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Achilles: A Great Greek Hero

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Achilles was sometimes a great warrior, but could be seen as very selfish. He could be seen this way by his family, peers, and fellow soldiers fighting with him. Achilles was not fully selfish, because he had a few accomplishments that made him a person to look up to. Achilles was a great Greek hero, but no warrior is ever perfect. In book one of the Iliad, the Greek King of Mycenae, Agamemnon, took a woman named Chryseis, angering Achilles. Achilles was promised Briseis would become his wife. Achilles was furious with Agamemnon, but Agamemnon would only return Chryseis if he got Briseis in return ( ). A reason Achilles was selfish was because he was angry that Agamemnon took Chryseis. Achilles was angry that it hurt his pride. Achilles seemed to have a compassionate side, but of course he was not perfect. There was another Achaian fighter that became acquainted with Achilles named Patroclus. Achilles was not fighting in the war at the moment when he first encountered Patroclus. In book 6 of the Iliad, some of the mightiest fighters start to get wounded. Patroclus could not stand to see the devestation anymore, so he asked Achilles to wear his armor to strike fear into the Trojans ( ). …show more content…

Achilles let him because Patroclus was fighting against Agamemnon and Achilles had a very clear history with him. Achilles wanted Patroclus to defeat Agamemnon because he backed out of fighting in the war. While wearing the armor, Patroclus killed countless numbers of Trojans, including Paris, a powerful prince of Troy. Although he wore his armor, Patroclus was not always exactly loyal to his friend Achilles. In book 11 of the Iliad, Patroclus calls Achilles a terrible man. Patroclus respects Achilles, but does not approve of his rude manor. Achilles was selfish because he only helped a friend so he could try and defeat an enemy he could not defeat on his own. Achilles did not appreciate

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Misopeliades tell the men that he thinks it’s a bad idea for Achilles to go and fight in war because he never does anything right. Misopeliades feels Achilles will only make things worse than what they are already. Misopeliades thinks he is only thinking of going to the war because he wants to be seen as respected by his people. The whole war wouldn’t be as bad if Achilles didn’t become so enraged over such a little situation.

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If I stay here and fight before the city of Troy, there will be no home- coming for me but my fame shall never die; if I go home to my native land, there will be no great fame for me, but I shall live long and not die an early death.” (Homer 110) This shows that he is selfishness and fearful at the same time of losing and dying in the war. In the very beginning of the Iliad, King Agamemnon and Achilles have an argument for a couple of different reasons. After, the Achians won a battle against a city that was allied with the Trojans each of them received a prize consisted of a young woman from the war.

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