The Illiad Essay, Research Paper

The Iliad

The way Homer wrote this text is similar to warfare today, especially the feelings. There are some differences though. At the end of the passage, Homer wrote War is men s business; and this war is the business of everyone in Ilium, myself above all. That is stating that only men fight in wars. Today there are many women fighting in wars. The feelings are very similar. Before Hector left he said a prayer to the gods, just like people pray before war today. He prayed to the king god Zeus and all the other gods. His prayer was different in another way. Hector did not pray for a safe return, it sounded as if he was expecting to die and not return. He prayed that his son would be a great warrior, just like himself, but greater. Another thing that can be picked up in the story is the role of women in society. In this they do not play a big role. They can only work in the house and serve the men.

The emotions in this passage were very strong. Andromache was scared for Hector and knew the Greeks would slay him if he went off to war. His son was scared of his father because of the helmet with the horsehair plume and did not recognize him. Hector at first sounded as if he was expecting death, but after he saw his wife s feelings he sounded confident in saying, No one is going to send me down to Hades before my proper time. But fate is a thing that no man born of woman, coward or hero can, can escape. In that excerpt, he is saying that no one is going to kill him before his time is up, but he has to die sometime and cannot escape that.