The Iliad of Homer :: essays research papers

The competition for power and last victory is continuous throughout the Iliad. Several characters including gods and men, attempt to assume dictum and rule in order to fulfill personal endeavors and obtain self-gratification. However, it is a lot that by themselves, these strong figures cannot carry out the tasks that they wish to accomplish. Instead, they are ready(a) to manipulate and beg in order to have the job end by someone else. On both the human and immortal level, individuals ceaselessly need the help of others in their struggle for supremacy.At prime(prenominal), discord arises payable to the greed of Agamemnon, yet Achilleus prolongs the problem by holding on to his anger. He acts such as a tantrum-throwing child does when Pallus Athene disallows him from continuing his argument. To strengthen his point, he has to ask his mother to go to genus Zeus, and plead for him to help the Trojans so that Atreus son wide-ruling Agamemnon may recognize his madness, that he d id no honor to the best of the Achaians (I, 411-412) Achilleus puts himself above the rest of the Achaians, but does not act 1therefore to the position he claims for himself. He forgets that as leader, the consequences of his actions, also affects those whom he holds in his charge, and close to his heart. Further much, instead of assuming full responsibility for his situation, Achilleus places part of the tear on his mother Thetis, as well as Zeus. In draftsmanship gods into the conflict, Achilleus further complicates the matter. Without the intervention of immortals, the victor of any contest is simply the stronger, more skilled, or perhaps luckier opponent. Once the gods are brought into the field of play, anything can be expected since they are even capable of changing the destinies of men. Hera is one of the first of the gods to exhibit her meddling ways and the capacity to turn the tables. When she plans to seduce Zeus into bed to occupy him so that Poseidon may help the Ach aians, Hera enlists the help of Aphrodite and Sleep. though the concept of helping mortals is good and selfless, there is also much poisonous in her actions. There are no bounds to how low Hera provide stoop to acquire the services she needs to triumph over her husband. In order to gain their help, Hera tells lies to Aphrodite, and bribes Sleep with gifts a lovely throne, imperishable forever, of gold (XIV, 238-239).