The Iliad Achilles Rage Essays - 1052 Words

`Rage--Goddess, sing the rage of Peleus son Achilles The first line of the Iliad describes a human emotion that leads to doom and destruction in Homers poetic tale of the Trojan War. Achilles rage is a major catalyst in the action in the Iliad. It is his rage that makes him both withdraw from and, later, rejoin the war with a fury. Why is Achilles enraged? Is his rage ignited solely by his human adversaries or do the gods destine him to the experience? Achilles rage has many facets. His rage is a personal choice and, at times, is created by the gods. The Iliad begins with the clash between Achilles and Agamemnon. Agamemnon has little, if any, respect for the gods. This is displayed by his irreverent†¦show more content†¦Achilles questions himself, Should he draw the long sharp sword slung at his hip, thrust through the ranks and kill Agamemnon now?--or check his rage and beat his fury down? (108). Here, Hera has Athena intervene to keep Achilles from killing Agamemnon, which shows how the gods control Achilles destiny. The argument between Achilles and Agamemnon clearly shows that the two men have different opinions about the power of the gods, what is holy or unholy, and what is proper treatment of other men. These differences are one source of Achilles rage. Achilles is also angry at having to fight another mans battle. The Trojan War is being fought because Paris stole Helen, Agamemnons sister-in-law. In his argument with Agamemnon, Achilles points out It wasnt Trojan spearmen who brought me here to fight. The Trojans never did me damage, not in the least (107). Achilles rage heightens in the argument and he declares No, you colossal, shameless--we all followed you, to please you, to fight for you, to win your honor back from the Trojans---Menelaus and you, you dog-face! (108). Achilles is also angry because even though he and many other soldiers are there risking their lives for Agamemnon and Menelaus, Agamemnon is sly enough to avoid personal injury. Achilles says to Agamemnon, Never once did you arm with the troops and go to battle or risk an ambush packed with Achaeas picked men--you lack the courage, you can see deathShow MoreRelatedKleos in the Iliad Essay1074 Words   |  5 PagesKleos in the Iliad When we consider the Hero in ancient Greek culture, we must forget our notion of what a hero is. The ancient Greek concept of a hero was different from our own cultures. The motivation for any Homeric Greek is glory, or Kleos, that is to be honored and respected among their people. Not only does kleos imply being honored and respected, it literally means ‘to be heard.’ Achieving kleos entails that your tale and ultimately you will live on forever. 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