Essays on Achilles

The story of Niobe, as told by Achilles in book twenty-four of the Iliad, is related to Priam for the purpose of making the latter eat, though he is grieving the loss of Hector, whose body he has come to ransom. This tale can be...

In Lattimore’s translation of The Iliad of Homer, the elaborate ekphrasis of Achilles’ shield in Book 18 temporarily ceases the unrelenting narratives of brutality, gore, and destruction of the Trojan War. Homer weaves in a detailed description of Hephaestus’ divine forgery of Achilles’ colossal shield,...

Not much is known about the ancient Greek poets Homer and Hesiod, but their literature greatly influenced Greek religion and the portrayal of the gods. The need to understand our place and purpose in the world is the impetus driving Homer, Hesiod, and all philosophers....

Homer’s epic poem, The Iliad, depicts the prominent conflict between the Achaeans and the Trojans. The Iliad and The Odyssey have become staples in universal literature and the foundation of Greek culture to many. In both works, Homer implicitly celebrates the role he plays as...

Modern day heroes compared to the ancient Greek heroes share many similarities. They are seen as extraordinary, “god- like”, brave, noble, powerful, invincible; the list is endless. There is one defining factor that these heroes have in common, most of them have one fatal flaw....