Achilles is a hero of ancient Greek mythology, best known for his episode of participation in Homer wrote about this character in his “Iliad.” And although the Iliad is considered an epic work describing the war against Troy, in fact, it is a story about the quarrel between Achilles and It was she who led to the events that decided the outcome of the ten-year siege of the city.

Origin of Achilles

Achilles was a hero. And initially not even thanks to his actions. It’s just that the heroic fate of Achilles was destined already at birth. After all, according to Greek myths, the offspring that appeared as a result of the connection of immortal gods with mortal people became a hero. He himself did not possess immortality, however, he could count on the protection of his heavenly relatives and, as a rule, had outstanding abilities, mainly in combat.

Achilles' mother was the sea nymph Thetis, and his father was Peleus, who reigned over the Myrmidons. Therefore, in the Iliad the hero is often called Pelid (which means son of Peleus). The unusual marriage between an earthly man and an immortal nymph is also explained in myths. Thetis was raised by Hera, and when Zeus tried to seduce the young nymph, she, in gratitude for the care that his legal wife showed her, refused the voluptuous Olympian. As punishment, Zeus married Thetis to a mortal.

Achilles' heel

Time passed and Thetis and Peleus had children. To check whether they were immortal or not, Thetis dipped the newborn into a cauldron of boiling water. This is how the first six sons died. The seventh was Achilles. It was his father who saved him from the unenviable fate of his brothers, taking his son away from his wife in time. After this, Thetis leaves her husband and returns to live at the bottom of the sea. But she continues to closely monitor her son's life.

According to another myth, Thetis lowered little Achilles into the waters of the sacred Styx, flowing in the kingdom of Hades. This gave the child invincibility. Only his heel, the place where his mother held him tightly, remained vulnerable. This is where the stable expression “Achilles’ heel” comes from, which conveys the idea of ​​a person’s weak point.

After his wife leaves, Peleus sends his young son to be raised by the centaur Chiron. He feeds him animal bone marrow instead of mother's milk. The boy grows up and diligently learns the science of using weapons. And according to some reports, the art of healing.

Visiting Lycomedes

Chiron, who, among other things, also had the gift of a fortuneteller, tells Thetis that if her son avoids participating in the upcoming Trojan War, then he is destined for a long life. If he goes there, the Greeks will win, but Achilles will die. This prompts Thetis to send her son to another island - Skyros, and hide him among the daughters of King Lycomedes. For greater safety, Achilles lives there dressed in women's clothing.

This behavior seems somewhat unusual for a hero thirsting for immortal glory. However, it is worth remembering that at that time the young man was barely fifteen years old. It was by the time described by Homer in the Iliad that Achilles became a fully formed, experienced warrior. After all, the siege of the impregnable city lasted twenty years. And all this time the Greeks did not sit idle. They attacked nearby cities and ravaged them. In the meantime, it was a young man. Bold, but obedient to the instructions of his divine mother.

Meeting with Odysseus

Meanwhile, a chain of events leads to the gathering of troops for war against Troy. The priest Kalkhant announces that if the son of Peleus does not participate in the campaign, the Greeks will face a crushing defeat. Then the Achaean leaders hastily equip Odysseus and send him after Achilles to the island of Skyros.

Realizing that going against the immortal celestials with brute force is more expensive for himself, Odysseus resorts to cunning. He introduces himself as an ordinary traveling merchant and enters the palace of Lycomedes. Having laid out his goods in front of the king’s daughters, Odysseus places richly decorated weapons among the jewelry.

At the appointed moment, Odysseus’s people, on his orders, sounded the alarm. All the girls scattered, only Achilles was not at a loss. This gave him away. The young man grabbed his weapon and ran towards his imaginary enemies. Declassified by Odysseus, Achilles agrees to join the military campaign and takes with him his beloved friend Patroclus, with whom he grew up together.

Sacrifice of Iphigenia

And now a huge Greek fleet, which now includes a detachment of Myrmidons on fifty warships led by Achilles, advances to Troy. The immortal inhabitants of Olympus also participate in all the unfolding events. Moreover, some of them support the Trojans, and some are on the side of the Greeks. Due to the next tricks of the gods supporting the defenders of Troy, the Greek fleet, immobilized by the lack of a fair wind, stands off the coast of the island of Aulis.

Kalkhant makes another prediction: a fair wind will blow only if Agamemnon, the leader of the Greek army who launched a campaign against Troy, sacrifices his daughter Iphigenia. This did not bother my father. The only problem he saw was how to get the girl to the island? Therefore, messengers are sent to Iphigenia with the message that she has been given as a wife to Achilles and must come to Aulis for the wedding. The description of the portrait of Achilles, the hero of ancient Greek mythology, does not leave her indifferent and the girl arrives on the island for the wedding. Instead, it goes straight to the altar.

One version of this story claims that Achilles himself knew nothing about the insidious plan. And when he found out, he rushed with weapons in his hands to defend the deceived princess. But earlier myths tell that the son of Peleus did not show any sentimentality, because he himself was eager to sail to Troy as quickly as possible. And if the gods demand sacrifices, then who will argue with them? In fairness, it is worth noting that Iphigenia was still saved. True, not a hero, but the one who replaced the girl with a doe.

Meeting with the Amazon

But be that as it may, the sacrifice was accepted, and the Greeks arrived safely at Troy. Thus began a long siege of the impregnable city. As already mentioned, Achilles did not sit idle. He became famous at the very beginning of the war, winning one after another glorious victories over the cities surrounding Troy and nearby islands. According to the son of Priam, who was subsequently killed by Achilles, during this time he did not meet with the daring and successful invader. And Achilles continued to hone his skill with weapons.

In one of the next raids, Achilles enters into battle with the queen of the Amazons, Penticelia, who at that time was hiding on the mainland from the revenge of her fellow tribesmen. After a difficult struggle, the hero kills the queen and, using the end of a spear to pry up the helmet, which hid the entire upper part of her face, throws it off the woman. Struck by her beauty, the hero falls in love with her.

Nearby is one of the Greek warriors - Thersites. According to Homer's unflattering descriptions, a very unpleasant subject. He accuses Achilles of lust for a dead woman and gouges out her eyes with a spear. Without thinking twice, Achilles turns around and kills Thersites with one blow to the jaw.

Briseis and Chryseis

In another campaign, the Greeks capture Briseis, whom Achilles keeps as his concubine. Mythology describes that a young woman is not at all burdened by her position. On the contrary, she is always loving and gentle.

At this time, Agamemnon also enjoys the fruits of the raids. Among other things, he is presented with a beautiful girl, Chryseis, as a share of the spoils. But her father comes to the camp, begging to be allowed to ransom his daughter. Agamemnon mocks him and throws him out in shame. Then the inconsolable father begged Apollo for help, and he sent an epidemic to the Greeks. The same soothsayer Kalkhant explains the cause of the misfortunes and says that the girl must be released. Achilles warmly supports him. But Agamemnon does not want to give in. Passions are running high.

Discord with Agamemnon

In the end, Chryseis is released. However, the vengeful Agamemnon, harboring a grudge, decides to take revenge on Achilles. Therefore, as compensation, he takes Briseis from him. The enraged hero refuses to continue taking part in the war. From this moment, events begin to develop rapidly, as the Iliad describes it. The duel between Achilles and Hector is inexorably approaching. As well as the tragic outcome to which it will lead.

Achilles' inaction

The Greeks suffer defeat after defeat. But the insulted Achilles does not give in to anyone’s persuasion and continues to be inactive. But one day the defenders of Troy pushed their opponents back to the very shore. Then, heeding the persuasion of his friend Patroclus, Achilles agrees for him to lead the Myrmidons into battle. Patroclus asks permission to take his friend's armor and receives it. In the subsequent battle, Hector, the Trojan prince, mistaking Patroclus in the armor of Achilles for the famous hero, kills him. This provokes a duel between Achilles and Hector.

Duel with Hector

Having learned of the death of Patroclus, grief-stricken Achilles intends to take brutal revenge. He rushes into battle and sweeps away all the mighty warriors one by one. The characterization of Achilles that Homer gives him in this episode is the apogee of the hero’s entire life. This was the moment of immortal glory that he had so dreamed of. Single-handedly he turns back his enemies and drives them to the very walls of Troy.

In horror, the Trojans hide behind the strong walls of the city. All except one. Noble Hector is the only one who decides to fight back against the son of Peleus. But even this battle-hardened warrior is horrified at the approach of his furious enemy and takes to flight. Achilles and Hector circled Troy three times before meeting in mortal combat. The prince could not resist and fell, pierced by the spear of Achilles. Tying the corpse to his chariot, Achilles dragged Hector’s body to his camp. And only the genuine grief and humility of Hector’s inconsolable father, King Priam, who came to his camp unarmed, softened the winner’s heart, and he agreed to return the body. However, Achilles accepted the ransom - as much gold as Prince Hector of Troy weighed.

Death of a Hero

Achilles himself dies during the capture of Troy. And this cannot happen without the intervention of the gods. Apollo, disgusted by the disrespect of a mere mortal towards him, invisibly guides the arrow fired by Paris, Hector’s younger brother. The arrow pierces the hero's heel - his only weak point - and turns out to be fatal. But even while dying, Achilles continues to defeat many more Trojans. His body is carried out from the thick of the battle by Ajax. Achilles was buried with all honors, and his bones were placed in a golden urn along with the bones of Patroclus.

In the poem "Iliad" both the Greeks and Achilles are inferior in honesty to Hector. Hector, the son of Priam, acquires the most humane, pleasant features from Homer. Hector, unlike Achilles, is a hero who knows what social responsibility is; he does not put his personal feelings above others. Achilles is the personification of individualism (he takes his personal quarrel with Agamemnon to cosmic proportions). Hector does not have the bloodthirstiness of Achilles, he is generally an opponent of the Trojan War, he sees in it a terrible disaster, he understands all the horror, all the dark, disgusting side of the war. It is he who proposes to fight not with troops, but to field representatives (Paris the tr., Menelaus the Greeks). But the gods do not allow him to do this. Paris, thanks to Aphrodite, escapes from the battlefield.

Hector, unlike Achilles and other heroes, is shown from a completely different side, in peaceful life. The scene of his farewell to Andromache (wife) is one of the most subtle, psychological scenes in the poem. She asks him not to participate in the battle, because... there is Achilles, who destroyed Thebes and her entire family. Hector loves his loved ones very much and understands that Andromache will be left completely alone without him, but the duty of the defender of the Fatherland is above all for him. *sob sob* Shame will not allow him to hide behind the wall.

So, both Hector and Achilles are famous warriors. However, if Achilles puts his personal feelings, personal gain above all else, then Hector sacrifices himself for the sake of the Fatherland, giving up a peaceful family life in the name of his state. *sob sob*

Hector is accompanied by gods (Apollo, Artemis), but his difference from Achilles is infinite. Achilles is the son of the goddess Thetis, he is not susceptible to human weapons (except for the heel). Achilles is, in fact, not a man, but a half-demon. Getting ready for battle, Achilles puts on the armor of Hephaestus. Hector, on the other hand, is a simple man who faces a terrible test; he understands that only he alone can accept A’s challenge. It is not surprising that at the sight of Achilles he is overcome with horror and runs (the heroes run around Troy three times, hyperbole). The Moira goddesses decide the fate of the heroes by placing their lots on the scales. Athena helps Achilles. Dying, Hector asks for only one thing - to hand over his body to his relatives so that they can perform the funeral ceremony (very important for the Greeks). However, Achilles takes revenge for the death of his friend and says that he will throw Hector’s body to be devoured by dogs and thieves.

The images of these two heroes are very different. If the name of Achilles opens the poem, the name of Hector ends it. “So they buried the body of the horseman Hector.” Hector contains everything human (both strengths and weaknesses (he is terrified of Achilles, runs away) Achilles is almost a half-demon.

Short version

Achilles is the person.of individualism, the living.principle, half-demon, the ideal of the Greek warrior.Hector properties. everything is human. He is honest, an opponent of war, he offers to fight not with troops, but with representatives. (Paris, Menelaus) G. is shown in peaceful life: farewell to Andromache - a subtle psychic scene of the poem. Patriot. Shame did not allow him to hide behind the walls. When he sees Ah.is.horror, he runs away. They run around Troy 3 times, G. comes to terms with fear. The lot decides the death of G. He asks Akh. to give up the body of his relatives, but Akh. refuses, because he is avenging Patroclus.

Super brief

Hector is a normal person, and Achilles is a cruel half-demon egoist who loves himself. For Hector, the duty of the Fatherland is above all

^ 11. Cunning Odysseus is the bearer of worldly wisdom. V. G. Belinsky about Odysseus.

V.G. Belinsky wrote: “Odysseus is the apotheosis of human wisdom; but what is his wisdom? In cunning, often crude and flat, in what in our prosaic language is called “deception.” And yet, in the eyes of the infant people, this cunning could not help but seem like the extreme degree of possible wisdom.” (Mwhahahaha! I finally found that he wrote about Odysseus)

The constant epithet of Odysseus in the Odyssey is “long-suffering”, “many-minded”. Odysseus is very different from other heroes (including the heroes of the Iliad). The image of Odysseus depicts the highest degree of practical intelligence and cunning. He does not trust the gods, fully aware of their cunning and cunning disposition. Having found himself in yet another shipwreck, Odysseus accepts the gift of the nymph Leucotea (cloak), but does not let go of the log, because... understands that you can’t count on the gods (Like, trust in God, but don’t make a mistake yourself)

The image of Odysseus is imbued with patriotism and love for the homeland. He dreams of returning to Ithaca, to his wife Penelope, son Telemachus. The practical and business inclination of his nature acquires its true meaning only in connection with his selfless love for his homeland and his wife waiting for him, as well as his constantly difficult fate, which forces him to continuously suffer and shed tears far from their homeland. Athena speaks with great feeling to Zeus about his constant suffering at the council of the gods and asks him to return Odysseus home. Poseidon is constantly angry with him. His nanny wonders why the gods are constantly indignant at him, given his constant piety and submission to the will of the gods. His grandfather gave him the name precisely as “the man of divine wrath.”

It is not surprising that he often resorts to cunning. Either he gets out of the cave under the belly of a ram, grabbing its wool, and thereby deceives the vigilance of the blind Polyphemus. Then he intoxicates the Cyclops and the cannibal and gouges out his only eye. Either he slips past the sirens, where no one has ever passed alive and well, then he makes his way into his own palace and takes possession of it. He himself speaks of his subtle cunning, and Polyphemus guessed that it was not the strength, but the cunning of Odysseus that destroyed him.

Odysseus is very careful, in fact he does not trust anyone, he is cunning and prudent. It manifests itself in different areas of life. He is a carpenter, a plowman, and a sailor. Unites almost all the knowledge of his era. Odysseus also has traits that make him similar to other heroes. He is a fighter, extremely cruel (kills all the suitors), he is characterized by communication with the gods (Athena, Hermes). Nevertheless, his cunning, intelligence and foresight set him apart from everyone else.

Short version

V.G. Belinsky wrote: “Odysseus is the apotheosis of human wisdom; but what is his wisdom? In cunning, often crude and flat, in what in our prosaic language is called “deception.” And yet, in the eyes of the infant people, this cunning could not help but seem like the extreme degree of possible wisdom.”

Od. “long-suffering”, “many-minded”. Cunning. Resourceful. Doesn't trust the gods (accepts Leucotea's cloak, but doesn't throw the log) Patriot. Despite all the troubles, he strives for his wife and son in Ithaca. Post is angry with him. Poseidon because he blinded his son, Polyphemus. Unites all the knowledge of the era, carpenter, sailor, warrior. However, he is cruel (killing suitors), communicates with the gods (Athena)

Super brief

Odysseus is very cunning, does not trust the gods and always gets out of various situations that the gods arrange for him. And Belinsky said that he was engaged in deception.

Homer asks the Muse to tell him about the wanderings of Odysseus. At a meeting of the gods on Olympus, Zeus recalls the madness of Aegisthus, who ignored warnings from above, seduced Agamemnon’s wife, Clytemnestra, and plotted the latter’s murder. He is later killed by Agamemnon's son, Orestes.

The goddess Athena convinces Zeus that Odysseus must return home, despite the wrath of Poseidon, the god of the sea, who was angry with Odysseus because he blinded his son, the cyclops Polyphemus. Athena goes to Ithaca to give advice to Odysseus' son, Telemachus. She demands that he visit the Greek kings, Nestor and Menelaus, in search of news about Odysseus. The next day, Telemachus calls a meeting and threatens to drive out the suitors of his mother, Penelope, from the house.

BOOK 2 Telemachus complains to the assembly about the behavior of the suitors and asks the latter to return to their home. The two main suitors, Antinous and Eurymachus, accuse Penelope of not choosing a husband for herself. Antinous tells how Penelope deceived and delayed her decision by weaving clothes for Laertes, the father of Odysseus, during the day and unweaving what she had made at night. With the help of Athena, Telemachus finds a ship and sails to Pylos, the city of Nestor, one of the participants in the Trojan War.

BOOK 3 In Pylos, Telemachus is met by King Nestor, who talks about how the Greeks left Troy, the murder of Agamemnon and the return home of Menelaus. At the request of Telemachus, Nestor, in great detail, tells the story of Aegisthus and Clytemnestra, their conspiracy against Agamemnon and the revenge of Orestes. Nestor sends his son, Peisistratus, to accompany Telemachus to Sparta, to King Menelaus.

BOOK 4 Telemachus and Peisistratus arrive in Sparta. King Menelaus celebrates the weddings of his children, Hermione and Megapenthes. Menelaus greets the arrivals; Elena joins them. They remember the exploits of Odysseus in Troy. Menelaus tells of his meeting with the old sea man Proteus, who told him about the death of Ajax at sea, the murder of Menelaus' brother, Agamemnon, and the captivity of Odysseus on Ogygia, the island of the nymph Calypso. At the same time, the suitors in Ithaca learn of Telemachus's departure and plot to kill him.

BOOK 5 At the request of Athena, Zeus sends a messenger, Hermes, to the nymph Calypso demanding that Odysseus be released home. Odysseus builds a raft and sails to Scheria, the land of the Phaeacians. Poseidon, still angry with Odysseus, breaks his raft, but, with the help of Athena and the sea nymph Ino, Odysseus makes it to shore.

BOOK 6 The next morning, Nausicaä, the daughter of the king of the Phaeacians, goes to the seashore to wash her clothes, as Athena ordered her. Odysseus shows up, scaring Nausicaä and her maids. Because he asks for help, Nausicaä gives him clothes and explains how best to appear at the house of her father, Alcinous.

BOOK 7 Arrival of Odysseus at the palace of Alcinous. He is given a place at the feast. Alcinous promises that he will help Odysseus return to his homeland. Without revealing his name, Odysseus talks about his stay with Calypso and his journey to Scheria. Alcinous asks Odysseus to stay and offers him his daughter Nausicaä as his wife. However, if Odysseus wants to return home, the Phaeacians will help him.

BOOK 8 At a feast among the Phaeacians, the singer Demodocus sings about Troy; Athletic competitions are organized. Alcinous's son, Laodamas, asks Odysseus to take part in the competition. Odysseus shows his skill in throwing the discus. Demodocus sings about the love of Ares, the god of war, and Aphrodite, the goddess of love, and how Hephaestus, Aphrodite's husband, caught them and put them on display for all the gods. The Phaeacians give Odysseus rich gifts. At the request of the latter, Demodocus sings about the Trojan Horse. Odysseus is moved to tears; he is asked to reveal who he is and why he cries when they talk about Troy.

BOOK 9 Odysseus says his name and begins the story of his wanderings. He describes the sailing from Troy, beginning with the attack on the Ciconians, during which many of his men died, driven mad. Odysseus then talks about visiting the island of lot eaters; Having tasted their food, many of Odysseus’s men forgot about home. Odysseus also talks about the adventures in the land of the Cyclops: they were captured by Polyphemus; he ate several warriors; the rest intoxicated him, blinded him and ran away from the cave. After Odysseus boasted of his success, Polyphemus called on Poseidon, his father, to avenge him, which was the reason for Poseidon's anger at Odysseus.

BOOK 10 Odysseus tells how he and his men reached the island of Aeolus, the king who was given power over the winds by the gods. Aeolus gives Odysseus a bag containing winds, which should help Odysseus return home. Odysseus' men, however, thought that the bag contained treasure. Already off the coast of Ithaca, Odysseus’s people, while he was sleeping, opened the bag. As a result, they washed up again on the shores of the island of Eola, but he refused to help them a second time. Sailing further, the travelers reached the land of the Laestrygonians. These giants attacked them and destroyed all of Odysseus's ships except one. Then Odysseus landed on the island of the sorceress Kirka, who turned his people into pigs. With the help of Hermes, Odysseus escaped the same fate and forced Kirke to lift the spell on his men. Odysseus and his men stayed with Kirk for a whole year. Before they left, Kirk told Odysseus that he should visit the kingdom of the dead and consult with the soothsayer Tiresias.

BOOK 11 In the kingdom of the dead, Tiresias warns Odysseus not to touch the herds of Helios, the sun god. Odysseus also met his mother, Anticlea. Here Odysseus is interrupted: the queen of the Phaeacians, Arete, praises him. Alcinous asks Odysseus to continue and talk about the meeting with the shadows of the Greek heroes. Odysseus recounts his meeting with Agamemnon and Achilles and with other heroes.

BOOK 12 Odysseus tells how he and his men returned to the island of Kirke. The travelers sail past the sirens and Odysseus, tied to the mast, heard their songs. Then they passed by the whirlpool of Charybdis and the monster Scylla, which ate six of Odysseus's men. At the request of Eurylochos, one of Odysseus's comrades, they landed on Thrinacia, the island of the sun god Helios. Storms kept them here for a month and, despite Odysseus's warning, his men killed the god's herds while Odysseus slept. Zeus punished them with a storm at sea, during which only Odysseus was saved. He reached the island of Calypso and, on this, Odysseus ends the story.

BOOK 13 The Phaeacians accompany Odysseus to Ithaca and leave him sleeping on the island. On the way back, Poseidon turns their ship to stone. Athena advises Odysseus on how to defeat the suitors and turns him into an old man.

BOOK 14 Odysseus goes to the house of his old servant Eumaeus, who receives him well. Odysseus tells him a fictitious story about his life: he, a Cretan warrior, fought in Troy; then he visited Egypt, Phoenicia and other countries. BOOK 15 At the request of Athena, Telemachus leaves the palace of Menelaus in Sparta. In Ithaca, Eumaeus answers Odysseus's questions; he tells how he was kidnapped by a Phoenician servant and how Laertes ransomed him. At this time, Telemachus avoids the suitors' ambush and lands safely on Ithaca.

BOOK 16 Telemachus visits Eumaeus and sends him to inform Penelope of his arrival. Odysseus reveals himself to Telemachus and they formulate a plan for revenge on the suitors. Penelope and the suitors learn that Telemachus has returned. The suitors consult whether they should kill Telemachus. Penelope reproaches them for this.

BOOK 17 Telemachus returns home and tells Penelope about his journey. Odysseus, disguised as a beggar, goes to the palace, accompanied by Eumaeus. As they approach the house, Argos, Odysseus's old dog, recognizes him and dies. Odysseus asks the suitors for alms and tells them a fictitious story about his adventures. Antinous, the chief suitor, insults Odysseus and throws a stool at him. Eumaeus tells Penelope about the "newcomer."

BOOK 18 Penelope complains about the behavior of the suitors. The feast turns into a fight after Odysseus angers Eurymachus, one of the suitors.

BOOK 19 Odysseus and Telemachus remove weapons and armor from the hall. Penelope questions Odysseus. He tells her a fictitious story. The nurse Eurycleia washes Odysseus's feet and recognizes him by his scar. She almost gives Odysseus away. Penelope invites the suitors to have a competition with Odysseus's bow. She will marry the winner.

BOOK 20 The next day, the suitors gather at Odysseus's house. Odysseus meets Philoetius, his faithful shepherd, and predicts his own return. The suitors decide not to kill Telemachus.

BOOK 21 Penelope announces a contest, but no one can string the bow. Odysseus reveals himself to two faithful servants: Eumaeus and Philoetius. Despite the protests of the suitors, Odysseus is given a bow. He pulls it and shoots an arrow through a row of axes.

BOOK 22 Odysseus kills Antinous and reveals himself. A battle begins and, with the help of Athena, all the suitors are killed. Unfaithful maids are severely punished.

BOOK 23 Eurycleia tells Penelope that Odysseus has returned and defeated the suitors. Penelope doesn't believe it and checks Odysseus. She recognizes him because... he answers all questions correctly. A joyful meeting.

BOOK 24 The shadows of the suitors descend into the kingdom of the dead and tell the heroes about their fate. Odysseus meets his father, Laertes. The relatives of the murdered suitors decide to take revenge. After one of them is killed, Athena intervenes and brings peace.

Achilles/Achilles (swift-footed, god-like) is the central character of the poem; without the participation of this warrior Troy could not have fallen. Achilles is the ideal warrior of the heroic era. Cruel, bloodthirsty, selfish. Achilles is bloodthirsty: he avenges the death of his beloved friend and kills so many Trojans that the water in the river turns into blood (including killing the sons of Priam) Completely cold-blooded and indifferently sacrifices captured young men to the grave of Patroclus.

The image of Achilles is dominated by individualism, pride, and touchiness. He raises his personal quarrel with Agamemnon to cosmic proportions. Achilles dreams only of personal glory and is ready to give his life for this.

Achilles' experience coincides with the dictates of fate and his own turbulence of life. He knows that he will not return from Troy, and nevertheless, he undertakes a difficult and dangerous campaign:

Why are you, Xanth, prophesying death for me? It's not your concern!

I know well that fate is destined for me to die

Here, far from father and mother. But I won't get off

From the battle, until the Trojans have had their fill of war!

Comparative characteristics of the images of Achilles and Hector

Hector, the son of Priam, acquires the most humane, pleasant features from Homer. Hector, unlike Achilles, is a hero who knows what social responsibility is; he does not put his personal feelings above others. Achilles is the personification of individualism (he takes his personal quarrel with Agamemnon to cosmic proportions). Hector does not have the bloodthirstiness of Achilles, he is generally an opponent of the Trojan War, he sees in it a terrible disaster, he understands all the horror, all the dark, disgusting side of the war. It is he who proposes to fight not with troops, but to field representatives (Paris the tr., Menelaus the Greeks).

Hector, unlike Achilles and other heroes, is shown from a completely different side, in peaceful life. The scene of his farewell to Andromache (wife) is one of the most subtle, psychological scenes in the poem. She asks him not to participate in the battle, because... there is Achilles, who destroyed Thebes and her entire family. Hector loves his loved ones very much and understands that Andromache will be completely alone without him, but the duty of the defender of the Fatherland is above all for him. Shame will not allow him to hide behind a wall.

Hector is accompanied by the gods (Apollo, Artemis), but his difference from Achilles is infinite. Achilles is the son of the goddess Thetis, he is not susceptible to human weapons (except for the heel). Achilles is, in fact, not a man, but a half-demon. Getting ready for battle, Achilles puts on the armor of Hephaestus. Hector is a simple man who faces a terrible test; he understands that only he can take on the challenge, and Athena helps Achilles.

The images of these two heroes are very different. If the name of Achilles opens the poem, the name of Hector ends it. “So they buried the body of the horseman Hector.”

Achilles (Achilles) is the main character of the poem, a stern and unforgiving warrior. In response to the insult inflicted on him by Agamemnon, the supreme leader and leader of the Achaean army, which besieged Troy for 10 years, A. refuses to participate in the war. Because of this, the Achaeans suffer one defeat after another. But when the Trojan leader Hector kills A. Patroclus’s friend, A. forgets about his offense and reconciles with Agamemnon. The mighty A., patronized by the goddess Athena, shows miracles of courage on the battlefield and kills Hector in a duel, whose death marks

Final defeat of the Trojans. A.'s image bears the typical features of a mythological epic hero, a courageous warrior, in whose value system the most important thing is military honor. Proud, hot-tempered and proud, he participates in the war not so much in order to return the king of Sparta Menelaus his wife Helen, kidnapped by Paris (this was the reason for the war with Troy), but rather in order to glorify his name. A. thirsts for more and more new exploits that will strengthen his glory as an invincible warrior. He sees the meaning of his life in constantly risking his life. A. despises a quiet life at home and prefers death in battle to a serene old age.

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1. The plots of Homer’s famous poems “Iliad” and “Odyssey”, which have fully survived to this day, as well as a number of other poems that have not survived, are taken from an extensive cycle of tales about the Trojan War. Each of the two...
2. I will allow myself to do without a canonical introduction, because we will be talking about a genius who needs no introduction; about a work, every line of which has long become aphoristic. Just enough...
3. Hector is the son of Priam, leader of the Trojan army. Like Achilles, G. in all his actions is guided by military honor, but if Achilles values ​​it for its own sake, then G., taking care of his...
4. PATROCLUS is the hero of Homer’s poem “The Iliad” (between the 10th and 8th centuries BC). In Greek mythology, he is the son of one of the Argonauts, Menetius, which is why he is called Menetiad or Menetid in the Iliad....
5. We all have an inherent interest in important events of the past, we are intrigued by figures of ancient times, we sympathize with them, and become indignant because of injustice. The events of the Trojan War, depicted in ancient literature like this...
6. Helen is the daughter of the supreme god Zeus and the mortal woman Leda, endowed with extraordinary beauty, the wife of Menelaus, kidnapped by the son of the king of Troy, Paris. Of all the characters in the Iliad, E. most embodies the idea...
7. The history of a people, as a rule, begins with fantastic retellings of myths and beautiful legends. These creations always contain a grain of history, edged and embellished with fantasy. Already in the first millennium BC...
8. Nausicaa is the daughter of Alcinous and Arete, princess of the Phaeacians. On the very night when Odysseus reaches the Phaeacian island of Scheria, the goddess Athena appears to Nausicaä in a dream, reproaching her for...
9. ACHILLES (ACHILLES) is the hero of Homer’s poem “The Iliad” (between the 10th and 8th centuries BC). In Greek mythology, A. is the son of the sea goddess Thetis and Peleus, king of the city of Phthia in Faessaly. By...
10. Alcinous is a character in the Odyssey (cantos 6-13), king of the Phaeacians, husband of Aretha and father of Nausicaä. After Odysseus arrives on the Phaeacian island of Scheria, A. cordially welcomes the stranger into his home, treating him to...
11. The exact dates of the life of the legendary ancient Greek creator have not been established. They range from the 12th to the 7th century. BC e. Seven cities fought for the right to be called his homeland: Smyrna, Chios, Colophon, Salamis,...
12. In Greek mythology, he is the king of the island of Ithaca. Son of Laertes, husband of Penelope, father of Telemachus. Talking about Odysseus, Homer uses the epithets “many-minded,” “godlike,” “persevere,” “steadfast in trials.” The recently married Odysseus did not want...
13. Ancient literature can be divided into 2 periods (literature of ancient Greece and literature of ancient Rome). Greek literature arose from about the 1st millennium BC, it had a huge influence on the entire...
14. The problem of Odysseus is “hateful to the immortal gods,” as Aeolus calls him. Why hated? Perhaps because he put himself on the same level as the gods? Conflict with Poseidon and his son Polyphemus...
15. Thersites (otherwise Thersites) is a character from the Iliad, a Greek warrior. T. appears only once, in the 2nd song of the poem (verses), where, at the moment of Agamemnon’s testing of the Greek army, he calls on everyone to return home, leaving ...
16. Odysseus (in the Roman tradition, Ulysses is the king of Ithaca, the main character of Homer’s poem “Odyssey” and one of the minor characters in the “Iliad”), O.’s courage is combined with cunning and prudence. O. and he thinks...
17. Paris in the Iliad is a boastful, idle and careless handsome man who, treacherously violating the laws of hospitality, kidnapped his wife Helen from Menelaus. P.'s beauty in the poem is often contrasted with his lack of pure...
The most attractive thing about Homer for the modern reader is the unobtrusive, simple-minded combination of truth and fiction, history and myth, which for Homer’s contemporaries was not just a joyful fiction, but constituted...

Achilles (Achilles) is the main character of the poem, a stern and unforgiving warrior. In response to the insult inflicted on him by Agamemnon, the supreme leader and leader of the Achaean army, which besieged Troy for 10 years, A. refuses to participate in the war. Because of this, the Achaeans suffer one defeat after another. But when the Trojan leader Hector kills A. Patroclus’s friend, A. forgets about his offense and reconciles with Agamemnon. The mighty A., patronized by the goddess Athena, shows miracles of courage on the battlefield and kills Hector in a duel, whose death marks

final defeat of the Trojans. A.'s image bears the typical features of a mythological epic hero, a courageous warrior, in whose value system the most important thing is military honor. Proud, hot-tempered and proud, he participates in the war not so much in order to return the king of Sparta Menelaus his wife Helen, kidnapped by Paris (this was the reason for the war with Troy), but rather in order to glorify his name. A. thirsts for more and more new exploits that will strengthen his glory as an invincible warrior. He sees the meaning of his life in constantly risking his life. A. despises a quiet life at home and prefers death in battle to a serene old age.

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Other works on this topic:

1. Paris is the son of Priam, king of Troy, brother of Hector. P. in the Iliad is a boastful, idle and careless handsome man who, treacherously violating the laws of hospitality, stole from Menelaus...
2. Hector is the son of Priam, leader of the Trojan army. Like Achilles, G. is guided in all his actions by military honor, but if Achilles values ​​it for its sake...
3. Helen is the daughter of the supreme god Zeus and the mortal woman Leda, endowed with extraordinary beauty, the wife of Menelaus, kidnapped by the son of the king of Troy, Paris. Of all the characters in the Iliad, E...
4. Thersites (otherwise Thersites) is a character from the Iliad, a Greek warrior. T. appears only once, in the 2nd song of the poem (verses), where, at the moment of Agamemnon’s testing of the Greek army, he ...
5. Andromache is Hector's wife. A. appears in the 6th song, describing the meeting with her of Hector, who returned from the battle to the city. A. begs him to stay in Troy...
6. Nestor is a character in the Iliad and Odyssey, the king of Pylos. In the poems, N. appears as an old man, wise in years, whose main task is to help younger heroes with advice....
7. Electra is a character in the tragedies “Electra” and “Orestes”. In the tragedy “Electra” E. was given by Aegisthus and Clytemnestra in marriage to a poor peasant. However, this marriage remains fictitious, so...
8. 1) Features of the genre of the work. Homer's Iliad belongs to the genre of epic poem, although the work retains traces of oral folk poetry. 2) Theme and problems of the work. Main theme...