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“Be men now, dear friends, and take up the heart of courage,
and have consideration for each other in the strong encounters,
since more come through alive when men consider each other,
and there is no glory when they give way, nor warcraft either.”
Agamemnon, Book 5
“If it is true that brilliant Achilles is risen beside their
ships, then the worse for him if he tries it, since I for my part
will not run from him out of the sorrowful battle, but rather
stand fast, to see if he wins the great glory, or if I can win it.” Hector, book 18
“Mother tells me,
the immortal goddess Thetis with her glistening feet,
that two fates bear me on to the day of death.
If I hold out here and I lay siege to Troy,
my journey home is gone, but my glory never dies.
If I voyage back to the fatherland I love,
my pride, my glory dies . . .
true, but the life that’s left me will be long,
the stroke of death will not come on me quickly.” Achilles, Book 9
Agamemnon uses his soldiers’ sense of honor to keep them motivated and willing to fight, since this was a very important cornerstone to being respected in Greek life, it was an effective method.
Hector dies and loses many of his men to Achilles because his sense of honor and pride would not let him retreat.
Homer’s characters had to choose between staying safe or battling their enemy. Achilles had the hardest choice of all because he knew he would die if he fought Troy, but he would also be remembered forever.
Honor and glory gained through battle was essential to being respected in Greek life. In the Iliad, the story is driven, both directly and indirectly by the characters’ quests for honor and glory.
“And now my prize you threaten in person to strip from me,
for whom I labored much, the gift of the sons of the Greeks.
Never, when the Greeks sack some well-founded citadel
of the Trojans, do I have a prize that is equal to your prize.”
“Now I am returning to Phthia, since it is much better
to go home again with my curved ships, and I am minded no longer
to stay here dishonored and pile up your wealth and your luxury.” Achilles, Book 1
When Agamemnon threatens to take Briseis from Achilles, he asks Thetis to have Zeus fight the Greeks. Achilles does this because he feels his honor has been insulted, and wants Agamemnon to know that he needs him.
“Patroclus whipped the terror in all their hearts
when he killed the chief who topped them all in battle.
He rode them off the ships, he quenched the leaping fire,
leaving Protesilaus’ hulk half-burnt but upright still
and the Trojans scattered back with high, shrill cries.”
Book 16
Patroclus’ death, which lead to Achilles attack on Troy, was caused by his desire for glory. When Patroclus donned Achilles’ armor he started tearing through the Trojan lines, but he ignored Achilles’ warnings and advanced at the Trojans until he met his eventual fate.