The Nature And Character Of War In Homer's The Iliad

Homer’s depiction of the nature and character of war itself seem to be unmerciful in its raw form. Throughout the course of book seven of the epic, The Iliad, many events and actions of the characters are in the motive of war and winning a battle. A war in its raw form is where characters are pitted against other characters for the sake of a battle and defeating their enemy, whether they want to annihilate them or to win the spoils of war. The characters in this book when fighting in battles appear to be almost patriotic for their army and are unmerciful. They are passionate in the art of fighting and are eager for it. For example, “glorious Hector hastened forth from the gates, and with him went his brother Alexander; and in their hearts were both eager for war and battle”. Alexander and Hector have a devotion to fighting and will put in their all when doing so. Evidence of this lies in the quote from book seven: “and Hector with his sharp spear smote Eioneus on the neck beneath the well-wrought helmet of bronze, and loosed his limbs”. Homer seems to depict these warriors as war-hungry men. They kill as many of their enemies as they can. The deaths of men in this book are well detailed and can give the reader how truly horrific their deaths are. An example of this is: “ For ere that might be Lycurgus came upon him at unawares and pierced him through the middle with his spear and backward was he hurled upon the earth; and Lycurgus despoiled him of the armor that