The Epic of Gilgamesh and the Iliad are two poems that served as key narratives for their respective cultures. They tell lengthy stories with adventures, hero’s, and gods, but in the end both have overbearing themes of man’s fate and man’s relationship to the gods. Both poems aim to show that no matter how reverent one is, everlasting life in not attainable. The poems both draw connections between how one’s actions in this life effect one’s fate. In the Iliad Hectors’ devotion and reverence towards
On the journey back to Ithaca, Odysseus and his men had stopped at many different islands. The first of these places was the city of Cicones. The men attacked the city and destroyed it which made Zeus very mad. As a result, another storm was created and blew Odysseus even further off track sending him into the realm of witches, monsters, and the dead. After this second storm, the first stop was on the land of the Lotus-eaters. Lotus-eaters are described as “[…] a people who created food and drink
In book one of The Odyssey, a story concerning Agamemnon is introduced with the assistance of Zeus. Agamemnon is a man who led the Greek armies during the Trojan War. While the leader had been away for approximately a decade, his wife named Clytemnestra finds herself a new lover that takes the name Aegisthus. When Agamemnon returns from war, he finds himself in a bloody situation involving Clytemnestra, her lover and the bathtub. Orestes, Agamemnon’s son, vows that he will seek revenge against his
At the end of the Trojan war, once the Greeks have sacked the city and killed all the men, they begin to collect all the woman to take them back with them as their slaves. Amongst these survivors, there is Hecuba, the Queen of Troy. Already lamenting her husband's death, she is now faced with the fact her life will dwindle out in the service of one of the men who destroyed her home. In the middle of the former queen’s turmoil, Neptune disgruntled because Troy had lost and Athena, who backed Greece
On Odysseus’ path home, he was not alone had a little bit of guidance here and there. Athena did a lot for Odysseus, she protected him from Poseidon’s waves, she guided him to the vault to locate the weapons and armor, and she also got him freed from Calypso’s island. When Odysseus was traveling home, Poseidon conjured up a great wave causing him to become shipwrecked and almost drown. Athena then gave him a protective veil that carried him safely ashore. Another time that Athena had helped Odysseus
The shield of Achilles is a very important symbol in Greek history and culture. It portrays a short story of the Achaeans versus the Trojans in the Trojan War. The Shield depicts how the Greeks view the world and life. From the earth, sea sun, moon, and stars to their sheep the shield describes it all. Hephaestus built the shield before he built the earth. He built the Shield with many precious metals such as bronze, tin, gold, and silver. After building the shield part, he then built the outer edge
In the movie Troy, Achilles faces many psychological battles as he is called to be the Greek hero of the Trojan War. In the beginning of the movie, Achilles is a stubborn soldier who cares very little for his homeland. This is made evident when Achilles is found to be missing as Agamemnon tries to conquer Thessaly. Unlike the other soldiers of Greece, he is not motivated by love and loyalty for his country. Rather, he is selfish and only motivated by things that give him his own personal gain
The book: The Ten Thousand: A Novel of Ancient Greece, written by Michael Curtis Ford, is about a slave named Theo who works for a well-known man in history named Xenophon. Xenophon: soldier, general, historian, and young philosopher was also a student of Socrates, who is a character in the story. When Theo was a child, a band of pirates captured him and his family while they were fishing off the coast of Syracuse, Theo's birthplace. Afterwards, Theo soon realized he would never see his family again
After ten long years which seemed like a lifetime, the Trojan War was finally over and the soldiers could at last return to their homeland. As some of the soldiers made their way back home to their families and property others were still not heard from or seen. Ten years might have seemed like a lifetime to some people, but for Odysseus who has been on what seems like a never ending journey back to Ithica, would have been a short period of time. The story takes off ten years after the Trojan War
Throughout The Epic of Gilgamesh and The Iliad by Homer, there are many themes that the two compositions have in common. One of the most common themes and perhaps the most central and driving theme in both epics is the theme of death and human morality. Achilles of the ancient Greek epic, The Iliad, and Gilgamesh from the ancient Sumerian epic have many similarities as heroes who both must experience the loss of a dear friend and comrade. The main character in their respective heroics shape their