Achilles
Victoria D'Alessandro
345-102-MQ
World Views
September 26th, 2013
Achilles the "Godlike" Worrior Although Achilles was merely a mortal, he was a representation of strength by winning all combats, during the war, which was considered as extremely valuable to his fellow Greeks. Achilles was excelent at everything he did. He may not have be known for his intelligence, but he was known for his heroism and extreme stregth. As the seer said "...Achilles,you-the most violent man alive- you can perform the rites for us and calm the god yourself."(Homer 80) They believed that Achilles could do what not many other mortal men could do, and they believed that he was so violent that he himself could calm a god. He was also reconized for defeating many armies -especially the Trogan War- and killing men in the many wars that he would lead. "...son Achilles, murderous, doomed, that cost the Achaeans countless losses, hurling down to the House of Death so many sturdy souls..." (77). In some way he was the "protector" of his hometown and the citizens in it. Without them, their city would be completely taken over. The Greeks had Achilles to thank for keeping their city safe. Many of the greeks consider him as "godlike achilles". For example, in The Iliad, King Priam calls him godlike for the last time, when he begs Achilles for his sons body back. He says "remember your own father, godlike Achilles-as old as i am, past the threshold of deadly old age!" (604). Although his mother was Thetis goddess of the sea, Achilles was not immortal. In the Iliad, Achilles had gone through hubris, by acting like a god, and putting himself above his people. He eventually learned that he is only a mortal, just like any other one of his fellow Greeks. "...so the immortals spun our lives../there are two great jars that stand on the floor of Zeus' halls and hold his gifts, our miseries in one, the other blessings." (605). So although the Greeks had called Achilles godlike for so long,
345-102-MQ
World Views
September 26th, 2013
Achilles the "Godlike" Worrior Although Achilles was merely a mortal, he was a representation of strength by winning all combats, during the war, which was considered as extremely valuable to his fellow Greeks. Achilles was excelent at everything he did. He may not have be known for his intelligence, but he was known for his heroism and extreme stregth. As the seer said "...Achilles,you-the most violent man alive- you can perform the rites for us and calm the god yourself."(Homer 80) They believed that Achilles could do what not many other mortal men could do, and they believed that he was so violent that he himself could calm a god. He was also reconized for defeating many armies -especially the Trogan War- and killing men in the many wars that he would lead. "...son Achilles, murderous, doomed, that cost the Achaeans countless losses, hurling down to the House of Death so many sturdy souls..." (77). In some way he was the "protector" of his hometown and the citizens in it. Without them, their city would be completely taken over. The Greeks had Achilles to thank for keeping their city safe. Many of the greeks consider him as "godlike achilles". For example, in The Iliad, King Priam calls him godlike for the last time, when he begs Achilles for his sons body back. He says "remember your own father, godlike Achilles-as old as i am, past the threshold of deadly old age!" (604). Although his mother was Thetis goddess of the sea, Achilles was not immortal. In the Iliad, Achilles had gone through hubris, by acting like a god, and putting himself above his people. He eventually learned that he is only a mortal, just like any other one of his fellow Greeks. "...so the immortals spun our lives../there are two great jars that stand on the floor of Zeus' halls and hold his gifts, our miseries in one, the other blessings." (605). So although the Greeks had called Achilles godlike for so long,