Achilles Cuchulainn: A Heroic Warrior

Cuchulainn, a heroic warrior, is referred to as both the Hercules and Achilles of Ireland. Fedelm, the prophetess, describes him as “full of fame.” Like Hercules, Cuchulainn had superhuman strength. He had a “warrior’s fist, the arm of a prodigy.” He was also able to outdo all Ulster warriors with his “brilliance and nimbleness in feats.” His great strength and valor reflect the characteristics of Hercules. Because of his bravery and invincibility, Cuchulainn also resembles the great Greek hero Achilles. Like Achilles, Cuchulainn is known as an undefeatable warrior, with the potential to easily slaughter his opponents in war. Because of these heroic attributes, Cuchulainn can be easily compared to the valiant ancient warriors, Achilles and
Additionally, until the end when he decided to let Mebd live, Cuchulainn was a heartless killer, unlike the other heroes. At the end of the battle, Cuchlainn spared Mebd, “not being a killer of women.” However, Cuchulainn was typically a merciless murderer, never considering sparing lives before he smashed their heads together. He terrorized his opponents in war, threatening to “churn [them] up like a foam churned in a pool.” Cuchulainn’s first reaction was to kill. When he was woken up by some man, Cuchulainn “struck him on the forehead with his fist and drove the dome of his forehead back into the brain.” Cuchulainn possessed astonishing strength, which he never attempted to restrain. Cuchulainn proved to be a greater warrior than Hercules and Achilles because of his incredible strength and his absolute invulnerability. Cuchulainn is very similar to these heroes, but he deserves to be ranked higher than them because of his incredible strength. He was able to fight off Mebd’s troops single-handedly, while being one of the youngest warriors. His tremendous strength overpowers the other heroes. Although he resembles Hercules because of his great strength and dedication, and Achilles because of his bravery and invincibility as a warrior, Cuchulainn also possesses talents greater than his fellow