Rank And Positon Roles In Homer's The Iliad

“To work with the hands or brain, according to our requirements and our capacities to do that which lies before us to do, is more honorable than rank and title” Albert Pike. Wars throughout the ages have changed drastically between their weapons, the reasoning, and the strategies used. But it seems there is a constant from cavemen to present day; the higher the rank and position of power that one is in, generally keeps them from having to do their own dirty work. Throughout The Iliad, the only person that does not seem to pull the “rank” card is Hector, Homer put Hector into The Iliad as a contrast to men such as Zeus and Agamemnon.

Homer starts off his story in the middle of the Trojan War with the point of view on the side of the Greeks,

Hector is the anomaly to the rank and positon roles that have been seen. He does not follow the yellow brick road, so to speak. He is always on the battle field with his men, who are most definitely not his equals. Hector proves that he does not think of himself as higher than his men when he states to Helen, “I grow impatient now to lend a hand to Trojans in the field who feel a gap when I am gone” (Homer 153). He does not wish to pull the rank card and flee from battle like a coward. Hector does not hold himself above his men, but more as if he is a part of them. He is loved by his people because he does what needs to be done and he does it with his head held high. Even as Hector speaks of his certain death with his wife Andromakhe he says, “But I should die of shame before our Trojan men and noblewomen if like a coward I avoided battle…” (Homer 155). Simply by telling his wife that he will not back down and let others fight his own battles, shows that Hector holds himself with honor and courage. As Hector is talking to his wife he quiets her grief by saying, “As for the war, that is for men… to put their minds on, most of all for me” (Homer 157). Even though Paris and Helen started his war many years ago, Hector is pulling his rank and position of power around himself and fighting it with his own hands. As a leader, he does not hold himself higher, but as one and the same as all the other men of