Achilles is the main character in the Iliad. He is a very powerful and feared warrior, who fought in the Trojan War. King Agamemnon affronted him and this has caused his wrath. Thus, the story begins. Wartime is said to bring out the best and worst of men. This paper is written to prove that Achilles is not the ideal Greek warrior.
The ideal Greek warrior in the Iliad must embody the following: aristos-the goal of being recognized as the best; aristeia- warrior prestige; arête- the most important thing is what others think of you; and kleos- to be able to attain fame and glory. A hero has to have military prowess-the skill and courage to conquer or to fend themselves from invaders. He must also be loyal to friends and comrades. The Greeks gave their warriors no room for pride because they have to accept everything as Fate. Attaining glory is more important than life itself. Honor and status is gained through respect from other people or from material possessions. He should have the coura
The ancient Greeks had strict criteria for individuals to follow if they were to be seen as warriors. Those requirements were skillfulness in battle, reverence for authority, modesty, and calmness under rage. Not many men met all requirements, including Achilles, but they were still viewed as heroes. I think being the true and ideal warrior has nothing to do with one's number of victories during battles. For me, a bona fide warrior is someone who is willing to overcome his fears and having the courage to face death while fighting for his countrymen.
ge to risk one's own life not to let one's family and comrades down. A warrior must respect authority, both governmental and religious. The final requirement of being a hero is coolness. Heroes are not permitted to be blinded by rage or have mood swings. Achilles did not have arête because he did not care what others thought of him because his excessive pride prevented him to do so. Like in book 16, Patroclus begged him to rejoin the war bec
All papers and essays are for research and reference purposes only!
Copyright 2002-2009
Direct Essays , LLC. All Rights Reserved. DMCA Webmasters make $$$$