The Odyssey 571non also expects to be recognized as the best of
men (this longing for recognition is the source of
their dispute). Achilles calls him “the most grasp-
ing man alive” (81), but Nestor explains simply that
Agamemnon “has more power because he rules
more men” (86). This question of whether greatness
consists primarily of prowess in battle or of ruling
other men hangs over The Iliad. Wisdom in council
is another important aspect of heroism in the poem.
Nestor is too old to be of much use in fighting, but is
still regarded for his wisdom. Odysseus, in particular,
“that mastermind like Zeus” (120), manages to com-
bine greatness on the battlefield with the power of
persuasion and skill in tactics. Helen calls him “the
man of twists and turns” (135), and in some ways he
represents the best of both models of heroism.
Hector, the greatest of the Trojans, also repre-
sents a balance between the courage of a great war-
rior and the wisdom of a great ruler. Unlike Achilles,
Hector’s longing for personal glory is usually tem-
pered by his love for Troy and his fellow country-
men. Hector is heroic in his resignation, knowing
the long odds that face his people and their dim
prospects for survival. “But I would die of shame to
face the men of Troy and the Trojan women trailing
their long robes if I shrank from battle now, a cow-
ard” (210). His prayer for his son—that he be “first
in glory among the Trojans, strong and brave like
me, and rule all Troy in power . . .”—is a powerful
summation of that heroic code (211). He knows that
he is weaker than Achilles but fights nonetheless.
His parents beg him not to go forth, but he replies
that it is better “to stand up to Achilles, kill him,
come home alive or die at his hands in glory . . .”
(545). Still, great as he is, even Hector will run from
Achilles, until Athena tricks him into fighting.
Heroism is partly men’s own and partly a gift
from the gods. For instance, Athena grants Dio-
medes “strength and daring” to “win himself great
glory” (164). But this only accentuates Diomedes’
usual courage and power. Warriors are often heroic
alone, but at times two together are heroic, as when
Diomedes and Odysseus embark on their night
mission. The fear of shame is an important impetus
for heroism on both sides, as Agamemnon rallies
the Greeks to “dread what comrades say of you here
in bloody combat!” (181). Heroism often involves
defending the fallen, although at times that means
forgoing the heroic lust for glory. Ajax urges his
countrymen to stand fast in defense of Patroclus’s
body, saying “no heroes either, bolting out of the
Argive pack for single combat” (454). Achilles him-
self raises doubts about the heroic life, complaining
that “the same honor waits for the coward and the
brave” (262). But those doubts are washed away
with the death of Patroclus, when all that matters to
Achilles is vengeance, and “great glory” (471).
Priam, the Trojan king, displays his own heroism
at the close of The Iliad. Achilles refuses Hector’s
offer to return the loser’s body home, with the crush-
ing dismissal, “there are no binding oaths between
men and lions” (550). Priam goes to Achilles alone,
to ask for Hector’s body. Reminded of his own
father, Achilles complies, and marvels at Priam’s
“daring,” his “heart of iron” (605). Although too old
for battle, Priam’s courage is still heroic.
James FordHomEr The Odyssey
The Odyssey is the second of the two great epic
poems attributed to Homer. Little is known about
Homer or the composition of the two works, but
The Odyssey was almost certainly written after The
iliad. Unlike The Iliad, which focuses on a par-
ticular event (the conflict between Achilles and
Agamemnon) and its immediate aftermath, The
Odyssey is simply the story of Odysseus—the man,
his travels, and his family. The first four books
provide the background for his tale by focusing on
his son, Telemachus, who travels in search of news
of his father, who has not returned from the war in
Troy. Odysseus, “the man of twists and turns,” has
been gone from his home in Ithaca for 20 years (77).
Telemachus struggles against a crowd of suitors who
constantly feast at his home, pestering Odysseus’s
wife Penelope to choose one as her new husband.
The goddess Athena aids Telemachus in his search,
just as she often advises Odysseus. Eventually the
poet turns to Odysseus himself, who is held captive
by the goddess Calypso (who loves him). The rest
of the poem tells the story of his journey home, and
of his many adventures—including his visits to the
Cyclops, the goddess Circe, and the land of the dead.