The Iliad A Man's Fall From Glory

A Man’s Fall from Glory

The Iliad, written by Homer in 8th century B.C., tells the story of a man named Achellius. He was a mighty warrior in the Trojan War, second to no one in King Agamemnon’s army. Achellius, however, longed to be immortalized in history as the savior of the Achaians. When a disagreement occurred between Achellius and King Agamemnon, we begin to see how easily Achellius’ temper overwhelmed his loyalty to his comrades, his king, and his nation. The Iliad tells how the pride and greed in one person’s heart can become the downfall of an entire army, and bring a great deal of grief to many.

The poem opens with Chryses, a priest of Apollo, who comes to beg for his daughter Chrysies, as she was a captive of Agamemnon. When Achellius urges him to give the girl back to her father, Agamemnon says that he will give her back-but he must have Briseis, who was Achellius’ lover, in exchange. It is here that we start to see the rage Achellius holds inside. He refuses to fight and asks his mother--a goddess named Thetis--to ensure that the Achains lose the upcoming battle, and she agrees. When it is obvious that the Trojans are winning the battle, Achellius’ closest friend Patrokolos goes to fight in his stead and is soon killed by Hektor, the greatest warrior in the Trojan army. Achellius soon learns of his friend’s death, and his

While the language is at first slightly difficult to comprehend, I enjoyed the format of a free-styled poem. The Iliad has so many various aspects--war, romance, tragedy, and drama--that any person who reads it will find something that excites them. One might assume that it is little more than a tale of battle and bloodshed, but it is truly a myth with the numerous warnings to mankind hidden inside. It is still a fantastic read when taken at face value, but there are so many lesson of life and humanity to be found inside-if only one is willing to