The Role Of Kleos In The Iliad

As soon as he latched his helmet securely to his sweaty head, he swiftly ran directly into the battlefield, meeting the enemy head on. Knowing full well of his fate to come, including the life and family he would leave behind, he showed no fear for there was something greater to be achieved at the end of his journey. As he approached his first enemy, he quickly took him down with one sudden movement of his sword. Following, he immediately took down another. And then another. He journeyed his way through the enemy ranks, leaving a trail of bodies behind him, until finally, his journey was halted. As the spear protruded out of his back, he fell to the ground in pain, but yet not in disbelief. Although his journey came to an end, he was not gone, …show more content…
In fact, not only is kleos present, it is also one of the major themes of the poem. While the majority of Ancient Greek soldiers participated in the war not only for the fact that many felt obligated to help and for the idea of acquiring wealth from looting, many soldiers were also motivated during the war by kleos. This is clearly presented as a common subject of the main characters, such as Achilles and Hector. Kleos, to them, is so paramount that they use it to justify shortening their lives or leaving family behind. By obtaining a better grasp of the concept of kleos in addition to the examination of characters, one is able to forge an idea as to why characters such as Achilles and Hector made the choices they did. Further, by examining Paris and his actions, one is able to form a better understanding of what kleos truly …show more content…
Achilles varies from both Hector and Paris. Although an amazing warrior, he is a bit childish and selfish in many ways. As the Greeks fight the Trojans, Achilles initially refuses to help because he felt that he was wronged by the commander in chief of the Greeks, Agamemnon. Agamemnon stole Briseis, Achilles’ prize, from him and thus, Achilles left and refused to help the Greeks as they battled the trojans. As such, he asked his mother, who was a goddess, to convince Zeus to let the Trojans win so that the Greeks realized their need for Achilles. This nature clearly shows just how childish and selfish Achilles is. Due to the fact that his prize was taken away, he didn’t just refuse to fight, but he also asked his mother to convince Zeus to help the Trojans. Not only is this selfish and childish, but this is also a betrayal to the Greeks. Most may be able to relate to the anger Achilles feels when mistreated, but the action of wishing essentially death upon fellow peers portrays the childish and selfish essence of