Character: Achilles Flashcards
(5 cards)
How does Achilles show himself to have qualities of a leader ?
Book 1 he calls an assembly to resolve the plague bearing down on the Greek camp
- summons Calchas the prophet in order to find the most accurate resolution
- heroic quality of leadership and steps up to fill the role we would expect for perhaps Agamemnon or Nestor
How does Achilles have a close relationship with the gods ?
His mother Thetis
- she console him in book 1 and his influence over her convinced her to ask Zeus to change the fate of the battle to lead the Trojan to push the Greeks back to their ships
Book 1
- Athene appears before him undisguised and restrains him from lashing out at Agamemnon
How is Achilles a skilled warrior ?
Book 22
- Achilles kills Hector
How to we see Achilles be a typical for a hero concerned with a damage to his timē?
Book 1
- his timé is damaged infront of the entire Greek assembly as his war prize Briesies is taken from him by Agamemnon
However in book 9
- he is offered infinite amounts of material goods including Briseus, a choice of Agamemnons daughters amongst 7 towns and other such offerings
- We might expect a hero to accept this but he declines the offering showing a depth to his stubborn pride which would not be present in other characters
How is Achilles described as being a good warrior ?
Book 1
- Agamemnon commends Achilles saying ‘you are a great warrior’
Homer himself subtly contrast Patroclus and Achilles to show his unmatched status as a warrior
- book 16 ‘the only weapon of matchless achilles’ he does not take is his spear
- reminds the reader of the disparity in their ability as warrior and despite Patroclus later recidivist an aresteia and defeating Sarpedon Achilles is still presented to be a powerful hero
