The Achaian army finishes breakfast, dons their armor and marches out onto the field. They then charge ferociously, screaming as loudly as they can, and thrusting their spears and swords into the flesh of any Trojan that steps into their path. Later, the Trojan army takes control of the battlefield. The soldiers grin as they tear the armor off their fallen enemies, they cheer and then push forward through the walls that the Greeks had previously depended on for safety. Yet, the soldiers do not simultaneously decide to do these things, and neither side is always so willing to die. Instead, leaders make the soldiers' decisions; leaders motivate the crowds of men into a bloodthirsty crave. If there are no leaders in the Trojan War, the Greeks would probably just return home, if they had even come over in the first place, and the Trojans would be safe in their homes. The Iliad of Homer is full of important leaders who keep the war moving and the soldiers fighting. These men make themselves exemplar warriors by taking charge. They guide the behavior of their armies, inspire them, command them and make the big decisions quickly, but with thought. Most of the lead

There are times when Agamemnon's humanity is called into question. A leader should be strong enough to show a human or merciful side of himself everyone and awhile. This is another way for the other Achaians to connect with, understand and relate to Agamemnon. Yet in Book VI he displays a complete lack of this behavior and instead he demonstrates savagery and cold-heartedness. Menelaos captures Adrestos and plans to spare his life, but then Agamemnon arrives and orders Menelaos to kill Adrestos: "let not one of them go free of sudden death and our hands; not even the young man child that the mother carries still in her body, not even he, but let all of Ilion's people perish, utterly blotted out and unmourned for (57-60, Book VI)." Clearly, Agamemnon is devoid of human feeling in battle.

Ultimately, Agamemnon, while undoubtedly one of the Greeks best warriors, is not a very good or effective leader. He is too often overcome by feelings, which leads to his selfishness, arrogance, rage, fear, and his tendency to make bad decisions. His lack of control holds him back from being a great commander. Agamemnon tends to get "out of hand," set a bad example and blames others, including the gods, for his mistakes. This also makes him look bad in the eyes of the reader, who are made to feel no pity for him.

Yet Hektor's bravery is continuously tested, and he must prove himself to his men and himself. At the end of the day's battle, the god's set up a duel between Hektor and Ajax. Though Ajax is tremendously large and powerful, Hektor never gives into him and never needs assistance from anyone or any god. The duel is called a draw, and Hektor is by no means discouraged. When fighting resumes days later, Hektor continues to lead his army to victory and ceremonially sets fire to an Achaian ship. Hektor, however, encounters his flaws here. In an attempt to be a good leader and glorious hero, he promises to the army that the Trojans will win. He then has them camped outside, ready for an early attack, despite what Poulydamas warns. Since Hektor killed Patroklos, it is him Achilles comes for, leading the way with angry Achaians right behind him. Hektor's military success has left him somewhat blinded to his and his army's mortality.

Also, Agamemnon, despite how he tries to act especially in the first few books, is at times very weak, faltering when he should act more secure then ever as a true leader would. In Book IX, he cries and says to his army, "let us run away with our ships to the beloved land of our fathers since no longer shall we capture Troy of the wide ways (26-28, Book IX)." Once again, someone else, in this case Diomedes, takes place of leader, to remind the king of what he should do. He also falls into depression when he learns that Achilles will not accept his offers, even though it is him that does not understand how he has hurt and publicly humiliated Achilles. Even when Achilles does finally return, Agamemnon never looks at him directly and never fully apologizes. He even goes as far to blame Zeus for his previous transgression against Achilles, just as he did when the Achaians lost in battle: "I am not responsible but Zeus is, and Destiny, and Erinys the mist-walking who in assembly on that day I myself stripped from him the prize of Achilles. Yet what could I do (84-90, Book XIX)?" Yet, usually in cases where heroes are approached by gods, even if it may only be in their heads, Homer writes of it. Perhaps Agamemnon is actually lying. Combined, this lack of feeling, this weakness and this lack of responsibility only harm Agamemnon and his position as a leader of his men.

However, after the remaining Trojans have fled into the city's walls, Hektor remains outside. He is ashamed for what happened to his army: "Now, since my own recklessness I have ruined my people, I feel shame before the Trojans and the Trojan women...that someone...will say of me: 'Hektor believed in his own strength and r

Some common words found in the essay are:
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Approximate Word count = 7031
Approximate Pages = 28 (250 words per page double spaced)