The Iliad

The Iliad

The work of Homer was very important to the Greek Civilization; it gave the Greek a structure of personality to follow. It is assure that The Iliad’s roots reach far back before Homer’s time. Homer focused several characteristics of how their ancestors behaved and such behavior was to be passed on to the new generations. In The Iliad, Homer emphasized the role of the gods in the daily events, and how every happening was based of the desires of the gods. Homer also focused on the warrior characteristics, not just of the Argives, but also of the Trojans and how they were ought to be brave, courageous and show fearlessness in the face of the enemy.

Homer lived during the Greek Iron Age, but The Iliad took place during the Bronze Age. Throughout The Iliad, Homer made many remarks about weapons being made out of bronze. "So the clash of Achaean and Trojan troops was on its own, the battle in all its fury veering back and forth, careering down the plain as they sent their bronze lances hurtling side-to-side between the Simois’ banks and Xanthus’ swirling rapids."(Book 6, line 1-5). This indicated that the Trojan War took place in the Bronze Age, since the army would have been the first institution to adopt new technology. Also during the Bronze Age, the Elites were brave warriors. In Homer’s time, the Elites were not warriors but politicians. It differ greatly, in their civilization, the type of ruling each one had.

The key element in the development and story of The Iliad is the extraordinary role of the polytheistic beliefs of the ancient Greek Civilization. Many of the situations in Homer’s work were produced by the active involvement of the gods in the human life. The book starts out with the statement...

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...ve made peace with each other and that neither will harm the other in any way. "Always be the best, my boy, the bravest, and hold your head up high above the others. Never disgrace the generation of your fathers. They were the bravest champions born in Corinth, in Lycia far and wide."(Book 6, line 247-251). This was what Hippolochus told Glaucus before his depart to Troy, and he followed with pride. This is a representation of how the Greek’s were to respect their ancestry, as if it was a commandment.

This work reflected on many of the Greek’s moral behavior. The Iliad is considered to be the Greek Bible. It traces everything in the Greek culture, from their polytheistic beliefs, to their respect for ancestry. It modeled the way they lived and behaved. Homer also showed the importance to value honor and bravery.

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