Greek and Roman Mythology

Greek and Roman Mythology

Achilles , Aeneas , Hector these are names which have already entered western society 's consciousness . All of them are heroes that have been immortalized in epics that have become a cornerstone of Western Culture In the case of Achilles and Hector that work is Homer 's Iliad , for Aeneas , Virgil 's Aeneid . Both of these epics the hero is a foremost construction - more than being a simple protagonist character the stories of these epics revolve not around events but instead revolves around the few heroes whose lives shape the

histories of entire nations and civilizations

While one may summarize the Iliad as Homer 's retelling of the Trojan War , what one reads instead is the story of Achilles , leader of the Myrmidons during the siege of Troy . Homer paints an unrealistic picture of how the tides of war turn with the mood swings of Achilles . The fortunes of the Achaean army waver when Achilles sulks in his tent refusing to fight for Agamemnon . Similarly , Aeneas is tasked with leading the people of Troy to Italy where he lays the foundations for Rome . In both stories , the hero plays a god-like role in the history of their people

In this aspect , the classical Homeric and Virgilian heroes could be seen as Great Men ' when viewed through the eyes of philosopher Thomas Carlyle and the Great Man Theory ' of history . Carlyle 's "The history of the world is but the biography of great men " seems very apt when applied to Achilles and Aeneas . While this idealism might be a great purpose there is one criticism that could be leveled against both Homeric and Virgilian Heroes . Not anybody could become a hero . In both the Homeric and Virgilian epics , heroes were not made rather they were born . Additionally one couldn 't just give birth to a hero one must have inherited a good bloodline , either as a descendant of kings , nymphs or even Gods . This birthright of a hero precludes ordinary mortals from being heroes . In this sense , the lives of the Homeric and Virgilian heroes could hardly be seen as empowering to their readers (or listeners . For the audience of these epics , heroism is something that they could never achieved and is only reserved for the select few who have won the genetic lottery

One noticeable trait of the protagonists of the Iliad was their high valuation of honor . After all , the dishonorable act by Paris of stealing Menelaus ' wife Helen was enough reason to start the Trojan War . The Iliad 's heroes are expected to live to a high standard in to preserve their honor . Heroes are expected to die fighting just to preserve the honor that their society places upon them . And in the case of the Iliad , to fight is the way for a hero to gain honor from society For Homer , an individual is a warrior before he is a hero

The concept of honor does not survive in isolation . One must earn honor...