fight in the war for Helen. Obviously, the Iliad has no shortage of war and violence, often entailing brutal and gruesome battle scenes. So how do the characters deal with this, or justify the actions of the war they are fighting?

If I stay here and fight before the city of Troy, there will be no home- coming for me but my fame shall never die; if I go home to my native land, there will be no great fame for me, but I shall live long and not die an early death.” (Homer 110) This shows that he is selfishness and fearful at the same time of losing and dying in the war. In the very beginning of the Iliad, King Agamemnon and Achilles have an argument for a couple of different reasons. After, the Achians won a battle against a city that was allied with the Trojans each of them received a prize consisted of a young woman from the war.

Iliad is recognized as one of the most famous ancient monuments of literature. The full understanding of this epic poem is hardly possible without thorough analysis of its main characters. Among all the episodes of the Trojan War, Homer chooses the moment of Achilles’ wrath and thus creates a poem in which he becomes the central figure. From the Ancient Greeks’ point of view, Achilles represents the ideal of manliness and pure heroism, for he is brave and fights for heroics, not profits. Today, one can agree with this interpretation, yet Achilles is probably the most controversial character because he combines various personality traits and acts in accordance with his ambiguous nature.

In grief Achilles wants to fight Hector for what he did. Hector has two choices, either to fight Achilles or hide behind the walls of Troy. Hector exclainms doubtedly “What shall I do? If I retreat behind these walls, … And now that I have ruined them all by my rashness, I am ashamed to face the men and women of Troy, or some base fellows may say-Hector thought too much of his own strength, and ruined us all!”

(R 23-35). The Greeks hearing Achilles return, gain strength, will and perseverance to carry on the war. The responsibility that Achilles takes plays massive role, affecting the men 's actions throughout the