Epic Heroes In The Odyssey

An epic hero might be someone with amazing super powers and an epic might be something amazing – to those who are unfamiliar with literature. The Italian poet, Torquato Tasso, said, “[an epic] is an imitation of a noble action, narrated in the loftiest verse, with the aim of giving profit through delight.” So in short; an epic is a long story of someone who does something good. The Odyssey and the Iliad are each told in 24 books and the Aeneid is told in 12 books and this is a great example of “the loftiest verse” (Joy). In Edith Hamilton's book, Mythology, two chapters (The Trojan War, Fall of Troy) contain three well-known epic heroes. These two chapters were taken from Homer's Iliad and the books were summarized into two chapters, but they still contained the characteristics of which make up the epic hero Hector of Troy. Hector shows many characteristics that are common among those who are considered heroes; courageous,

Throughout the Trojan War, Hector was always fighting, "he could not be a coward... [i]t was for him to fight always in the forefront of the battle (Hamilton 268). While the epic hero, Achilles of Greece was, "[sitting] alone in his tent brooding over his wrongs" (Hamilton 268). Achilles, although he was persuaded by Thetis (his mother), ran away from the war (Hamilton 260). Hector stayed true to his country and fought for them without question. As the war progressed, Hector went to try to appease Athena, have mercy on the wife and children, after his brother gave him wise advice – Athena denied (Hamilton 267). Hector was in the war slaying Greek enemies left and right and that evening the Trojans had made the Greeks back up near to the Greek ships (Hamilton 269). Achilles was begged to help his countrymen, "[They (Odysseus and two chieftains)] begged [Achilles] to have pity on his hard-pressed countrymen, they received an absolute refusal" (Hamilton