Iliad Burial

In the time The Iliad takes place protecting a body was not just important while one was alive but also after one has died. Some might have believed it is actually more important to protect and care for a body after death. This was because it was believed that if a body did not receive a proper burial, that the soul of that person would never be able to rest. This is why after the deaths of Patroclus and Hector, the people who loved them went through so much hardship to retrieve their bodies and prepare them properly. While people would not have put this much effort into any soldier funeral, these men were known as heroes, and were loved by many. There are many step in when preparing a body one must do before the burial, during the burial,

The first thing the greeks and Trojans must have done to prepare for the funerals is to retrieve the bodies of their heroes from the other side. They have to do this quickly before the other side had damaged their bodies to bad from exacting their revenge. Achilles, before the burial of Patroclus, said he would get back his armor and the head of Hector, the man that killed Patroclus. The night before Achilles went to battle to revenge his best friend by killing Hector, he went ahead and started to prep Patroclus body. He first heated a cauldron and washed his body, then “Anointed [him] with rich olive oil, and filled the wounds with seasoned ointment”(Homer 377-378). They then laid Patroclus body onto his bed and covered him with white, linen sheets and put a mantle above him. After Achilles killed Hector, Achilles has a pyre for Patroclus cremation. They cover his body with locks of hair to show a symbol of mourning. Then Achilles sacrifices sheep, cattle, goats, dogs, and twelve captured Trojan Youths. Before Achilles begins the ceremony for Patroclus, he prays to Boreas and Zephyrs, the north and west winds so they will help spread the fire on Patroclus. On the other side they begin to prepare for Hector’s burial. There is first nine days of morning, even Hectors wife and mother rip there hair out and clasp his head. While all this is

Both Patroclus and Hector were known as heroes for their perspective sides. For Patroclus burial, Boreas and Zephyrus,the north and west winds, help to spread the flame. After Patroclus body is burned, Achilles instructs Agamemnon to have the flame put out with wine. The greeks then put Patroclus' ashes in a golden casket and build a funeral mound. They would later expanded it after the war, when the Achaeans have more time. For Hectors Burial on the eleventh day after burning his body, everyone in Troy gathered drinking wine in celebration of this hero life. They then collected Hectors bones wrapped them in purple robes, placed them in a golden casket, laid it in a grave, and piled a bunch of stones on