A Hope for the Future Do victims of society really wish for peace on earth and good will to all men; or would they rather forcefully take away from others and crown themselves a king in their own right? Homer presents a fantastic abstract on this subject through an artistic medium, the shield of Achilles, in book 18 of The Iliad. He creates a prognostication; depicting an entire world and the activities of its inhabitants. This predicted evolution contemplates the future of how justice and revenge, along with martial and civil code, will be implemented into society. We are provided with situations across the entire spectrum of good to evil, which lay the framework for this discussion. Without these, a hollow poem would be all that remains;
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For they realize that, as Hector says, “The god of war is impartial: he hands out death to the man who hands out death” (18.359-60). These men are not naïve enough to think they have all of the power, for above them is the gods of Homer’s society. This recognition imparts a notion that society does not need a separation that utilizes martial code on one side, and civil code on the other. Perhaps justice and revenge can be accomplished through ordered conference, and peaceful gatherings. This view allows the reader’s pure perception of the violent and brutal storytelling throughout The Iliad, to be one that also considers the fact that: “the yearning for peace and its creative possibilities is never far below the surface of the warriors’ minds” (Knox 61). For in this Homeric society the gods know that men are, as Hera says, “condemned as a mortal always is to death and hardly endowed with wisdom as deep as the gods” (18.422-24). And even so, three books later and battle breaks out between the gods of Mount Olympus. In this way, there is representation that there can always be a more powerful, commanding, and demanding person than the next. And it seems deep down the heroes realize that in the long …show more content…
Keeping that in mind, if a second reading of The Iliad were to be performed, there is a prospect that it would inflict a very different feeling and atmosphere compared to the initial reading of the poem. An anxious analysis to look closer at the hints that Homer provides; a wonder if the future he and his fictional heroes really desire will come to be in their lifetime. Though if we pick up a history book, or simply look at the condition of the world as it is today, it can be argued that there is still much progress to be made before reaching a state of which Homer describes on his shield of
For they realize that, as Hector says, “The god of war is impartial: he hands out death to the man who hands out death” (18.359-60). These men are not naïve enough to think they have all of the power, for above them is the gods of Homer’s society. This recognition imparts a notion that society does not need a separation that utilizes martial code on one side, and civil code on the other. Perhaps justice and revenge can be accomplished through ordered conference, and peaceful gatherings. This view allows the reader’s pure perception of the violent and brutal storytelling throughout The Iliad, to be one that also considers the fact that: “the yearning for peace and its creative possibilities is never far below the surface of the warriors’ minds” (Knox 61). For in this Homeric society the gods know that men are, as Hera says, “condemned as a mortal always is to death and hardly endowed with wisdom as deep as the gods” (18.422-24). And even so, three books later and battle breaks out between the gods of Mount Olympus. In this way, there is representation that there can always be a more powerful, commanding, and demanding person than the next. And it seems deep down the heroes realize that in the long …show more content…
Keeping that in mind, if a second reading of The Iliad were to be performed, there is a prospect that it would inflict a very different feeling and atmosphere compared to the initial reading of the poem. An anxious analysis to look closer at the hints that Homer provides; a wonder if the future he and his fictional heroes really desire will come to be in their lifetime. Though if we pick up a history book, or simply look at the condition of the world as it is today, it can be argued that there is still much progress to be made before reaching a state of which Homer describes on his shield of