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 or be

In the Iliad, the concept of a hero is extremely inconsistent. Heroism is seasonal, showing that a hero comes into his prime much like flowers in the spring, only to be cut down once and for all in the end. Achilles has many accomplishments and downfalls throughout the Iliad, and is very inconsistent in his heroism. He questions and undermines Agamemnon's authority, but also stands up for the injustices affecting his community. Also, he is very animalistic when he mutilates Hector's body, but is later compassionate when he returns the body to Priam. In contrast to Achilles' inconsistencies, Socrates has a more constant representation of heroic ideals. His ideals are more consistent because he does not change his belief system, and always remains faithful and supportive to Athens. Even though his outlandish philosophical views are in opposition to the ideals of society, Socrates consistently upholds the laws of the land in which he lives.

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.

The concept of heroism is a central theme in both The Iliad and The Trial and Death of Socrates. Achilles on the one hand fights more brilliantly and more effectively than any other warrior. On the other hand, he is beyond the knowledge that all heroes posses; that their life is conditioned and determined by their own mortality. Achilles is self conscious and articulate about his choice of having imperishable glory over a long life wi

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Approximate Word count = 1310
Approximate Pages = 5 (250 words per page double spaced)