Examples Of Arête In The Iliad

Every culture tends to have different beliefs about what qualities a hero should possess. A few descriptions of a hero might be intellectual, strong, kind, etc. Accordingly, the overarching view is that a hero must accomplish great things. In the Greek culture, at the time of the writing of The Iliad, the most defining characteristic trait of a hero was arête. To have arête meant to have a personal balance between one’s valor and one’s virtue (Dictionary.com). Valor was interpreted as aggressive without virtue, just as virtue was viewed as cowardly in the absence of valor. The culture portrayed in The Iliad was primarily driven by the characters’ pursuit of arête, a concept that remains prominent even today. It is important to understand the idea of arête in The Iliad for two reasons: to understand the text, and today’s society. Knowing what is driving the actions of the characters aids in understanding the characters themselves. One might think that Achilles is overreacting when he protests Agamemnon taking Briseis,

One cannot aspire unless there is something to aspire to. Why did they assume they were capable of perfection if even the most powerful beings in their world were imperfect? Multiple instances in The Iliad show the imperfections in the character of the gods. They scheme and devise secrets plots unbeknownst to the other gods, but still become enraged when the same treatment is brought upon themselves (Homer 1, 573-576). With this information, it can be assumed that the gods are prone to the same selfish desires as their mortal counterparts, and are neither omniscient nor omnipotent. Within the context of modern knowledge, no other species values self-improvement quite the way that humans do. Their desire to better themselves was instilled in them when the perfect God of the universe created them in His image (Psalm 18:30; Genesis