The Iliad confirms that a warrior lives and dies in the pursuit of honor and glory. Achilles place as a hero depended upon the understanding of his place in society, and performing with the expectations society had for him. He freely accepted the natural pattern of a hero, consisting of a hero's suffering and a hero's death. In Greek mythology there is no concrete concept of afterlife, so winning and glory then becomes the way to a meaningful life. To Homeric Greeks, death symbolized the loss of all things that were good, but there was one thing that would have been worse for Achilles: dying without glory.

As a result, becoming a hero means to either kill o

Similarly, The Iliad and the Trial and Death of Socrates both have heroic characters that stray from the norms of society. Achilles and Socrates examine and question the prevalent ideas in their own societies. Achilles was a complex warrior who often ignored the cultural norms of society because he saw through their fallacies, particularly in the contradictory heroic code. In the beginning of the Iliad, Achilles questions King Agamemnon's involvement of the plague. This inquiry lead to his ultimate rebellion against the King and all social norms.

Like Achilles, Socrates also strives for glory and honor, and sought the respect of his community. But as a philosopher, he introduced many foreign thoughts and ideologies that were not accepted by all members of his society. After his trial, when he was sentenced to death, Socrates did not abandon the community of Athens. Instead he further displayed his loyalty, by turning down Krito's offer to escape from the prison. He refuses to flee the place he has called home for so many years. Socrates showed his love for his community by staying in a city that had condemned him to death.

Homer's concept of a hero is evident is his description of Achilles. Achilles is often referred to as superior to others, and serves as the best warrior in the Greek army. He is described as the "swiftest warrior," having no rivals in running. In addition to his supreme valor, he was the youngest and most beautiful warrior. Throughout the Iliad, Achilles is depicted as the swiftest, the most beautiful, the youngest and most complex warrior that fights in Troy. Unlike Achilles, Socrates' heroic characteristics are not heavily centered around his physical attributes, but rather his philosophical ideologies. Socrates had revolutionary ideas about religion, human nature, and the afterlife. His heroism was not awarded because of his physical accomplishments, but rather his introduction of new ideas

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Approximate Word count = 1319
Approximate Pages = 5 (250 words per page double spaced)