Free Essays: Comparing Achilles of the Iliad and Odessey comparison compare contrast essays

Achilles of the Iliad and Odessey

Achilles was the bravest, strongest and most feared of the achian soldier, but pride and desire for revenge would be of a very high expense. With his help victory for the

Greek army could have been easier, but instead he not only laid aside of battle, but he plead the gods that his own army loses. His revenge against

Agamemnon cost him his honor, the death of his best friend Patroclus, and in

the long run, his death. When Agamemnon sends for Briseis, because he had

to give away Cryseis, Achilles shows great wisdom by withdrawing himself and

all his troops of battle, but giving away the girl without any difficulty. By not

fighting, he shows that he has honor, and that he cannot be taken for granted,

but he still gives the girl away without battle, showing that he wont let his pride

turn him against his own army. A little later than Achilles had been separated

from Braises, he goes against all of this achievements, and asks his mother

Thetas for help. He requests his mother to influence with Zeus, so that the

Trojans defeat his fellow Greek soldiers a point they will require his help and

realize what he is really worth to them.

By requesting this from his mother, Achilles shows that his hunger for revenge is grater as time goes by. As Achilles hunger for revenge grows bigger he lets his principals get less in the way of his personal satisfaction. "All these nights I am absent from your side, and not demanded back; you delay and your anger is slow." [Briseis to Achilles] With time Achilles plan works, and Agamemnon comes to him for

help, offering him to give him many valuable presents and to return to him

Briseis to make up for his mistake, but Achilles doesn't accept this claming that

he cannot be bought or sold. By the time Agamemnon decides to respond to

Achilles requests, Achilles' hunger for revenge had grown big enough that he

won't be satisfied until he sees the complete downfall of Agamemnon. Which is

compleatly unreseanoble, becouse he is going aginst his own troops with the

only pupose of revenging his injured pride.

The only way Achilles understood that his revenge was killing his own people, was when his best friend Patroclus, was already dead. Even though he tried to revenge him, it was to late, his lousy attitude had killed Patroclus.