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Comparing Homer's Iliad And Sophocles Antigone

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Several characters in ancient literature were willing to risk their life for some cause or goal. Through this essay we will be taking an inside on the work of Homer in the Iliad and Sophocles in Antigone to look for evidence of what ancient Greeks though it was worth dying for during this time. During Ancient Greek literature times they had a different perspective of what we would think were reasonable causes for dying. One of the mains purpose of the Greeks is the fame that comes after death. Theses two books show us exactly what were the most essentials ideas of what they considered was worth dying for.

Pride and glory were worth dying for. This is demonstrated through Homer’s book, the Iliad. One of the character that shows this is Achilles …show more content…

When Patraclous is killed Achilles returns to the battle after he said we will not be fighting for the Achaeans because of the insult that it was made to his honor. He decided to go back and kill Hector for killing his best friend and most loved person, and to get the body which illustrate the idea of the glory after life. The idea of family honor adds a new level of understanding how important is pride is in ancient Greek literature. Another Example of this can be shown when Achilles kills hector, The reaction of Priam Hector’s father. Priam says “I have gone through what no other mortal on earth has gone through; I put my lips to the hands of the man who has killed my children (Homer, Iliad 24.505)” With this quote we can understand how important it’s to protect the family honor and preserve the legacy of a person. Priam rather kiss the hands that killed his own son than to not get the body of his son back. Therefore, this shows how the books go in hands together to show what were the essentials reasons they consider a person could give up their life for. In Antigone we can also observe how the pride and glory comes into play with the story. Antigone is willing to accept the consequences that comes because she’s standing up for what she believed was the right thing to do for her family. She’s is willing to died by burying her giving a decent burial to her bother

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