Theme: Concept, Values And Behaviour Of A Hero Flashcards
What is important in book 12 for our understanding of heroism ?
Include scholarship
Sarpedon addresses Glaucus a fellow Lycian on the nature of heroism
- firstly, as a Lycian he is fighting in support of Troy because that is the nature of heroes- to fight
- he describes that in Lycia he is honoured as a ‘gods’ and are given benefits such as choice meat at sacrifices and he must therefore fight to display he is deserving of this status
- May suggest a social contract (feudalism) heroes fight and receive benefit from doing so
- Prof R. Jenkins argues this is wrong as S later states if he were immortal he wouldn’t fight in the ‘battle where men win glory’
- Tragic paradox: worth fighting only because you may die- battle is glorious because of its proximity to death
What does Professor R. Jenkins argue heroes are persuing ?
- to become the greatest kind of human being in the ancient world ‘the great warrior’ and glory in battle
What happens to Hector in book 22 before going out and what does this display ?
how shame on a hero, damage to his timé is a driving factor
- both Priam then Hecabe, his M&F, beg him not to fight Achilles and they know the disastrous consequences; Hectors death, the fall of Troy and the ruin of everything he loves
- Hector’s response: if he does not fight Achilles he feels shame as Polydamas will blame him, the deaths of Trojans and the view of the Trojan men and women
- As Prof R. Jenkyns argues the terror of shame and his duty to the heroic code force him to fight Achilles
- the persuet of virtue becoming the great warrior
What is timé and its opposite ?
Timé is honour and its opposite is shame (aidos)
What is the Greek word for honour deriving from what you own, your talent and physical attributes ?
Timē
What is the Green word for the honour that is derived from being spoken or sung about ?
Kleos
Having an epic about you is the peak of Kleos
How does Hector voice his heroic code in book 6 of the Iliad ?
In book 6, Hector explains to Andromache why has to return to the battlefield
- he would ‘feel deep shame’ if he did not return
- For Hector what drives him is the shame that would be expected if he did not fight
- Moroever, he fights for personal Kleos ‘to win glory for my father and myself’ on top of the respect for his family
- it’s a deeply personal matter where heroes do not only fight for themselves but their family as well
How can we see the importance of personal glory ‘Kleos’ in Achilles ?
- In book 9 in the embassy to Achilles, he states that he can either return home and live a long life and forfeit his glory or die young with Kleos on the battlefield
- ultimately glory to Achilles is far more important
- however it’s not the sole factor as he also wants revenge for the death of Patroclus
What does Achilles say in book 18 ?
- Achilles explains he is returning to battle to kill Hector the ‘killer of a dear life’
- acting in revenge can also be a motivator for heroes
- as argued by Dr E Hauser heroism is not limited to honour, glory and shame but it’s instead a deeply personal matter and motivator for each hero
How do we see the desire to uphold a families timé in a hero’s decision to fight ?
Glaucus book 6
- Glaucus explains to Diomedes that he must fight to uphold his families timé
- ‘always to be the best and excellent all others’ +’never disgrace our forefathers’
- As a hero Glaucus is fighting to preserve his families hereditary status as a warrior lineage
- therefore a Hero’s decision to fight is both deeply personal as Glaucus aims to excel above all others and be the best warrior he can be and a matter of upholding familial status
- we see the element of shame pervading into this as Glaucus wants to uphold this status of his heroic lineage to avoid brining shame upon it
