Essay on Diomedes, the True Hero of Homer’s Iliad

Diomedes, the True Hero of The Iliad In The Iliad, written in a 3rd person omniscient point of view, Homer gives a very serious account of the tenth and last year of the Trojan War. It was in Homers account that the very idea of becoming a legendary hero reached its pinnacle; the choice of the better hero was not decided on the events they participated in, but rather by their characteristics. The ancient Greeks had strict criteria for individuals to follow if they were to be seen as heroes. Above all, a man needed to be a skilled warrior, but this was not the only requirement. To be a hero, a warrior had to respect authority, both governmental and religious. The Greeks gave heroes no room for pride. These men were to be modest,†¦show more content†¦However, this fight may have never happened if Athena had not disguised herself as one of Hectors brothers and convinced him to fight (260). That was not enough though, as Athena then helped Achilles win the fight (260-261). This seems to be the case with all of Ac hilles battles. A god, goddess, or gods help him in battle by strengthening and encouraging him and his men, or they rally a Trojan army into entering a futile final battle. Diomedes is also guilty of receiving help from the gods. After praying for Athenas aid, Diomedes proceeds to not only slay Pandaros (who wounded him earlier) and many other Trojans, but also wound Aeneas in his hip and his mother Aphrodite in her hand (60-64). Later on in the same battle, Diomedes thrusts his spear through the belly of Ares, also done with the help of Athena (73). Another example of Diomedes skill comes when he and Odysseus spy on the Trojan camp. Diomedes goes ahead of Odysseus and strikes down so many Trojans that the ground was reddened with blood (124). Even before this, Diomedes prayed again to Athena for help. It seems no Greek warrior could fight their own battles; instead, they requested help from the gods. This fact makes it difficult to discern the better fighter between Achilles and D iomedes, but the common choice would probably be Achilles because of his legendary status and he was the son of an immortal.Show MoreRelatedAnalysis Of The Iliad 915 Words   |  4 Pagesâ€Å"In great literature, no scene of violence exists for its own sake.† This is a quote from an AP Literature Exam Essay Question to be answered during the year of 1982. When discussing this quote, thousands of great novels and other texts can be used as evidence to support this line. One such work of literature is Homer’s great epic, The Iliad. This poem, encompassing the telling of the great Trojan War, is one of the best examples of such a text. Throughout the text, it lays before the reader manyRead MoreIliad - Self image1193 Words   |  5 Pagesï » ¿The Iliad Essay Prompt 1. Complete one take home essay. Provide textual evidence, specific lines and incidents from The Iliad that proves your thesis. You may also draw from The Odyssey. Use in text parenthetical documentation according to MLA standards. The style guide that many colleges use is DianaHacker.com. We will use this style guide for both MLA format and grammar and mechanics. If you have any questions about MLA format, refer to DianaHacker.com. This paper needs to read asRead MoreExistentialism And Akhilleus : State Of Affairs1182 Words   |  5 Pagesand Akhilleus’ State of Affairs in Homer’s Iliad Existentialism is a philosophy that deals with human existence. This philosophy is a complex subject that asks questions about life that include meaning, purpose, choice, morality, ideology, and individuality. When reading other texts one could easily make connections to existential themes within the book’s literary tropes. Occasionally, some books have an overloaded abundance of existential themes. Homer’s Iliad is one of the books that comprise ofRead MoreDestiny And Freewill : Fate And Destiny1800 Words   |  8 Pages Destiny and Freewill Fate is the driving force in many epic poems, tales, and stories. This is what predetermines where the hero will go, who they are going to meet along their journeys and what they will become. It may lead to a romance so strong that it forces two cities into a war. Whether they go on to live a long life filled with glorious gifts and honour or, whether they die in battle, a glorious death or otherwise. It is these fates and destinies that are strongly woven into the