Achilles: An Understanding Of War In The Iliad

Homers first book was called the Iliad. This dynamic story tells of the struggles that happened in the Trojan War. Although it is fictional, this literary work gives us an insight of how the Greeks thought the world worked. Reading the first five books, there come an understanding of war and how the gobs played a leading role in all of it. This book glorified the Trojan War and follows a Greek warrior named Achilles.

To begin with, you can see the immense influence that the gods had on humans. In book one there is the induction of the Trojan War started nine years ago. Achilles was on the Achaeans side with his lead commander Agamemnon. Agamemnon captured two women, one of which was the daughter of a priest of the god Apollo. The priest

His mother enraged promises him that Agamemnon would pay for what he has done. She pleads to Zeus, graping his knee saying “"O sire of gods and men! thy suppliant hear; Refuse, or grant; for what has Jove to fear? Or oh! declare, of all the powers above, Is wretched Thetis least the care of Jove?"” (pg 32) This quote is interesting because it shows that the gods have the same relationship as normal people would. Thetis begs for a favor that Zeus owes her. Thetis isn’t giving much mind at the lives at stake with her request. Zeus repays her favor by making up a dream in where Nestor tells Agamemnon to go to troy and attack the city’s wall. Zeus says “"Fly hence, deluding Dream! and light as air, To Agamemnon 's ample tent repair. Bid him in arms draw forth the embattled train, Lead all his Grecians to the dusty plain.” (42) Agamemnon does so the very next day. This quote shows how easily Zeus can cause conflict in the human world. All it takes is just one simple “dream”.

Many of the actions that the human characters does in the book is some way tied to a god. For example, in book two Odysseus try’s to encourage the Achaeans from leaving. He only did so because Athena inspired him to give a speech. "Warriors like you, with strength and wisdom bless 'd, By brave examples should confirm the rest. The monarch 's will not yet reveal 'd appears;” (pg 51). This quote show cases how people were easily persuaded. It makes the

Menelaus was about to kill Paris when Aphrodite takes Paris away from the scene. Aphrodite brings Helen, the adducted wife of Menelaus along too. Aphrodite says to Helen “"Haste, happy nymph! for thee thy Paris calls, Safe from the fight, in yonder lofty walls, Fair as a god; with odours round him spread, He lies, and waits thee on the well-known bed; Not like a warrior parted from the foe, But some gay dancer in the public show." (pg 103) This quote is interesting because Helen was upset with Paris for the conflict he has caused. But with a bit of persuasion from Aphrodite, she is willing to “lie on the well-known bed”. It’s strange how the gods can manipulate other characters like puppets. Another example of the additude that the gods have is when the gods have a council to discouse the Trojan war. Zeus says " My schemes, my labours, and my hopes be vain? Have I, for this, shook Ilion with alarms, Assembled nations, set two worlds in arms? To spread the war, I flew from shore to shore.”(113) This quote shows how Zeus felt about what has happened in the human war. He thinks of himself as the creator of the war and takes ownership of what has happened. He then argues that Menelaus has won the