How did Hector Reach Hades
Ceremonies for the dead have been around for centuries and vary greatly in every culture as well as religion. In present America, it is customary to praise the dead in obituaries and have funeral precessions from the church to the cemetery regardless of the religion. The praise given to a deceased person is usually determined by the life he or she lived. In the Ancient Greek culture, a similar procedure was followed after a death. "According to a Homeric belief, when a person died, his or her vital breath or psyche left the body to enter the palace of Hades, king of the dead" (Religion and Death - Greek View of Death). In Homer's Iliad, Hector's death is both praised and disrespected by the people of Troy. A funeral is a declaration of a death of a person (Funerals 1). Today, no matter the life lived of the deceased, a certain amount of respect is given to them. An obituary is a written description and praise that is placed in newspapers so even those who were not touched by this person may have a chance to learn about the individual's life. It is also used to remind those who knew the person about his/her life. In ancient Greece, the praises of one's life were not written on paper, but dr
"Feasts were the principal way of honoring the dead, first at the time of burial and afterwards at intervals set by local custom. The feasts were initially conducted by the graveside, but in later times took place in a nearby house of a relative" (Religion and Death -Banquets). Today, when news of a loved one's death is heard, people will send food to the immediate family until the day of the funeral, and after the funeral everyone will gather at a relatives house to praise the deceased person. This custom was discovered from animal bones, shells, and other food items found in and around the tombs (Religion and Death - Banquets). Amazingly enough, this tradition as well has been carried throughout time and traveled around the world. >From this rite, we have gained the tradition of making-up the dead to be presentable for our friends and family. According to Greek history, they believed that the deceased must make a journey across the river Styx to the land of eternity. In order for the deceased to make this journey, the body must be prepared in a certain way. First a coin is placed in the mouth to pay a toll; it was believed that the dead had to pay to cross Styx. A cake of honey was placed next to the body to calm a three-headed dog, Cerebus, which guarded the entrance of Hades (History of Embalming). Today, our embalming procedure is much more complex than placing honey next to the body and a coin in the mouth. "The modern method of embalming is defined as the disinfecting of the preservation of the dead human body, which is performed for three reasons" (History of Embalming). It is now normal to dress the deceased in their finest outfit or uniform and fix their hair and makeup so they will be rem! Many people today put a great effort into making the "feast" a great one, just like the Greeks and Trojans. This treatment was meant to regain all that Hector took from Achilles and
Some common words found in the essay are:
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Approximate Word count = 1287
Approximate Pages = 5 (250 words per page double spaced)
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