Diomedes

labors as mentioned on Infoplease were to kill the Nemean Lion, kill the Lernean Hydra, capture the Ceryneian Hind, capture the Erymanthian Boar, clean the Augean Stables, kill the Stymphalian Birds, capture the Cretan Bull, capture the Horses of Diomedes, take the Girdle of the Amazon Queen Hippolyte, capture the Cattle of Geryon, take the Golden Apples of the Hesperides, and finally, capture Cerberus. Each of these twelve labors were supposedly nearly impossible to…

The Iliad is a classic epic poem that offers readers a glimpse of the Greek mindset. Is is fairly easy to see the honor and glory bound society through men like Hector and Achilles, but what were the societal standards for women? While women definitely take a more passive behind the scenes role, Homer still portrays them in many different ways. First, Homer shows the beautiful war prizes Chryseis and Bryseis, who cause the feud between Agamemnon and Achilles. Then, he shows overprotective…

belief that it is essential to be successful and have the favor of the Gods. Early in the poem, there is a clear example that emphasizes the special significance of xenia. During the heat of a battle in no-man’s land, two warriors, Glaucus and Diomedes, meet on the battlefield and share their lineage. After doing so, they realize that their grandfathers practiced xenia with each other, that is, they were once connected as guest and host. Due to this, they resolved not to fight and instead…

To be a tragic hero one must possess nobility, misfortune, recognition, tragic flaw, irony, and catharsis. These elements characterize the strength of a true tragic hero. Each aspect allows those to understand the meaning, the motive, and the misery each tragic hero faces. Tragic heroes overcome what most cannot, and still thrive for greatness in the mix of it all. Any hero must obtain a noble birth; must be a great warrior, must be known for his heroic acts, and must face supernatural foes or…

throughout “The Iliad”, partly to fulfill the demands of the meter and partly as part of the conventional oral tradition. In the same way, many of the expressive phrases that are linked with a certain character (such as "swift-footed Achilles", "Diomedes of the great war cry", "Hector of the shining helm", and "Agamemnon the lord of men") match the number of syllables in a hero's name, and are repeated regularly to the extent that they almost seem to become part of the characters' names…

In Greek mythology, the stories seem to place certain men in a light that makes them seem like a hero. However, this is not the case. In fact, most of the people the stories are not heroic at all, and are just normal people with gods and goddesses holding their hands throughout the battle, or their own brethren walking them to the end zone so they can score the touchdown. In short, the Greek “heroes” of Greek mythology are just regular people, who are being smiled upon and protected by the gods…

Tragic love stories have fascinated humans since ancient times. They conquered the hearts of many and opened the ways for more love stories. Geoffrey Chaucer (c. 1343 – to October 1400) is one of the most famous English authors of the middle ages. Chaucer is considered the father of English literature and thrilled the mass with his literary works. His most famous works include the Canterbury Tales and Troilus and Criseyde. Yet, again a tragic love story that is still widely popular in the 21st…

Throughout the poem, Aeneas receives lots of decisions from both of his parents. Then I ask, should the hero not make his own way? In classical literature, there are two kinds of heroes: the hero-hero, and the tragic hero. In the Aeneid, Turnus is the hero-hero, and Aeneas is the tragic hero. The tone of the Aeneid is heroic, not tragic. The opening lines-I sing of arms and the man-set the reader up for a tale of great deeds done well lets you assume that the Aeneas well do great deeds along…

“three offenses committed by Ulysses and Diomedes”1 are described as giving birth to the plan that eventually created the Trojan Horse, tricking Achilles to go off on a journey, and stealing a statue of Athena, all of which brought down the great city of Troy. Ulysses then shortly mulls over the…

Throughout The Iliad, mortal women are portrayed as property of man in the male-centric epic. They are confined to outdated gender roles; mortal women have little or no control over their own destiny. However, the immortal world creates a platform for Homer to exemplify and examine women personas thorough the Olympian goddesses. The three main goddesses presented in The Iliad are Athena, Aphrodite, and Hera. During the Trojan War, Athena and Hera fight with the Achaeans, while Aphrodite favors…