Deus and Kleos: The Paradox of Glory in Homer's The Iliad

The Iliad is the story of hundreds of Ancient Greek heroes and kings seeking to take the fabled city of Troy. They embody the values that the Ancient Greeks valued. The charismatic Odysseus, the mighty Achilles, the wise Nestor, the royal Agamemnon all take part in the Iliad. The heroes pursue personal glory on the battlefield. Glory to them, is more valuable than their families, their lives, and form the very basis for their existence. The invincible Achilles, mightiest of the Achaeans, chooses to withdraw from the fight due to a loss of glory. Glory, the intangible, almost untouchable thing that even the mightiest of heroes sought. The idea of glory is the temptation of man, it leads them in an endless cycle of conflict and struggle, and for only in conflict can glory be found. Achilles willingly lets hundreds die due to an insult to his honor, and a loss of glory. The noble soldier Sarpedon, wishes for peace but fights for glory. Dolon marches off in a quest for glory, but is nowhere near ready.

Achilles has a hunger for glory that is unquenchable. Achilles knowingly marches to his death for his mother told him that “if [he] hold out here and [he] lay siege to Troy, [his] journey home is gone, but [his] glory never dies” (Book IX line 498-501). He is willing to go to his death for the slightest hope of glory. However, take away his glory and he no longer has a reason to fight. Because Agamemnon takes Achilles’ prize, Briseis, Achilles withdraws from the battle. If glory and prizes can be taken so easily, Achilles finds no sense in the war or to continue the battle. However, no amount of physical treasures can satiate Achilles’ hunger for glory. Agamemnon attempts to tempt Achilles to return to the battlefield with great tre...

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...r his services. Dolon, however, is by no means a hero. When faced with danger, Dolon runs rather than display courage, unlike Achilles, a great warrior. When backed into a corner, Dolon displays no sense of loyalty, willingly revealing the weak positions among the Trojan camps. He begs for his life, and attempts to make himself out as being forced into the job. Odysseus points at the irony of a man as cowardly as Dolon attempting to lay claim to “the great Achilles’ team! They’re hard for mortal men to curb or drive, for all but Achilles” (book 10 467-470). Even when knowingly faced with his death, Dolon continues to beg for his life, and dies without his dignity.

In the end, the paradox of glory is the means of attainment. Those who have the most right to glory end up losing it, while those who have no right to glory end up attempting to win the most glory.