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The Importance Of Pride In Homer's 'Iliad'

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In the epic of the Iliad the hero Achilles had learned that pride can get in the way of your priorities. Achilles had got into argument with his commander at war Agamemnon who is Menelaus brother. In the midst of the argument Agamemnon said this statement:”You may be a good man in a fight, Achilles…Some suitable prize of their own choice, But if it doesn’t, I’ll just go take something myself” in Book I line 140 – 147. Which means that Agamemnon was going to take Briseis from Achilles. Breseis was a given to Achilles as a war prize from an allied city of Troy. Agamemnon wanted to take Achilles prize as a replacement for the priest daughter Chrysies.
Achilles pride was hurt by Agamemnon for him taking his prize so he said “You shameless, profiteering …show more content…
Hector is outside the Gates of Troy waiting to fight Achilles. In Book XXII line 91-99 Priam is trying to convince Hector not to fight Achilles alone “Hector, my child, if ever I’ve smoothed you…Dogs will eat your body by the Greeks ships”. Hector himself has pride issues with facing Achilles he knows he will die. Even when Achilles arrived, Hector tries to make a pact with him in lines 277-285 Hector said “I’m not running anymore, Achilles…Only strip the armor and give the body back To the Greeks, Promise you’ll do the same”. Achilles doesn’t agree to same agreement so he continues fighting with …show more content…
The quotation describes how Achilles went completely low by desecrating a body in the land he was born in. Achilles defiling Hector’s in front of the city of Troy showed how Achilles has changed over the war. Because of the mourning of Patroclus he killed and defiled Hector the man responsible for the death of his cousin. Priam, king of Troy came to Achilles camp to beg for Hectors body back for a proper burial in Book XXIV. Priam did not care about the War because he won’t have risk his own life to get the body of his beloved son

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