Glory And Honor Honor And Glory - 1798 Words

Nearly every Homeric character is involved with glory and honor. Heroes constitute the core of the society from which they originate, and they shape their lives according to honor and glory in all their varied forms. Glory and honor spark a decade-long war that costs the lives of countless men, and direct its progression at every turn. The destruction of Troy is â€Å"a thing... whose glory shall perish never (Lattimore, Book II.324)†. The hope for many Greek warriors is the fame that remains beyond physical death; the honor of individuals guided most thoughts and decisions. Glory and honor establish heroes and their identities, and are the foundations for the developments that come to pass in Homer’s Iliad. The notions of honor and glory are necessary to understanding the incentives of the heroes in the Iliad. Glory is earned by heroic actions, but in particular heroic actions that others witness and praise. Honor is similar to glory, but while glory requires witnesses, honor is defined by the individual, whose personal concept of honor does not necessarily match honor defined by the masses. Honor is gained through heroism in battle, but also through rhetoric, commitment, and other noble characteristics. Having honor and glory allowed heroes to gain influence in their society. An example of such influence occurs during a discussion over a possible retreat from the shores of Troy. Odysseus, a respected fighter from Ithaca, argues that it is â€Å"disgraceful to wait long and at theShow MoreRelatedHonor And Glory By Homer1574 Words   |  7 PagesOctober 5, 2015 Honor and Glory The idea of obtaining honor and glory are what Greek characters dedicate their lives to. The Greeks lived by a heroic code, which shaped their society. Being remembered, as a great warrior, is one of the highest honors a Greek soldier can obtain. Honor and glory are the cause of the Trojan War, which takes the lives of many men. Honor and Glory are what define the hero in the epic poem, The Iliad, written by Homer. Throughout the Iliad, honor and glory is the motivationRead MoreHonor, Glory, Legacy Of The Iliad1735 Words   |  7 PagesHonor, Glory, Legacy How important is it to be honored? To gain glory in this life? To secure a lasting legacy? To the Greeks and Trojans in Homer’s famous epic, The Iliad, these were the most important things in life. The Greeks of Homer’s time believed that personal honor and glory was just that, personal. Honor and glory belonged to the individual who was skilled and accomplished enough to obtain it for himself. This honor and glory was held in the highest regard, and the worldview that honorRead MoreEssay on Honor and Glory in Homers Iliad1402 Words   |  6 PagesHonor and Glory in Homers Iliad      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Mortality, by its very nature, causes mens lives to be cut short at their primes.The Fates cut our lives short at any time, so the Greeks must have an example, a model mortal, to follow so as to make the most of their lives.A model mortal is one who lives his life accumulating the most honor and glory: he pressed for battle now where men win glory (4: 259).By strictly adhering to the honor/heroic code, a mortal can raise himself to become theRead MoreExamples Of Honor And Glory In The Epic Of Beowulf738 Words   |  3 Pagesgrace that all favor depends. Beowulf gives his treasures to his king (Beowulf, 87). Honor and glory are two key elements that many righteous knights share, and Beowulf is the most righteous of them all. These characteristics are what drives Beowulf and the plot is this epic. In ancient times there was a hierarchy and as a knight, everything was done to serve the lord of the realm. To be a knight is to have honor and uphold oneself in a manner thats respectable. A knight is a representative of hisRead MoreHonor And Glory : Greek Character And Way Of Life1484 Words   |  6 PagesHonor and glory are central to Greek character and way of life. Heroes are the essence of the nation and society that they come from. Because of this, they lead their lives according to this code of honor and glory. This need for honor erupts in the Trojan war and shapes the outcomes of every decision made in this war. Every Greek warrior strives for the legacy of their fame in battle to resound, even after their demise. The concepts of honor guide the outcomes of the illustrations in this epicRead MoreComparing Machiavelli And Machiavelli s Views On Glory, Courage, And Honor Differ1309 Words   |  6 Pages Hobbes and Machiavelli were both advocates of self-preservation in th eir philosophies, although Hobbes placed higher priority on the idea of self-preservation more so than Machiavelli. Their views on glory, courage, and honor differ greatly from each other and as a result affect the level of emphasis they place on the value of self-preservation. Hobbes believed that self-preservation was the reason for entering a social contract and that fear of a violent death was the driving force behind leavingRead MoreThe Iliad : Greeks And Their Love For War1568 Words   |  7 PagesGreeks loved war. The Greeks loved glory, and honor! Death was a necessary path for all humans, an idea well established long before the Greeks. In the eyes of the Greeks, there is but one way to achieve immortality: Through glory! Thus, I think to understand why the Greeks were so actively involved in war, one must first understand why ‘war’ was a necessary tool for glory! The Greeks, exhibited varying views to violence, but they never waivered on their opinions of glo ry. In this essay, I will attemptRead MoreAnalysis Of The Odyssey 1313 Words   |  6 Pagesafterlife between the two epics, glory is favored in The Odyssey while honor is stressed in The Ramayana, leading to vastly different interpretations of heroism. First, I will contrast views of death and the afterlife between the epics and how these beliefs affect characters’ actions. This will examine the drab underworld from The Odyssey in comparison to the concepts of reincarnation and purpose of The Ramayana. Next, I will study how the principles of honor and glory appear in both epics, especiallyRead MoreHomeric Heroes : The Heroic Hero1249 Words   |  5 PagesIn accordance with temperance, battle is the most important aspect of Homeric Heroes. It is on a battlefield that heroes gain glory for fighting, prizes for their accomplishments, and honor for their actions. However, hero he may be, Achilles â€Å"was not to be seen in council, that arena for glory, nor in battle† (Book 1, 518-519). He was â€Å"throwing his heroism away† by not taking part in the event that made people heroes. Prior to this, Achilles was a well-recognized hero. Goddesses said â€Å"when godlikeRead More Achilles Honor in Homers Iliad Essay1298 Words   |  6 PagesAchilles Honor in Homers Iliad    The Greeks placed great importance on personal honor. Why is this? Is it because to them man I nothing without honor. Or is it that the honor is more important than the man? Honor to the Greeks is something that is won by a mans prowess, his ability to fight and be victorious on the battle field(Schein 62). This is just one example of how honor is obtained. A second method of gaining honor is to be a great orator, one must posses the ability to speak