How Does Homer Use Ethos In The Iliad

Many writers use several diverse ways to persuade readers to believe them. Some writers may use facts and arguments, tell a story, or provide other ideas to try to persuade their reader into listening and believing them. Homer uses three types of persuasive rhetoric in his book the Iliad. Homer uses logos which is the art of logic, pathos which is about emotion and feeling, and ethos which is about credibility in the Iliad to persuade us to believe in the story.

At the beginning of the Iliad Agamemnon is arguing with Achilles about the girl while using pathos. Agamemnon says to Achilles, “So while you have your prize, you want me to sit tight and do without?” (Homer 1.142-143) In this it shows pathos because of the way Agamemnon is trying

Nestor shows ethos when he says, “You are both younger than I am, and I’ve associated with men better than you, and they didn’t treat me lightly. I’ve never seen men like those, and never will” (Homer 1.274-276). Nestor is convincing Agamemnon and Achilles to listen to him through his credibility and how he has trained people younger and less qualified than them and how they still obeyed and listened to him. Nestor is trying to persuade Achilles and Agamemnon to cease the fighting between them by giving them a lecture of what could happen if Agamemnon follows through with his plan of stealing the other mortal’s prizes if he releases Chrysies. “I was their companion, although I came from Pylos, from the ends of the earth-they sent for me themselves. And I held my own fighting with them”, said Nestor who is convincing Achilles and Agamemnon to trust him in this matter (Homer 1.284-286). Here Nestor is saying that he has fought and been friends with some exceptional people, yet held up his fighting with them and did not back down from the job. He is telling them that he is dependable enough to trust, so that when he gives advice such as for Agamemnon not to take the girl that they should listen. Nestor is a great example in the Iliad of a very ethos kind of speaker and these two quotes that he said were some great

Poseidon says this remark about Zeus to Iris while using pathos, “I will not follow Zeus’ whims” (Homer 15.196). Poseidon is very bold while saying this to Iris because he wants to let him know that he will not listen to Zeus’ desire or suggestion. He is being very affectionate and passionate in this because he is displaying the unwillingness to complete Zeus’ ambition. “Mighty as he is, let him remain content with his third share and not try to frighten me as if I was a coward” (Homer 15.196-198) says Poseidon in a very Logos manner. Poseidon is using logos in this to state that even though Zeus is very omnipotent Poseidon claims that there is no way that Zeus will persuade him logically in any way to give him his land and take him as a coward. In this quote, logos are used to show the rationale behind it and how Zeus will not make a fool out of him that easily and why. Iris is confronting Poseidon by using ethos by declaring, “If you are inclined to disregard his words, he threatens to come her himself and wage war against you, and he strongly advises you to avoid his hands, since he is mightier by far and elder born” (Homer 15.180-184). This quote exemplifies ethos because it shows Zeus’ credibility and strength through his message that he sends through Iris to Poseidon. This shows Zeus’ credibility because of the approach it takes by saying he is mightier by far