“Fate is the same for the man who holds back, the same if he fights hard / We are held in a single honor, the brave with the weaklings” 19.318-19. Achilleus realizes that despite his desires, mortality binds him. He recognizes the broken system of the Greek heroism and struggles with the concept of mortality. In Greek legend, Zeus, knowing that an immortal son of a powerful goddess like Thetis would overthrow him, married off Thetis unwillingly to a mortal, thereby dooming all of her children to mortality. Thus, robbed of his divinity, Achilleus constantly reaches for it, knowing it is rightfully his. He recognizes an almost divine power within himself, but realizes that his capability is chained by his mortality. Where most Homeric characters
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Consequently, Achilleus appears less heroic because of his pride. Although it seems that Achilleus is hurting his honor and valor by abstaining from battle, he is actually beginning to ponder mortality and question the definition of heroism he has always known. His distance from the battle and the glory allows him to see flaws in the common definition of Greek heroism. He questions the idea of fighting only for glory, realizing that “a man dies still if he has done nothing, as one who has done much” (9.320). With this realization, Achilleus begins to question and develop his notion of heroism. He attempts to grasp at the Greek idea of heroism; pondering whether there is more to heroism than attaining glory. This leads to a heroic consciousness achieved when Achilleus receives the shield from Hephaistos. The shield, with “the earth upon it, and the sky, and the sea’s water / and the tireless sun” (18.483-84), depicts the whole cosmos and humanity from the viewpoint of the gods. Achilleus looks at the shield “and as he looked the anger came harder upon him / and his eyes glittered terribly under his lids like sunflare” (19.15). In that moment he sees both the cosmos that should rightfully be his and humanity from a standpoint outside of it. He perceives mortality and all its shortcomings and obtains consciousness of what it means to be human.
Thetis reveals …show more content…
Apollo says to Achilleus, “You will never kill me. I am not one who is fated” (22.13). The fact that Apollo is immortal and Achilleus mortal means that by giving his life, the heroism of Achilleus is actually greater than that of an immortal. Immortality can never reach that level of heroism because the gods cannot offer their own lives in sacrifice. No god could even fathom giving his life for another. When Achilleus realizes that protecting the honor of his friend is more noble than living a long life, he is filled with emotions which no god could experience. The emotions unleashes godlike strength in Achilleus, enabling him to approach immortals in combat and live. The river god Skamandros, speaking to his immortal brother Simoeis, realizes
Consequently, Achilleus appears less heroic because of his pride. Although it seems that Achilleus is hurting his honor and valor by abstaining from battle, he is actually beginning to ponder mortality and question the definition of heroism he has always known. His distance from the battle and the glory allows him to see flaws in the common definition of Greek heroism. He questions the idea of fighting only for glory, realizing that “a man dies still if he has done nothing, as one who has done much” (9.320). With this realization, Achilleus begins to question and develop his notion of heroism. He attempts to grasp at the Greek idea of heroism; pondering whether there is more to heroism than attaining glory. This leads to a heroic consciousness achieved when Achilleus receives the shield from Hephaistos. The shield, with “the earth upon it, and the sky, and the sea’s water / and the tireless sun” (18.483-84), depicts the whole cosmos and humanity from the viewpoint of the gods. Achilleus looks at the shield “and as he looked the anger came harder upon him / and his eyes glittered terribly under his lids like sunflare” (19.15). In that moment he sees both the cosmos that should rightfully be his and humanity from a standpoint outside of it. He perceives mortality and all its shortcomings and obtains consciousness of what it means to be human.
Thetis reveals …show more content…
Apollo says to Achilleus, “You will never kill me. I am not one who is fated” (22.13). The fact that Apollo is immortal and Achilleus mortal means that by giving his life, the heroism of Achilleus is actually greater than that of an immortal. Immortality can never reach that level of heroism because the gods cannot offer their own lives in sacrifice. No god could even fathom giving his life for another. When Achilleus realizes that protecting the honor of his friend is more noble than living a long life, he is filled with emotions which no god could experience. The emotions unleashes godlike strength in Achilleus, enabling him to approach immortals in combat and live. The river god Skamandros, speaking to his immortal brother Simoeis, realizes