20 Ancient Ideals
dissent. Some of them want to live for the joy that seeking honor can
bring. They want their names to live forever on the lips of men. They
prefer death to dishonor and vow never to do anything that will un-
dermine their reputations. Such individuals will not let an insult
from an equal pass; they will never let a genuine quarrel drop.
In the West, the archetype of the heroic warrior, Achilles, faces
the choice that everyone who has a hunger for the heroic life faces.
Early in his life Achilles learns that two destinies lie before him.
In the fi rst he goes to war, where he will do astonishing deeds and
achieve everlasting fame. In the second, he stays home and lives a
prosperous long life. All his worldly desires are satisfi ed. It is up to
Achilles to make the choice, and he chooses the short and heroic
life. Most sons and daughters of the educated middle class cannot
imagine making such a choice today. But there are still those—
though perhaps there have never been so few— who are willing to
risk their lives for fame, camaraderie, and the horrible, exhilarating
intensity of being that war can bring.
What constitutes the heroic spirit? The hero is proud. Even those
who aspire to heroism and have not yet proved themselves exude a
confi dence far above the common mea sure. David stepping up to
Goliath with his sling in his hand; Lancelot unsheathing his sword
against a foe; Odysseus stringing his bow to take revenge on the
suitors: all of them feel that victory is assured in advance. Their
confi dence in themselves is absolute.
When we fi rst meet Achilles in The Iliad, he possesses warrior’s
pride in the highest mea sure. The war against Troy has been going
on for nine years, and he has been fi ghting against the Trojans and
their allies on the plains in front of the city. He’s also stormed forti-
fi ed towns, always in the forefront of the fi ghting. He has leapt ahead
of the other men to confront danger. His achievements along with
his extraordinary beauty and physical prowess have given Achilles