I find Achilles a most fascinating character. His mere presence on the battlefield changes the fighting prowness of the Greeks to an almost unbeatable level. Yet without their 'hero' they really struggle. Achilles is also reavy interesting to read about it. He possesses it would seem such individuality and at times selfishness? As many of his kins men are dying largely it could be argued to Achilles absence from the battlefield - Achilles seems quite content to sulk with some of the elite troops of the Greeks and forbid them from fighting as well. Yet when Achilles returns to the battlefield in a rage he is a killing machine and cannot be stopped in his fury. Even the 'second' best fighter and 'hero' Hector runs away from Achilles and resists very feebly to the killing machine Achilles. The self absorbed individualistic streak in Achilles and his 'heroic' make him stand out amongst his fellow Greeks.
2006-12-26 06:55:45 · 11 answers · asked by Anonymous in Arts & Humanities ➔ Philosophy
Alexander the Great they say used to put the Iliad under his head as he slept and carried it with him. Now what intrigues me is that Alexander seems to be very similar to Achilles - somoeone unapralleled in military prowness yet dies at the young age of 32 I believe. Was Homer in some way prophesing Alexander the great through Achilles?
2006-12-26 06:58:37 · update #1
Zodiacs, I liked your point about Hector. But I do believe that he has at least a few Grand parents or great grandparents who are gods. But you are totally correct about Achilles having a mother as a goddess. But if I recall even Achille's mother in the greek goddess hierarchy was low ranking. Yet both Achilles and Hector are considered the greatest heroes of their people. It is interesting as you point out people like Ajax etc. and many other greeks had powerful gods and goddesses as their parents yet they can not match Hector in prowness of arms - he being practically a normal mortal with some watered down god/goddesses blood. And admitadly Hector knew he was going to die fighting against Achilles and his wife begged him not to fight Achilles. Yet for his people he had to go out and fight. And while he ran at first from Achilles (you could say that was common sense! ha ha ha maybe he was trying to tire Achilles out ha ha.) he did turn and bravely fought Achilles!
2006-12-26 11:58:02 · update #2
To the ladies who have been commenting on me over watching Troy and so forth... I believe I have only watched the movie all the way through twice. My knowledge of the subject comes from reading the book the Illiad and other such clasics. However, Brad Pitt does do a reasonable job of portraying Achilles. But to be honest with you ladies I do not watch much television.
2006-12-27 00:15:20 · update #3
Well somebody had to bring him to heel!
2006-12-26 07:00:38 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 1⤋
Achilles is an interesting character - someone who had the choice between a pleasant but unglorious long life, and a short but glorious one, and he picked the latter. This choice shapes who he is, and although I've never heard of a parallel between Achilles and Alexander, I find it quite interesting that you drew one. I don't think there is any mileage in any theories of Homer predicting Alexander, but I wouldn't be in the slightest bit surprised if Alexander made much the same decision as Achilles - to risk a shorter lifetime for maximum glory.
As for Hector, well, it's hardly fair to compare him to Achilles, as Achilles was the son of a god, but Hector's parents were both mortal. What's amazing about Hector is the fact that he *is* wholly mortal, in fact - most of the other heroes of his time are sons of gods. That sort of competition makes his achievements all the more amazing.
2006-12-26 10:57:46 · answer #2 · answered by zodiacs_cat 2 · 1⤊ 1⤋
I very much agree. Achilles expertly displays a hero. Because of his selfish and stubborn nature, readers are brought to the reality that even the greatest of heroes are human and, therefore, have faults. As far as Alexander goes, I believe his tactics and method of fighting was much like Achilles simply because Achilles was his role model. I do not think that this was a prophecy made by Homer, although that is a quite interesting view that I have never heard before.
2006-12-26 07:28:21 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 1⤋
'achilles' - transvestite, bi-sexual (pederast according to some), and psychopath. Fell out with everyone at Troy, went in the huff with agamemnon, even angered the river god. Died due to mother's(a nymph!) negligence at applying immortality treatment when he was a babe. Great role model!
Incidentally, don't think homer wrote the illiad or the oddessy. His audience was probably illiterate, and anyway all they had to write in was crap 'linear B'- Homer probably sang or rapped it in iambic pentameter.
Don't you think there's a spooky similarity between Ulysses and Aeneas- same exploits etc- this is what happens typically in oral traditions.
Finally, I wouldn't take Homer's account as factual. He was writing about the legend of a battle which didn't happen in the late bronze age. I mean all these gods and heroes, it's just mythology, unlike the bible!- innit!?
2006-12-27 08:12:18 · answer #4 · answered by troothskr 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I would first like to state that it has been a couple of years since I read the Iliad so my memory may be a little faulty, but I will give it a go. What is incredibly fascinating about Achilles selfishness, to me, is the godliness of it. The wrath that he holds towards Agamemnon clouds all judgment, reason, and humanity. The wrath is on par with that of Zeus, he is able to toss those things away that make of us human and become a god through it. It is only when this wrath has subsided and the humanity returns that Achilles is removed from his immortal perch and thrown to the mortal fate.
2006-12-26 07:31:38 · answer #5 · answered by James L 2 · 1⤊ 1⤋
I actually see Achilles in a different light. I too consider him a remarkable icon, but for different reasons.
Achilles' military ability was rooted in his invinicibility, not his skill or selflessness. He risked nothing in military engagement.
Achilles' story is reflects an attempt to retain one's humility in spite of the gift. And he does so admirably for most of his life. When the Greeks grow to depend on him too much, he steps out. He did this when his friends grew falsely proud of victories that were rooted more in a gift from the gods than from their own accomplishments. His sulking was because the Greeks would forget that Achilles was a man, and regarded him instead as an omnipotent tool for their own ends.
He demonstrates a noteworthy attribute that we hope shows up in every human that is given an exceptional gift. To paraphrase a more recent superhero "With great power goes great responsibilities". Achilles pulled this off, until the day of his death.
But Achilles' death resulted when he forgot himself. He became arrogant, boastful (even by Greek hero standards), and saw himself as deserving immortality rather than as a lucky recipient of it. In his death, a reminder of the follies of arrogance and false pride, if even for a moment.
2006-12-26 09:36:09 · answer #6 · answered by freebird 6 · 3⤊ 1⤋
how many times did you watch troy? i'm guessing you watched a whole lot more than what is healthy. anway, my thoughts regarding achilles? well, whenever i think of achilles i picture the gorgeous brad pitt doing all these impressive spear throws and killing eric bana. man...that was a good movie.
2006-12-26 16:52:26 · answer #7 · answered by what do you think my name is? 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Patroclus always interested me more. Achilles seemed so a cardboard hero.
2006-12-26 07:57:58 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 1⤋
Achillies just tells us that no matter how powerful someone seems...we all have a weak spot within us.
2006-12-26 14:49:57 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
dude...
come on.
dude.
2006-12-26 07:12:42 · answer #10 · answered by sapboi 4 · 2⤊ 3⤋