The Iliad, a classic epic poem by Homer, presents one of the most famous interpretations of Ancient Greek culture. Mainly, the poem suggested commentary on the way Ancient Greece saw fate and free agency. These ideals, when paired with historical insights of that society, create an elaborate understanding of the culture.
The Iliad presents fate as the most powerful and inevitable force over humankind. At one point we meet a seer, Calchas, who knew “all things that are past and all that are to come” (Homer 1.82). Being able to know all things that are to come insists that the things to come are planned. This indicates that the Greek people believed in determined destinies, thus that their lives were decided before their birth. As well, having …show more content…
While logically the society cannot hold both ideals at a similar level, there is evidence that they believed the two went hand-in-hand. In book 9 of the Iliad, Achilles describes that he has multiple fates to choose from that will end with his death. He recites the words that his mother had told him, saying “that two fates bear me on the day of death. If I hold out here and I lay siege to Troy, my journey home is gone, but my glory never dies. If I voyage back to the fatherland I love, my pride, my glory dies … true, but the life that’s left me will be long, the stroke of death will not come on my quickly” (Homer 9.488-505). This depiction shows that the ancient people would explain their ability to make choices with the concept that individuals could have many possible fates to choose from. In a way, Achilles having the option to choose his path, how he will die, contradicts the idea that fate is all powerful and decided. His free agency is still limited by the multiple fates that he could live out, but there is a choice that exists. While trapped by the choices that fate provides, the Greeks understood that they still had the opportunity to exercise their will in a small way. As well, it was vital to use your will to choose a fate, or you may fail to achieve your desired
The Iliad presents fate as the most powerful and inevitable force over humankind. At one point we meet a seer, Calchas, who knew “all things that are past and all that are to come” (Homer 1.82). Being able to know all things that are to come insists that the things to come are planned. This indicates that the Greek people believed in determined destinies, thus that their lives were decided before their birth. As well, having …show more content…
While logically the society cannot hold both ideals at a similar level, there is evidence that they believed the two went hand-in-hand. In book 9 of the Iliad, Achilles describes that he has multiple fates to choose from that will end with his death. He recites the words that his mother had told him, saying “that two fates bear me on the day of death. If I hold out here and I lay siege to Troy, my journey home is gone, but my glory never dies. If I voyage back to the fatherland I love, my pride, my glory dies … true, but the life that’s left me will be long, the stroke of death will not come on my quickly” (Homer 9.488-505). This depiction shows that the ancient people would explain their ability to make choices with the concept that individuals could have many possible fates to choose from. In a way, Achilles having the option to choose his path, how he will die, contradicts the idea that fate is all powerful and decided. His free agency is still limited by the multiple fates that he could live out, but there is a choice that exists. While trapped by the choices that fate provides, the Greeks understood that they still had the opportunity to exercise their will in a small way. As well, it was vital to use your will to choose a fate, or you may fail to achieve your desired