The Iliad Essay -- Greece Greek Literature Essays

The Iliad Central to any study of the clework forcetities is the human condition our nature, which has historically shown that it is equally capable of both good and iniquity deeds and the line of work that arises from it specifically, why do humans suffer? many an(prenominal) philosophies and religions have their own account for this aspect of humanity, and we find that what the accounts have in common is each explains the human condition in terms that be similar to how that institution of thought explains the true nature of reality. Homers The Iliad is an extravagant account of the Trojan War which describes many behavioral similarities amidst the gods and people. The name of Book 14 Hera Outflanks Zeus epitomizes the disparity between the gods Hera low slyly convinces Aphrodite, Zeus daughter, to make her irresistible. Quick with treachery noble Hera answered, exhibit me Love, give me Longing now, the powers you use to overwhelm all gods and mo rtal men / Aphrodite, smiling her everlasting smile, replied, Impossibleworse, its wrong to deny your substantial request (Homer, 376) Next, Hera allies with Sleep to deceive Zeus so that Poseidon atomic number 50 help the Achaeans. With the power of Aphrodite, she plans to seduce Zeus and have him put to relaxation as they make love. Sleep, master of all gods and all mortal men, retch Zeus to sleep for me Seal his shining eyes as briefly as Ive gone to bed with him, locked in love, and I pull up stakes give you gifts (Homer, 377) We observe here that Hera tempts Sleep with bribes as people oft do when they know something they want is difficult to obtain. These envious, deceitful, and other humanistic qualities of the gods ineluctably produce disagreement amongst them, which is in puzzle out manifested in the lives of mortals. In polytheistic Greek cultures such as that of the world of The Iliad, the gods affect the lives of mortals based in the main on th e gods whims. Each people have their own contingent of gods who concentrate them, but also other gods who dislike them and whom they do not worship. This betrothal between the influences of one gods favor and anothers menace on the Achaeans is portrayed in the death of Patroclus, Achilles brother-in-arms. Hera and Poseidon help tremendously to keep the Trojans from burning the Achaeans ship. Patroclus, no longer able to sit by idly as his comrades die, ... ... It would be unfair to assume that, however, because it is no more provable or disprovable than any of the other theories. The only conclusion we digest draw from this discussion of the human condition, therefore, is that there is no solution to its problem for whole of humanity. If people are troubled by the problem, they must tackle a theory for their own belief from those independently suggested by the philosophies and religions of the world. Or, they could turn to another of their own construction. Under this system, each person is individually decline and, as a whole, we should be satisfied with our abilities to cope with the human condition. whole works Cited1. Homer. The Iliad. Trans. Robert Fagles. New York Penguin Books, 1990. 2. The Book of Job. Trans. Stephen Mitchell. New York HarperCollins Publishers,1992. 3. Plato. The Republic. Trans. Richard W. Sterling and William C. Scott. New YorkW.W. Norton & Company, 1996. 4. Holy watchword (New International Version). International Bible Society, 1973, 1978,1984. 5. The Meaning of the Glorious Koran. Trans. Mohammed Marmaduke Pickthall. Chicago KAZI Publications.