What Does It Mean to Be a Hero in Greek Culture: Mythology Review

As Achilles demonstrates great strength on the battlefield, his thirst for glory and honor deprive him of the title of a hero. These flaws hinder his ferocious behavior making him selfish and merciless. His selfishness is clearly exhibited when he refuses to fight because Agamemnon takes his wife, Briseis. He believes his honor has been stolen from him: “All but my prize of honor ...he who gave that prize has snatched it back again what outrage! That high and mighty King Agamemnon, that son of Atreus!'. Achilles believes that Agamemnon has degraded his achievements and cannot fight for a man that has ruined his reputation. He puts his reputation before the success of his country. Later at the Achean's most dire moment in the war, Achilles still refuses to help his own country. Even at a dire moment of the war, he still refuses to let go of his rage to the pointAgamemnon's later offer of gifts to convince Achilles to help his army, Achilles quickly refuses and believes that accepting the offer would degrade his honor even more. This corrupt value of placing one’s pride before their country that Achilles has chosen to follow prevents him from being a true hero. He also shows great amounts of disrespect towards Hector’s body: “ So he triumphed and now he was bent on outrage, on shaming noble Hector. Piercing the tendons, ankle to heel behind both feet, he knotted straps of rawhide through them both, lashed them to his chariot, left the head to drag and mounting the car”. This act of disrespect is everything but heroic. It illustrates Achilles as a man without feelings. He is forcely stopped by the gods to stop the masscre because they pity the powerless body. He has no sense of humanity.

Hector fails to exhibit key characteristics of a hero such as being courage and being too prideful. As courage is one of the key characteristics of a hero, Hector fails to show this crucial quality. A key characteristic of a hero is showing courage, but Hector lacks this crucial quality. Upon encountering Achilles, Hector flees: “ Hector looked up, saw him, started to tremble, never gone, he could hold his ground no longer, he left the gates behind and away he fled in fear”. His lack of courage is exhibited and he is only convinced to fight Achilles by a god to die with glory than die as a coward. At a crucial point in the battle, Hector decides to flee rather than fight with his men:“ And Hector? Hector’s speeding horses swept him away, armor and all, leaving his men to face their fate”. His lack of courage makes him a cowardly character unable to stand up to fear to enable him from being classified as a hero. At another instance where Hector shows cowardice, he is scolded by Glaucus:“ you lacked the nerve to go up against Great Ajax, that fierce heart, to look him straight in the eye and fight the man head-on- he’s a better man than you!”. Glaucus is appalled by the lack of courage Hector is exhibiting. This man is supposed to set an example for the rest of his soldiers and resemble a courageous fighter. This lack of courage prevents him from being a hero. As pride is an important characteristic, having an excess of it may be harmful. Hector is a prime example of being overwhelmed by pride.

Achilles is often potryaed as the hero of the Iliad because ultimately he turns the tide of the war and eliminates the biggest threat, Hector. As he does act heroically, it is his fault the Acheans were losing because he is unable to control his pride thus, prompting his betrayal to his country and prays to Zeus that the Trojans slaughter the Acheans. This demand is clearly expressed by Thetis' prayer to Zeus: “Grant the Trojans victory after victory till the Achaean armies pay my dear son back, building higher the honor he deserves!”. Thetis clearly states the Achilles' intentions, causing damage to his army. It shows that Achilles values his honor before honoring his army. His selfish intentions caused immense loss to the army and he is the only to blame for it. Acting heroically does not make someone a hero. Thus, if Achilles and Hector, the greatest warriors of the poem, are unable to fulfill the requirements of a hero, there can be no hero in the Iliad.

Being a hero consists of particular characteristics such as having courage, show their humanity, have honor, and respect. Respect for the dead is paramount for the Greek culture. This is exemplified when the armies decide to dedicate a day to bury the dead. As part of honoring the dead, it is important to also not mutilate the body of others. Not mutilating the body maintains a sense of respect for each other as Hector believes when he is begging for his body to Achilles: “I will never mutilate you-merciless as you are'. Heroes must also show their humanity. Heroes must refrain from acting mercilessly and cruelly. By following this, heroes can earn a sense of dignity and reputation. They must also possess similar desires such as the common man: respect, wealth, family, and family honor. This is shown through Hector's close relationship with his family. Courage is also a vital quality of a hero. Many characters are scolded if they refrain from acting courageous. This exhibited through Nestor’s speeches to the soldiers: “Hector with that flashing helmet would meet his match in combat in a moment. You, the bravest of all Achaeans-and not one with the spine to battle Hector face-to-face!'. Courage shows a soldier’s capacity to surmount fears and fight in life-threatening situations.