by Phillip Smyer

Created on: October 12, 2008

Throughout history, mankind has searched for meaning in life and how it can be obtained. Achilleus in Homer's epic poem The Iliad inadvertently comes to understand several core values that he did not set out to discover. Achilleus learns how to have compassion on another human being, he learns that his anger can have undesired and negative consequences and he learns that honor is about more than his ego. Many people view Achilleus as nothing but a cold-hearted killer, but there are several incidents in The Iliad that clearly show his humanity, beginning with the taking of Briseis in which Achilleus not only is angered that his prize is taken from him, but we also see glimpses of him missing her specifically; and again we see Achilleus distraught at the loss of his friend Patroklos, so upset is he that he goes to battle again in spite of Agamemnon; and also at the end of the story when Priam comes to Achilleus to ask for the body of Hektor we see Achilleus moved to pity, all of which show that Achilleus has humanity, he cares for people around him, we just do not see his care come to fruition except in time of great need.

Expounding on the meeting between Priam and Achilleus, we see a radically different character than we have seen in most of the book thus far. In both of the other incidents mentioned above, we see Achilleus angered as much as anything else, but in this incident with Priam, where Priam reminds Achilleus of his own father (in both senses of the word) we do not see anger or any other negative emotions from Achilleus. We see real, genuine human compassion for this man who has lost many sons and has recently lost his favorite son. Achilleus weeps for his own father and for Patroklos first and then turns his pity to Priam and commends him for having the courage to see the man who killed so many of his sons. Before this we don't really see true compassion out of Achilleus, he sits by his ship and not only allows many Achaians to die, but asked the gods for it so that he might regain honor. If we only saw that alone and did not read the closing book of The Iliad we might be justified in calling Achilleus an unfeeling monster, but there seems to be a change in Achilleus after the death of Patroklos; maybe having his dearest friend die on the battlefield makes him realize the finality of death. Perhaps Achilleus didn't realize before Patroklos died that the people he was killing in battle had families and friends because he was too caught up in gaining

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