Yet, Odysseus is also rewarded for his loyalty and survives the Trojan War. His wit and intelligence provide a much different vision of an excellent hero than presented by Achilles. However, it is he who figures out how to end the lengthy war with the trick of the wooden horse. In the case of both heroes, it is not divine or monstrous adversaries that they face. Instead they fight a similar battle that Osiris did -- they must fight the greed and lust of mortal men. Although Agamemnon is their king, he is an adversary in that he forces them from their homes and places them and their men in danger for selfish greed and lust. However Agamemnon is later punished when he his murdered by his deceitful wife upon his return. Another human adversary faced by the heroes of the Iliad is Paris and his uncontrollable lust for Helen. If Paris had controlled himself, thousands of lives would have been spared. Both Achilles and Odysseus are more reminiscent of a modern day hero who is forced to fight human weaknesses in a world of chaos, than their ancient counterparts who fight gods and monsters.
In all their success and failures, the role of the excellent hero serves as a learning tool for the society in which the tale was told. It shows the wicked ways of humanity, and how one is rewarded for thwarting such ways. Not only does it explain evil in men, but the heroic tale of excellent hero in many cases helps explain bits and pieces of the natural world, in order to help a growing society understand the vast and unfamiliar world around them. As the generations have progressed, so have the excellent heroes of the past. All of these names still sound familiar despite thousands of years since their initial story telling began. This shows a lot about the common nature of man -- and his beloved heroes.
References
Homer. The Iliad. Trans. Robert Eagles. New York. Penguin. 1998.
Rosenberg, Donna. World…
Sample Source(s) Used
References
Homer. The Iliad. Trans. Robert Eagles. New York. Penguin. 1998.
Rosenberg, Donna. World Mythology. 3rd ed. Lincolnwood, IL. NTC Publishing. 1999.
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