his decision of prideful betrayal brings many casualties to the Achaean army. Once Agamemnon apologetically offers Achilles many valuable gifts along with the return of his war prize, Achilles refuses. In this rejection, Achilles is putting his own animosity toward Agamemnon above the needs of his fellow Achaeans. His friend Phoenix tells him to think of his diminishing honor, but Achilles answers, what do I need with honor such as that ?/ It degrades you to curry favor with [Agamemnon],/ and I will hate you for it, I who love you./ It does you proud to stand by me, my friend,/ to attack the man who attacks me(p 147). Not only does Achilles reject honor, but he egotistically asks his father figure, Phoenix, to give up his in order to take his side. Achilles insolent pride backfires on him when he becomes ultimately responsible for the death of his best friend Patroclus. Although Achilles still refuses to fight, he allows Patroclus to where his armor into battle. The sight of what the Trojans think is Achilles terrorizes them at first, but Apollo pushes him down and knocks off Patroclus armor. Hector sees the injured imposter on the ground and delivers a fatal wound. Only now, out of personal grief, does Achilles return to the battle. Achilles groans to Thetis, My spirit rebels- Ive lost the will to live,/ to take my stand in the world of men- unless,/ before all else, Hectors battered down by my spear/ and gasps away his life, the blood-price for Patroclus (p.163). After he murders Hector, Achilles lets his rageful emotions rule him once again and he totally disgraces the breathless carcass of his enemy. He does this despite the fact that Hector pleaded with him to return his body to his family. While Achilles may be presented the hero of The Iliad, he clearly has many anti-heroic qualities such as arrogance, self-centerdness, and inconsistency.Hector, son of Hecuba and Priam, is a man more comfortable with peace, yet he is still very...
