Modern Heroes In Homer's The Iliad

To the vast majority of society, the traits of a hero parallel the modern day superhero: flying men clothed in spandex suits and caps, rescuing the girl, and high-fiving his sidekick. Heroes must be tall, handsome, mysterious, humble, and, generally, rise above a very unstable childhood. Sensationalized on every product imaginable, today’s heroes appear in movies, in cartoons, on t-shirts, on lunch boxes, on backpacks, and every other merchandising opportunity. The legends of heroes have been present in human society since the beginning of time; however, the past’s tales of brave men did not contain characters with the same traits of today’s heroes. The protagonists of classic heroic tales, stories created long before our modern conceptions,

Hector, Hamlet, Achilles, and Beowulf battle with or aided by supernatural powers. In The Iliad, the gods are very active in the war and intervene constantly. Gods are of supernatural power as they are “an order of existence beyond the visible observable universe; especially of or relating to God or a god, demigod, spirit or devil” (Merriam-Webster). Zeus shows his favor to Hector when Zeus tells him “... when Agamemnon is wounded either by spear or arrow, and runs to his chariot, the I will grant you strength to slay the Greeks will he reach the ships and night falls” (Homer XI). When Hector battles on the edge of the Greeks’ ships, attempting to penetrate the wall surrounding the Greek ships, Zeus breathes strength into Hector and “made [the gate] light for him” (Homer Book XII). As well as giving Hector strength in battle, Zeus protects Hector by “drawing him away from the darts and dust, with the slaughter and noise of battle” (Homer XI). Like his father, Apollo helped Hector in battle as well. The god saved Hector from death after Apollo had arranged to Hector fight in one-on-one combat with a Greek warrior, Ajax the Greater. When Ajax’ great blow forces Hector to the ground, Apollo lifts Hector to his feet, saving him from a fatal blow (Homer VII). Achilles, another hero in The Iliad and Hector’s enemy, also faces many interactions with the gods. As a gift from his father,