Glaucus And Diomedes Character Analysis

536 Words2 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: The heroes of the iliad

The Iliad of Homer, a remarkable series of ancient poems, retold by Robert Lattimore has many fascinating characters. Two that were particularly interesting were Glaucus and Diomedes. As the Iliad unfolds, Glaucus and Diomedes (war heroes who are fighting against each other) discover a hidden fact, Xenia, which bonds them together on the battlefield (Tsai). When we compare Glaucus and Diomedes, the first element to consider is their back grounds. Secondly, we must examine their character traits and what they stand for. The final question asks, “Who is the better role model?” Glaucus and Diomedes are two very similar characters; however, their differences make one of them a better role model in Christ. Glaucus and Diomedes are similar …show more content…

Glaucus was a Greek man who was the son of high-minded Hippolochus and the grandson of Bellerophon. He was born into a family with money and when in combat, wore shining armor of gold. Fighting in battle, Diomedes was a young Achaean soldier with drive and bravery. As a very humble character, he fought non-stop, bringing glory to his name. On the battlefield, he wore a suit of bronze armor. Their largest differences amongst each other regard their heritage as well as their social class background. Who might the better role model be? Truly, it was Diomedes, as a better role model with the standards of Christ. He has many Christian traits: humble, loving, caring, courageous, and brave. Diomedes put his family’s welfare above his praying to the Immortals that his own child would grow into a better man than himself. When the time came, Diomedes kissed his wife and child, and went into battle. Diomedes had faith and trust in the gods (primacy of faith), and showed mastery of self throughout his lifetime. Glaucus and Diomedes were two very admirable men. Diomedes, who had a personal relationship with the immortals, was never credited for his accomplishments as well as the courage for directly fighting against the gods. Glaucus was a powerful Trojan warrior. Therefore, on the exchange of armor, it demonstrated the sanctity of Xenia (Tsai) a reminder of how important ancestral relationships were to the

Show More
Related

  • Epic Heroes: Characteristics Of An Epic Hero

    1353 Words  | 3 Pages

    Greek mythology is a beloved part of literature that has given humans thousands of stories to tell. From stories about deadly quests, powerful deities, to the even more famed aspect of Greek Mythology, its epic heroes. One of the many authors who took inspiration from Greek Mythology, and will serve as reference for this paper, is Hamilton, Edith. Mythology. 1988. The most well known epic heroes from Greek Mythology which Edith Hamilton writes about in her book are Hercules, Jason, Perseus, and Theseus, but the debate lies in which of these heroes is the best. To which the answer is, Theseus is the better epic hero because he possessed superior strength, intelligence, and courage, he was the most just from all other heroes,

    Read More

  • Loyalty as Defined in the Odyssey

    936 Words  | 2 Pages

    Of all the heroic traits such as honor and glory, given to the reader through Homer’s epic poems loyalty seems to be the strongest, as with Patroclus in the Iliad, so it is with Penelope, Telemachus, and Eumaeus in the Odyssey. Through the use of these characters loyalty is demonstrated to Odysseus, the hero if the poem. Their undying loyalty and devotion to the warring hero gives perfect examples of how humans should act to those they claim to be faithful too.

    Read More

  • Compare And Contrast Odysseus And Gilgamesh

    982 Words  | 2 Pages

    Ancient literature has many great tales of heroes journeying to the ends of the earth to find mystic items, slay mythical beasts, or prove themselves to the gods. The two of the greatest heroes are Odysseus from Homer’s epic poem The Odyssey and Gilgamesh from the Sumarian epic sharing the name. While these two characters are in different areas of the world and from different eras, they have more in common than one might believe. They share several common traits, pride, direction from the gods, and the relationship they have with their loved ones, but Pride is they main flaw shared. This is the reason why the act the way they do. The similarities in the characters show how alike these two legendary heroes are.

    Read More

  • Women Behaving Like Men in Antigone, Electra, and Medea

    855 Words  | 2 Pages

    Throughout Antigone, Electra, and Medea, many double standards between men and women surface. These become obvious when one selects a hero from these plays, for upon choosing, then one must rationalize his or her choice. The question then arises as to what characteristics make up the hero. How does the character win fame? What exactly is excellent about that character? These questions must be answered in order to choose a hero in these Greek tragedies.

    Read More

  • The Heroic Code

    493 Words  | 1 Pages

    During a battle, Glaukos, a Trojan, and Diomedes, an Achaian, encounter one another in a space between the two armies. By chance Diomedes asks who his enemy is. The two men then realize that their fathers were friends. To keep the family friendship alive, the men share a handshake of peace. This embrace shows how the Greek warriors were de...

    Read More

  • Honor in the Iliad and Antigone

    991 Words  | 2 Pages

    Throughout the Iliad, Homer portraits the extent to which honor plays a role in the lives of Greeks and the manner in which they are willing to sacrifice in order to reach their goals. The Iliad is set during the Trojan War, a particularly long and bloody war, fought not over boundary disagreements, and not over political conflicts, and not to protect the nation. Rather, it was a war fought to defend the personal honor. The possession of women was important to a man’s standing and honor. Paris’ theft of Helen struck a huge blow to the honor of Menelaus and becomes the initial cause of the Trojan War. Consequently, Menelaus, the Spartan ruler, called upon his brother Agamemnon to gather the Greek forces to launch the war against Paris demanding the return of Helen and reinstating the honor for the king. The war lasted for ten years and cost innumerable Greeks’ lives and brought incurable pain upon their families. To Greek heroes, honor is more important than their life as much as that life would be meaningless without it, and they even willingly sacrifice their lives in order...

    Read More

  • Achilles Vs Odysseus

    3801 Words  | 8 Pages

    Homer's two central heroes, Odysseus and Achilles, are in many ways differing manifestations of the same themes. While Achilles' character is almost utterly consistent in his rage, pride, and near divinity, Odysseus' character is difficult to pin down to a single moral; though perhaps more human than Achilles, he remains more difficult to understand. Nevertheless, both heroes are defined not by their appearances, nor by the impressions they leave upon the minds of those around them, nor even so much by the words they speak, but almost entirely by their actions. Action is what drives the plot of both the Iliad and the Odyssey, and action is what holds the characters together. In this respect, the theme of humanity is revealed in both Odysseus and Achilles: man is a combination of his will, his actions, and his relationship to the divine. This blend allows Homer to divulge all that is human in his characters, and all that is a vehicle for the idyllic aspects of ancient Greek society. Accordingly, the apparent inconsistencies in the characterization of Odysseus can be accounted for by his spiritual distance from the god-like Achilles; Achilles is more coherent because he is the son of a god. This is not to say that Achilles is not at times petty or unimaginative, but that his standards of action are merely more continuous through time. Nevertheless, both of Homer's heroes embody important and admirable facets of ancient Greek culture, though they fracture in the ways they are represented.

    Read More

  • Honor In The Iliad Essay

    2040 Words  | 5 Pages

    The world that Homer shows in the Iliad is a violent one, where war is not only a means of gaining wealth, but also the arena in which a man demonstrates his worth. The Greek army gathered in front of the walls of Troy exhibits the weaknesses and strengths of the Homeric world. Greece is not one nation, and the army of Greeks mirrors this. It is a collection of small city-states with a common culture and a common language, capable of coming together for a great enterprise, but also capable of being driven apart by petty squabbling. The common culture is based on acceptance of characteristics seen as virtuous: xeineia, or hospitality; agathos, the successful warrior; oikos, which means from noble birth; keleos, glory; pine, honor, which is a central motif throughout the Iliad; and finally, the ultimate virtue of arête, which stands for goodness or excellence and encompasses the other virtues. For Homer, a good man must be of noble family, strong, brave in battle, and wealthy. Earthly possessions show that a man has initiative and has the esteem of others. But the most important qualification to be considered a good man is honor, because honor is gained, not born into.

    Read More

  • Role Models and Leadership in "Romeo and Juliet"

    800 Words  | 2 Pages

    Just about anybody can be a good role model. One may ask what a good role model is, and how a good role model dif...

    Read More

  • Struggling Veteran in the Odyssey by Homer

    960 Words  | 2 Pages

    Agamemnon survived the ten year long Trojan War, even as other great warriors such as Achilleus fell. Tales of the war are widespread and it is described by both its veterans and non-participants in glorified terms. Agamemnon is often singled out for leadership and accomplishments. Demodokos sings of the “famous actions/ of men on that venture” and “that lord of men, Agamemnon” while performing for Odysseus on Alkinoos.(VIII, 73-74, 77). Agamemnon stands out as one of “the leaders of the bronze- armored Achaians” who fought at Troy and is recognized as a major hero of the war (IV,496).

    Read More

  • The Heroism of Odysseus

    2356 Words  | 5 Pages

    The idea of a true hero is varied from person to person, because each viewpoint has a different idea of the personality that makes one a hero. There have been many fiction and non-fiction heroes that show different character traits, which influence people’s definitions of a hero. However, each person’s unique thought about a hero still focuses about one central idea: a hero must prove himself in order to earn his heroic status. This is the cornerstone of all the opinions about heroes because heroes have to show their heroism in order to become who they are in the end. At the beginning they are inexperienced, ordinary people who go on their adventures, and face their fears and weaknesses, but they develop greatly throughout these journeys. After comprehending what true heroism is and following it only then will they become heroes even though each of them has different traits. In the epic poem The Odyssey, by Homer, Odysseus gains the title of hero during his journey back to Ithaka, from Troy, by proving to be one. It is through his characteristics and experiences that he becomes the well developed man at the end of the book. In truth, because of his confidence, loyalty, and difficult struggles, Odysseus becomes a genuine hero to the people he defended.

    Read More

  • Xenia In Homer's Iliad

    1166 Words  | 3 Pages

    Homer’s Iliad is ripe with a variety of social structures. The passage where Diomedes meets Glaucus in battle shows the reader how a variety of these structures interact, and how the Argives value them in relation to each other. There are times when the characters fight for glory, there are times when they strive to earn riches, but above all else, they respect xenia. Xenia is the ancient Greek concept of hospitality, and it is evoked any time a guest visits a host. The Achaeans respect it above all else, and failure to adhere to its strict customs could lead to the forfeiture of countless souls. By the end of the story, xenia has overpowered money, battle, and glory, cementing its place as the most powerful force in all of Homer’s Ancient

    Read More

  • Xenia, The Greek Concept Of Hospitality In Homer's Iliad

    938 Words  | 2 Pages

    Diomedes is on his aristea and devastating the Trojan ranks when he notices a man, Glaucus, Hippolochus’ son. Diomedes stops and asks Glaucus for his lineage, as he wants to know who exactly he is about to kill. After a lengthy aside about Glaucus’ family history, Diomedes grins and plants his spear in the earth. Diomedes then says, “We have old ties of hospitality,”(6.221). The word “ties” implies more than just a slight connection between the two warriors, and the action of both of these men solidifies that idea. Diomedes stops his bloodthirsty frenzy because of his respect for xenia and the fact that Glaucus had an ancestor who had once upon a time been Diomedes’ ancestor’s guest. Diomedes goes on to say,”That makes me your friend and you my guest / If ever you come to Argos, as you are my friend / And I your guest whenever I travel to Lycia” (6.231-233). Diomedes’ offer to host Glaucus “if ever you [Glaucus] come to Argos”, as well as Glaucus’ implied agreement to host Diomedes, shows that they are not now simply aware of the other’s lineage, but instead have a deep friendship inspired by nothing more than the virtue of the xenia of times past. Even though Diomedes and Glaucus are two generations removed from when the host-to-guest interaction occurred, xenia carries so much weight that even many years down the line, they both still respect it enough to stop in the

    Read More

  • Family Dynamics in Homer's Iliad

    977 Words  | 2 Pages

    The relationships between parents and their sons in the Iliad are not relationships we expect to see in today’s society. The Iliad portrays the relationships between fathers and sons as something more than just physical and emotional. It is based on pride and respect for one another. The expectations of their son are more so to pass on their fathers reputable name and to follow in their father’s footsteps of being noble warriors. These relationships are the driving forces in the Iliad, making each son in the Iliad identifiable first by their father’s name. An outcome of the father–son relationships is ancestral loyalty among the characters which play a prominent role in war. Therefore, not only does the Iliad share a major war story, but the strong relationships among fathers and sons, ancestral loyalty among characters, and relationships between mothers and sons.

    Read More

  • The Relationships of Fate, the Gods, and Man in "The Iliad"

    1440 Words  | 3 Pages

    One of the most compelling topics The Iliad raises is that of the intricate affiliations between fate, man and the gods. Many events related by Homer in his epic poem exhibit how these three connections interweave and eventually determine the very lives of the men and women involved in the war. Homer leaves these complex relationships slightly unclear throughout the epic, never spelling out the exact bonds connecting men's fate to the gods and what can be considered the power of fate. The motivation for the ambiguousness present in The Iliad is not easily understood, but it is a question that enriches and helps weave an even greater significance of the results into Homer's masterpiece. I feel that the interaction between man, god, and fate can be shown to be one great fluidity that ultimately leaves life mysterious, giving much more depth and complexity to the bonds between the three.

    Read More

More about Glaucus And Diomedes Character Analysis

Open Document