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Hector And Achilles In The Iliad

1253 Words6 Pages

Great warriors are well known and loved by their people, but in the epic poem The Iliad this was not the case for two of the greatest warriors in history Achilles and Hector. Achilles and Hector are two completely different warriors in the battle of Troy. Achilles’ pride and stubbornness to not give up for the greater good cost him a Patroclus. Hector’s cowardliness causes Zeus to step in to stop the embarrassment Hector was bring to himself. At first glance Hector seems to be a great warrior though still less than Achilles, but in reality he’s just a cowardly human. The godlike Achilles is the greatest of warriors in the battle of Troy, but his flaws will make him less respected because of his prideful demeanor. The fall of these two somewhat great men in The Iliad is ultimately completely opposite …show more content…

The prideful versus the cowardly is eventually what it comes down to in the end. Unfortunately, for these two men their flaws would be detrimental to their lives bringing death to both of them.
Achilles is a demigod with amazing strength and agility and relentless pride. He is equipped with everything to be seen as a transcendent warrior to readers, and is already shown to be the powerhouse behind the Achaean army. But this is all disregarded because his ingrained flaws make it impossible for him to behave with dignity and honor. While it is apparent that Achilles has many flaws his pride is the most detrimental to him. He is not able to control his pride, and this is not only a problem for him but for everyone around him. “By this scepter I swear:/ When every last Greek desperately misses Achilles,/ Your remorse wont do any good then,/ When Hector the man-killer swats you down like flies./ And you will eat your heart out/ Because you failed to honor the best Greek of all.” (Homer 254-259). Achilles is fully consumed by the need for victory, yet when he and Agamemnon get into an argument he lets his pride get the best of him. He removes

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