Trojan War Is Achilles Selfish

Achilles

During the Trojan war, was the Greek hero Achilles more selfish, or more self-preserving? There is much evidence supporting both claims, but only one is more prevalent.

There is three examples of how Achilles was more selfish then self-preserving, these are, when Achilles quit the Trojan War because of Agamemnon selfishness, when Achilles was not willing to be persuaded by Odysseus, how he came only to win honor and glory, and how he went into battle to slay hector.

The Iliad is first presented as Achilles and Agamemnon arguing, for Agamemnon was being selfish himself, relentlessly denying Achilles his spoils for what he earns. This in turn made Achilles very mad, and in an act of selfishness, asked his mother to convince Zeus to

impair the Greek army. This showed how selfish and angry Achilles can be, for he then quits the war, although not leaving, proving that he was not completely self preserving. The reason why this act is selfish, is because he was not acting in the interest of the army, in turn proving that he only fought for himself. This is the first reason why Achilles was selfish more than self preserving.
Another act of selfishness is,when Agamemnon wanted Achilles back when they were in a precarious situation, sending several messengers along the way. Three of which were close friends, Odysseus, Phoenix, and Asia, who all made argument to convince Achilles come back to the Greek army in order to defeat the Trojans. But even with all the prices offered and promises made, Achilles acted selfishly and did not come back to the fight. Agamemnon was willing to reconcile, but Achilles was still mad and selfish, rejecting and proving another instance of how Achilles was selfish.
The last of the tree examples of how Achilles was selfish is how he was only motivated by the prospect of honor and glory. Once such mention is when his mother, Thetis, tells him that if he joins the war, he will die but will be remembered forever. The other option is that he would of stayed home, or quit the war permanently, he would live long but he would be forgotten. If he chose to go the second route, he would have been more self preserving, but he ultimately chose the first option and was shown to be more selfish. In the end he was more selfish, craving the glory and honor that the battle would grant him, once again showing how he was much more selfish than self preserving.
Once his cousins Patroclus dies by Hector's hand, Achilles ultimately decides to be selfish and take revenge. Achilles is selfish as shown, because of how he only wanted to avenge Patroclus selfishly and out of anger. If he was more focused on selfish preservation, he would of just went home as he had planed. Proving how he was selfish and that he was more interested in his personal gains then his life.
In conclusion, Achilles is shown through all of these examples to ultimately be much more selfish then self preserving. Such examples as, leaving the army, staying out of the fighting, carving honor and glory, and focusing on taking revenge. In conclusion, from the featured evidence, the conclusion is that Achilles was selfish in his motives.