Importance Of Homeric Codes In The Iliad And The Odyssey

1495 Words3 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: Achilles' character in the iliad

In two of Homers epics, The Iliad and The Odyssey, it can be seen that in his epics he displays his own Homeric and heroic. The honor of every person in Homeric culture was important, but to the hero, his honor was extremely important. Not only does ones heroism and honor define ones social status and ranking, it is also defense mechanism to build within their own persona of themselves. This way of thinking can cause the Homeric characters to feel invincible and untouchable to their enemies with pride of dying with honor. In the Iliad, the two major opponents with the same ranking stature of being exceptional warriors were Achilles and Hector. In the Odyssey, the character Odysseus the main character in the epic is seen as a strong and courageous …show more content…

But a question that can be asked is whether or not the characters Odysseys, Achilles and Hector display and embody Homers heroic codes. Achilles was the greatest warrior the Achaean army has ever seen. Throughout the epic he is described and closely compared to a god. In the beginning of the epic it is described that there is much tension between Agamemnon and Achillies after the battle when Agamemenon uses his power at his own advantage. They begin to argue and Achilles finally speaks his mind on how self-centered Agamemnon is after he threatens to take his prize after the return of his. Achilles mentions Menelaus, Agamemnon’s brother for whom the battle of Troy is for seeking to recover his wife who had run off with the son of Priam. Achilles tells him that he has to do all of the “dirty work” and when the battle is over Agamemnon takes the “lions share” and he has nothing but the worn ones that have no strength from the war. He states that he “sweated” for what the Greek gave him and that he never receives and equal prize to him. He goes on by saying that he would rather go home with his curved ships than stay and “unhonored myself and piling up a fortune for you” (111). After reading Book I of the Iliad and Achilles

Show More
Related

  • Quotes From The Iliad Achilles

    1571 Words  | 4 Pages

    hroughout the Iliad Achilles shows how the ego of a Kardashian is being portrayed and the emotional maturity of an eight-year-old because of the certain adult qualities he lacks, for example: he does not work well with others, he lacks the concept of forgiveness, he is selfish, thinks highly of his self without regard to others, being rude and unkind, aggressiveness when talking to others, and having too much pride and not thinking about the consequences of his actions and how it can affect not only him but others as well. Achilles does not like to work with others he prefers to be the one in charge of everybody and he likes for everyone to do as he says. In the Iliad Agamemnon says, "This man wants to be ahead of everyone else he wants to rule everyone and give orders to everyone" (1.302-303). Achilles and Agamemnon are having an argument amongst one another because no one wants to give Achilles the honor he feels that he deserves for being the best fighter in the war and for all the blood sweat and tears he shed while defeating the Trojans "he is a mighty bulwark in this evil war" as Nestor says.

    Read More

  • Odysseus

    1102 Words  | 3 Pages

    Odysseus’ character , as seen in the Iliad, is much like that of a Homeric hero. A hero in Homer’s world entails many attributes other than physical strength including, but not limited to, courage, honor, respect, intelligence, and good morals. Throughout The Odyssey, some of these character traits are illustrated, and some are slightly changed.

    Read More

  • Differences in Heroes in The Iliad

    795 Words  | 2 Pages

    With these wrathful words of Achilles to his commander Agamemnon, so begins the sequence of events in The Iliad that ultimately pits Achilles the runner against Hector, breaker of horses. Although these men were already enemies, Achilles being an Achaean and Hector being a Trojan, it is truly Achilles’ rage that makes the rivalry personal. These two men, from opposite sides of the battle lines, are both strong, brave, and heroic, but also possess a myriad of conflicting character traits. It is these differences that aid both men in their independent pursuits for honor and the implementation of their separate destinies.

    Read More

  • Personal Honor In The Iliad

    1034 Words  | 3 Pages

    The notion of personal honor is prevalent throughout the Iliad. The honor of every person in Homeric culture was important, but to the hero, his honor was paramount. He could not endure insults, and he felt that he had to protect his reputation — even unto death. The hero 's duty was to fight, and the only way he had of gaining glory and immortality was through heroic action on the battlefield; thus, he continually prepared his life for the life-and-death risks of battle. The Homeric hero believed that men had to stand together in battle; men had to respect each other; and they had to refrain from excessive cruelty. This last condition was critically important for the Homeric hero. He loathed deliberate acts of cruelty and injustice. If he were ready to kill a victim, he believed that he should do it quickly; he was not to mutilate him, as Achilles does with Hektor 's body. By following this code, a hero gained a sense of dignity and a reputation for honor that would ensure his place in the social memory of his community.

    Read More

  • How Did Achilles Change Throughout The Iliad

    626 Words  | 2 Pages

    At this height of the epic we see that Achilles is still very much concerned with wealth and honor, the question now is "how to accomplish his goal". Achilles is aware of a few things and this puts him at an advantage over the rest. He knows that he will eventually be honored and that Agamemnon's debt to him will eventually be paid; he knows this because Athena had promised it to him if he didn't kill Agamemnon.

    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 ethical values reflected in the Iliad should be taken seriously because they are not only plausible, but also congruent with the time and place. Homer is narrating tales of a society where men expect to fight and likely die in battle, where courage is demanded of all men, and where honor and glory are seen as steps toward achieving excellence. What makes the Iliad a masterpiece of Western civilization is not just the stirring story, but most of all Homer’s even-handed portrayal of the Homeric world, for the Trojans are never depicted as being less than the Greeks. The Greeks, even their greatest military heroes, are seen as flawed human beings. In conclusion, what Homer presents in the Iliad is a worldview rather than the local perspective of a distant war. In the end, Homer seems to be saying that all men may aspire to virtue.

    Read More

  • The Nature of Honour in Virgil and Homer

    1720 Words  | 4 Pages

    The Greek army has been camped out on the shores of Troy for a very long, so they do not have much supplies, and much fewer tokens to show their honour, so honour itself is also running out. When Agamemnon says that he will need something to replace the prize that he has lost at the start of the poem, Achilles replies, “...how shall the great-hearted Achaians give you a prize now? There is no great store of things lying about I know of.” (Homer, Iliad 1.124) The men need to continually add to their honour, and without a large victory, they are not able to do so, so there is tension, and the tension is made worse when Agamemnon takes what Achilleus thinks is more than his fair share. ...

    Read More

  • Achilles Moral Dilemma Essay

    532 Words  | 2 Pages

    The facts of this conflict are all pretty straight forward and by recounting the facts I hope to bring to light the truths that justify Achilles' anger. First off Agamemnon had distributed the booty fairly and all the more powerful Achaeans had gotten a concubine, Agamemnon just happened to choose the daughter of one of Apollo's priest. When Apollo sends a plague to the Achaean camp Achilles' concern for his comrades leads him to call an assembly with the purpose of interpreting the plague and taking necessary action. Agamemnon reluctantly agrees to return his concubine to her father if he is repaid another concubine by one of the other powerful Achaeans. At this Achilles stands up for himself and the other Achaeans, he insults Agamemnon by saying that Agamemnon claims his greatness. When Agamemnon takes Achilles' concubine, Achilles probably expected the other Achaeans to stand up for him as he had done for them earlier. But he is left alone. His honor insulted by a man that he had served loyally. Humiliated, by a group of people to whom he owed nothing. A great sense of betrayal overcame Achilles.

    Read More

  • Heroic Code in the Iliad and the Odyssey

    945 Words  | 2 Pages

    Throughout the Iliad, heroic characters make decisions based on a specific set of principles, which are referred to as the “code of honor.” The heroic code that Homer presents to readers is easy to recognize because the heroic code is the cause for many of the events that take place, but many of the characters have different perceptions of how highly the code should be regarded. Hector, the greatest of the Trojan warriors, begins the poem as a model for a hero. His dedication and firm belief in the code of honor is described many times throughout the course of the Iliad. As a reward for heroic traits in battle, prizes were sometimes awarded to victors of war. In Book 1 Achilles receives Chryseis as a prize and a symbol of honor. Heroism had its rewards and its setbacks which ultimately was the backbone of the Illiad in the case of Achilles prize. Hector, arguably the greatest Trojan warrior or even the bravest of the Homeric heroes is very fierce and fights for what he believes is his destiny. In book VI Hector expresses his bravery when Andromache pleads with Hector not to fight when Hector says, “But I would die of shame to face the men of Troy and the Trojan woman trailing their long robes if I would shrink from battle now, a coward. Nor does the sprit urge me on that way. I’ve learned it all too well. To stand up bravely, always to fight in the front ranks of Trojan soldiers, winning my father great glory, glory for myself” (VI, 387).

    Read More

  • The Iliad Rhetorical Analysis And Persuasion

    1710 Words  | 4 Pages

    Agamemnon tries to use Achilles rage and fury to get him to give up and retreat back to the army he left. Even though Achilles felt rage and sorrow, he keeps to his word. He wants to obey Athena’s orders of to not fight back. Although he is sad, he will not let Agamemnon’s threat get to his

    Read More

  • Hector as the True Hero of Homer’s Iliad

    2380 Words  | 5 Pages

    Within the first book of the poem, we read that Achilles is considered by many to be "god-like". (King Agamemnon, Book 1, line 154) When so...

    Read More

  • Achilles: The Tragic Hero

    936 Words  | 2 Pages

    Achilles is introduced into The Iliad getting into a debacle with the leader of the Greek army, Agamemnon, during the last year of the Trojan War. Achilles starts a quarrel with Agamemnon because he has demanded possession of Achilles’ woman, Briseis, in consolation for having to give up his woman, Chryseis, so that the gods will end their plague upon the Greek soldiers. Achilles does all he can to get his loved one back, but he knows that nothing will waver Agamemnon’s decision. This is when Achil...

    Read More

  • Achilles; the True Hero of the Iliad

    664 Words  | 2 Pages

    The first reason Achilles is an epic hero is because he embodied the characteristics of the ideal Greek citizen at the time Homer wrote; he is in a position of power and regards honor highly. “O my mother! I was born to die young, it is true, but honour I was to have from Zeus, Olympian, thunderer on high! And now he has not given me one little bit! Yes, my lord king Agamemnon has insulted me! He has taken my prize and keeps it, he has robbed me myself” (page 17), Achilles cried to his mother. Agamemnon stole Achilles’ prize, Briseis, so Achilles is begging his mother, the sea nymph Thetis, to help him regain his honor. In Greece, honor was crucial and by taking Achilles’ prize, Agamemnon has stripped him not only of his hard-won prize but of his honor as well. Such a double loss would have been catastrophic for a Greek citizen. Classicist Ian Johnston highlights the significance of his loss, suggesting that “the greatest harm that can occur to a particular warrior is shame, the community’s public recognition that he has let the group down or failed to live up to its shared rules.”Being shamed, in this case, by Agamemnon, would cause the Achaeans to lose respect for Achilles, and as one of their leaders, this would be a tragedy for him. Achilles’ desire to regain his honor sho...

    Read More

  • A Comparison of Achilles and Hector

    945 Words  | 2 Pages

    In Homer’s epic, the Iliad, the legendary, has no two characters that are so similar yet so different as Greek warrior, Achilles, and the Prince of Troy, Hector. Achilles is the strongest fighter in the Greek side, and Hector is the strongest Trojan. They are both put into the mold of a hero that their respective societies have put them into; however; it is evident that they are both extremely complex characters with different roles within their society and with their families, and with the gods.

    Read More

More about Importance Of Homeric Codes In The Iliad And The Odyssey

Open Document