The Iliad Essay Research Paper True HeroPatroclus

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The Iliad Essay, Research Paper True Hero Patroclus is the aid to Achilles and his closest confidant. He is an excellent complement to Achilles. They hold dear the same principles and possess the same attributes. Although Achilles? skills are greater, Patroclus is a much greater hero and man than Achilles is. Patroclus? moral character is very high. He stands up for what is right, and denounces the selfish actions of his friend. Achilles is the greatest warrior and Patroclus? best friend, but Patroclus has no reservations about pointing out Achilles mistakes. He is the only one who doesn?t fear the rage of Achilles. ?But you are intractable, Achilles!/ Pray god such anger never seizes me, such rage you nurse./ Cursed in your own courage! What good will a man,/ even one in the

next generation, get from you/ unless you defend the Argives from disaster?/ You heart of iron!? (16:32-37). Patroclus wants to fight and save his fellow Argives. He grieves for his injured and fallen comrades. Achilles doesn?t weep for his countryman the way Patroclus does. ?Or weeping over the Argives, are you? Seeing them die/ against the hollow ships, repaid for their offenses?? (16:18-19). Achilles still holds the notion that the Greeks must pay for the offense they caused him. Patroclus is a loyal friend to the glory hungry Achilles. He is similar to Banquo fighting with Macbeth. Banquo was always overshadowed in battle next to Macbeth. Achilles allows Patroclus to fight as long as he does not steal away any of Achilles? glory. ?Once you have whipped the enemy from the

fleet/ you must come back, Patroclus. Even if Zeus/ the thundering lord of Hera lets you seize your glory,/ you must not burn for war against these Trojans,/ madmen lusting for battle-not without me-/you will only make my glory that much less? (16:101-106). Achilles cares for his friend, but doesn?t want him to receive his glory. Achilles only wants the Trojans away from his ships. Achilles feels if anyone is to sack Troy, it must be him. The tide of the battle is turned more by Patroclus, than by Achilles. Patroclus is definitely the biggest indirect cause of the Greek victory. His death sends the self involved Achilles into his great rampage. The loss of his noble friend angers him so much, he decides to exact revenge, and win the war. Achilles was ready to leave his friends on

the field to die. ?No, you must turn back-/ soon as you bring light of victory to the ships./ Let the rest of them cut themselves to pieces on the plain!? (16:112-114). Achilles is the most powerful warrior on Earth, but he refuses to fight. If he had fought his friends would not experience the hardships they faced. When Achilles had fought before the Greeks had maintained the advantage. The absence of Achilles from the battlefield made Trojan dominance easy. Patroclus provides the catalyst that ignites the turn of the war. Patroclus was also able to turn the tide of the battle while living as well. Patroclus tried to win the war for different reasons than Achilles. He did it to save his friends and army from destruction. In Patrocolus? attempt for victory he was unmatched on the

battlefield by any mortal. An immortal interfered with Patroclus? conquest. ?And then and there the Achaeans might have taken Troy,/ her towering gates toppling under Patroclus? power/ heading the vanguard, storming on with spear./ But Apollo took his stand on the massive rampart,/ his mind blazing with death for him but help for Troy.? (16:816-820). The rampage Patroclus went on saved the Greek ships and drove the Tojans into Troy. ?But the will of Zeus will always overpower the will of men,/ Zeus who strikes fear in even the bravest man of war and tears away his triumph, all in a lightning flash,/ and at other times he will spur a man to battle,/ just as he urged Patroclus? fury now.? (16:805-809). Patroclus more than accomplished what he was assigned by his friend, but kept on