e remains childish and petulant in his personality, even in the moment of his greatest triumph he lacks the nobility and generosity expected of a truly great hero. The "man of many ways" Odysseus, however, rises above his purely human limitations to achieve a much greater destiny, triumphing over the dangers of war and wandering to come home to his wife and family. Achilles, the first tragic hero in literature, depicts both sides of human nature: Achilles personifies what is best and worst in human nature. He is at his best when heoffers compassion and consolation that reveal his profound understanding of the human condition. However at his worst he behaves like a selfish child and acts like a brutal beast. (Rosenberg 121)We observe the more unpleasant aspects of Achilles' character shortly after we first encounter him in The Iliad, during his quarrel with Agamemnon over the possession of a concubine. Before the assembled Greek leaders, Achilles complains that he never gets his fair share of the prizes, that the Achaeans do not give him sufficient honor, and that he has grown weary of fighting the Trojans, "since to me they have done nothing" (Lattimore, 1967:63). When Agamemnon decides to teach him a lesson and take his concubine Briseis from him, Achilles demonstrates a fit of temper and warns all the Greeks that they will be sorry they refused to cater to his desires: "And then you will eat out the heart within you in sorrow, that you did no honour to the best of the Achaeans" (Lattimore, 1967:65). Then he leaves to sulk in his tent. Achilles unarguably is indeed the "best of the Achaeans" in combat, but since he is the son of a goddess and blessed with invulnerability in battle, heroism is not the quality that makes him a great warrior. His counterpart among the Trojans, Hector, in truth, is a much nobler character-- loving to his parents, wife and children, fearless in battle, and willing to sacrifice everything for his people. ...
