In the Iliad, there is a young soldier named Achilles. Achilles was a Greek warrior who after getting his prize of honor taken from him decided to leave the Greek army to defend for themselves. This decision led to his best friend Patroclus to be slain by the hands of a Trojan warrior Hector. In the Iliad Antilochus informs Achilles. As said in the Iliad “A mist of black grief enveloped Achilles” ( Iliad book XVIII, 159, 23). Due to this incident Achilles is faced with the ultimate dilemma, whether to avenge his friend's death or to continue his fleet home, Achilles of course chooses to kill Hector with the help of his mother Thetis.
Achilles choice to kill Hector leads to the hope for the Greeks to win the war. The fight between the greatest …show more content…
By killing Hector he hurt his mother and himself because he accepted his own death and caused his mother to lose her only son. The whole city of Troy watched Achilles murder Hector. As if that was not enough, the whole city of Troy and even the gods watched as Achilles dragged Hector's corpse around the battlefield. This angered the gods so much that Apollo spoke up about it to the other gods. “ Does this make him a better or nobler man? / He should fear our wrath, good as he may be, / For he defiles the dumb earth in his rage “ (Iliad book XXIV, 188, 57-59). By Apollo speaking up about Achilles ignorance it caused Zeus to pay attention to it in which he sent Hermes to help King Priam get to the Greek ships in order to get his son back. Above all Achilles mostly affected King Priam by disturbing Hector's dead body. It would appear that Achilles could do nothing worse until he refuses to give the body of Hector back to his father King Priam. Even though Achilles ruined King Priam by killing his son, Priam brought tons of riches to appeal to Achilles. Priam even begged for his son's body back by trying to appeal to Achilles. Priam does this by trying to compare himself and Achilles father, “ Remember your father, godlike Achilles… / But then he hears that you are still alive / And his heart rejoices, and he hopes all his days / to see his dear son come back from Troy ( The Iliad Book XXIV, 199, 520-527). King Priam then transitions to the fortune he brought as a ransom and asks Achilles, “ Think of your own father, and pity me. / … I have kissed the hand of the man who killed my son “ ( The Iliad Book XXIV, 198, 540-543). Although Achilles was heartless to drag Hectors dead corpse, he regained his heart when he gave Hector back to his father and asked how many days King Priam would need for the funeral. King Priam stated, “ If you
Achilles choice to kill Hector leads to the hope for the Greeks to win the war. The fight between the greatest …show more content…
By killing Hector he hurt his mother and himself because he accepted his own death and caused his mother to lose her only son. The whole city of Troy watched Achilles murder Hector. As if that was not enough, the whole city of Troy and even the gods watched as Achilles dragged Hector's corpse around the battlefield. This angered the gods so much that Apollo spoke up about it to the other gods. “ Does this make him a better or nobler man? / He should fear our wrath, good as he may be, / For he defiles the dumb earth in his rage “ (Iliad book XXIV, 188, 57-59). By Apollo speaking up about Achilles ignorance it caused Zeus to pay attention to it in which he sent Hermes to help King Priam get to the Greek ships in order to get his son back. Above all Achilles mostly affected King Priam by disturbing Hector's dead body. It would appear that Achilles could do nothing worse until he refuses to give the body of Hector back to his father King Priam. Even though Achilles ruined King Priam by killing his son, Priam brought tons of riches to appeal to Achilles. Priam even begged for his son's body back by trying to appeal to Achilles. Priam does this by trying to compare himself and Achilles father, “ Remember your father, godlike Achilles… / But then he hears that you are still alive / And his heart rejoices, and he hopes all his days / to see his dear son come back from Troy ( The Iliad Book XXIV, 199, 520-527). King Priam then transitions to the fortune he brought as a ransom and asks Achilles, “ Think of your own father, and pity me. / … I have kissed the hand of the man who killed my son “ ( The Iliad Book XXIV, 198, 540-543). Although Achilles was heartless to drag Hectors dead corpse, he regained his heart when he gave Hector back to his father and asked how many days King Priam would need for the funeral. King Priam stated, “ If you