( Log Out /  In my opinion, this is because while Odysseus uses a well-reasoned, Layton Spiers The question asks which would be MORE LIKELY. Then Achilles mourns with Priam, returns the corpse of Hector, and offers the king relief from fighting so the people can properly bury Hector. English IV As the best of heroes, Achilles most resembled the carnivorous animals described in the similes. In just about every movie that has been produced, there is some sort of hero, or person who risks it all to right, similarities to Achilles and the speech’s focus on the Greek value of timē (one’s honor or how one is perceived by others), to reveal the motivations and nature of Achilles. We remember him because of the Odyssey, the journey and trial to find his way home. The debate of Brain versus Brawn has been around for as long as human beings have had the capacity to debate. Debate: The Assessment Between Achilles and Odysseus According to John Miles Foley’s A Companion to Ancient Legendary (77), an evaluation between Achilles and Odysseus is vital understand not only Ancient greek language epic, nevertheless also the idea of a leading man and his relationship to his community in a “specific historical time and place (Foley 77). Throughout both the Iliad and the Odyssey, Odysseus showed more cunning and acts of bravery than Achilles. Achilles graciously puts away his anger and welcomes the father of the enemy, showing his hospitality. But a bad man must have brains” (Gorkey). ( Log Out /  The only thing Achilles thinks about before he acts is his motivation for revenge. Odysseus and Achilles are very similar in some of their heroic ways, however, they are also drastically different. Posts about Odysseus written by John Worne. Some of the heroic traits they share include their sense of duty, their courage, their bravery, as … On his side, Achilles … Fill in your details below or click an icon to log in: You are commenting using your WordPress.com account. Likewise, people ask, what happened in Book 11 of the Odyssey? (A Comparison/Contrastation of the Epic Heroes Achilles and Odysseus) The trials they both face lead them through several trails, and through these trials they both become true heroes. I think Odysseus is the better hero out of the two because he is concerned with making strategic choices. (An analysis of the differences and similarities of Achilles and Odysseus in Homer’s two epic poems, The Iliad and The Odyssey) Odysseus is the better man because he better fits the role of an Ancient Greek man, he better, Odysseus vs Achilles: Brain or Body? It is sometimes difficult to reconcile this man with the one who willingly gives up eternal life for the moral condition and the chance to return to his wife. He states that, “There are no covenants between sheep and wolves, nor between you and me” (Achilles). When Achilles was slain in battle, it was Odysseus and Telamonian Ajax who successfully retrieved the fallen warriors' body and armour in the thick of heavy fighting. Some of these flaws match those of Odysseus and Achilles in the Iliad and Odyssey, making them more noticeable and leaving a greater influence on the tone of the Aeneid. He stops to think about every decision he takes any action, he knows that this is the smart thing to do. Odysseus, ruler of Ithaca is the main character in Homer’s epic. Odysseus pleads, “‘Eurylochus, I am one against all- the upper hand is yours. He makes sure to warn them every step of the way. Their tendency to invite dangerous challenges and ruthlessness with dealing with their enemies makes for some of the most well known myths in Greco-Roman mythology. characters of Achilles and Odysseus, the most important figures in Homer's great epic poems The Iliad and The Odyssey. We remember Achilles because of the battle of Troy. I bought a copy of Bonhoeffer’s Ethics, when I was searching for a famous quotation – which is actually by Martin Niemöller.Niemöller was arrested in 1937 by the Nazi authorities and survived first Sachsenhausen and then Dachau concentration camps. It is a recurring trope in books, movies, television, and plays. He was the fearless, striking, and a substantial warrior of the army of Agamemnon in the Trojan war. There are several similarities and differences between the two as well as their stories including, Rage vs. Wit Larr Some of the heroic traits they share include their sense of duty, their courage, their bravery, as well as their compassion. Achilles is also concerned with the safety of his men, but he is not as clever as Odysseus. As we have already seen, some experts argue that the quarrel of Achilles and Odysseus in Odyssey viii is a pastiche actually based on the opening of our Iliad, where Achilles and Agamemnon have their memorable quarrel. Achilles was the most powerful warrior in the Iliad, and has become a symbol of martial prowess in Western culture. Brain Odysseus character is very similar to Achilles. Both of these men as leaders in their heroic journeys. They both endure personal losses and they are both tested by the Gods. Above all, Odysseus exhibits self-control, and a lack of self-control is alarmingly apparent in both Achilles and Agamemnon. It is also obvious that Odysseus has greater kingly qualifications than Agamemnon because his decisions are almost always sound and successful … When Odysseus is faced with his trials he uses more caution than Achilles. He is so concerned with the safety of his men and making it home, that he makes sure to think out a plan in order to ensure he would make it past the monsters he faced. 530 BCE attributed to the painter Exekias, depicting the suicide of Telamonian Aias (Ajax) after Odysseus wins Achilles’ glorious armor in a competition with Aias. Click to see full answer. An armored cruiser of that name served in the Royal Navy during the First World War. A 60-gun ship of that name served at the Battle of Belleisle in 1761 while a 74-gun ship served at the Battle of Trafalgar. Achilles had a desire for glory, when it came to the battlefield, In the odyssey, the poem’s ultimate position on death vs. life and glory vs. homecoming plays a big role in the leading character’s storyline. Summary: Book 11 Odysseus travels to the River of Ocean in the land of the Cimmerians. A noble quality about Odysseus is his determination to save and protect his men. Achilles is discontent in the underworld, longing for life on earth. In The Iliad and The Odyssey, Achilles personifies biē, and Odysseus embodies mētis. And I think people just didn’t get the question: Neither one would, but that’s not the what the question asks. Achilles & Odysseus were both warriors on the sides of the Greeks in the Trojan War which begun after Prince Paris stole Helen, the wife of King Menelaus of Sparta. In the latter, however, some of his more ignoble traits are revealed: he is a braggart, he almost dishonorably uses poisoned arrows, and he shows conceit in his victory over the Cyclops. He had made himself known as a great warrior. Achilles fights Hektor outside the walls of Troy because Hektor killed his best friend, Patroclus. They both endure personal losses and they are both tested by the Gods. Achilles, the greatest warrior of the Greeks in the Trojan war, is actually a demi-god rather than a human hero, having been dipped in charmed waters … However, Odysseus and Achilles are more contrasting than they are similar. He is extremely persistent and he is motivated by the right reasons unlike Achilles. 530 BCE depicting a king and his ambassadors. While Achilles' character is almost utterly consistent in his rage, pride, and near divinity, Odysseus' character is difficult to pin down to a single moral; though perhaps more human than Achilles, he remains more difficult to understand. Achilles is the son of Peleus, who is the king of Myrmidon. ( Log Out /  He also had his flaws that he seemed deficient with some characteristic flaws like Odysseus did. While Achilles represents physical strength and prowess as the greatest fighter in the Achean army, Odysseus triumphs in his quick wit and cunning. Though both men were relatively close friends, as Odysseus sympathized with Achilles’ plight, saying that it was wrong of Agamemnon to slight him as he did. Polyphemus sprang on Odysseus’ men like a mountain lion (Odyssey 9.292). First part is Achilles and his cousin and King Odysseus. Odysseus Achilles is the son of Peleus, who is the king of Myrmidon. Odysseus was cunning and wise, responsible for the end of the Trojan War. Ultimately, the book shows that glory is the engine, Achilles vs. Odysseus The first one being that they are both Greek men, the second one being that they are both heroes, and the third one being that they are both leaders. According to Douglas Olson’s Blood and Iron: Stories and Storytelling in Homer’s Odyssey (52), although he is prominently known as the man who tried to save his fellowmen and dismally failed and returned home empty-handed, the fault must not be attributed to him. When comparing Odysseus and Achilles was more tragic than Odysseus. Through the stages of British literature, the epic stories of Beowulf, “Gilgamesh”, The Iliad and The Odyssey show vast evidence of this. Change ), You are commenting using your Twitter account. Achilles was fierce, determined, and skillful, leading to a number of casualties on the Trojan side. A renowned figure of Greek myth, Achilles was considered one of the greatest warriors of the ancient world, having fought on the front lines of the Trojan war. These obstacles in each island resemble his driven passion to get home to his kingdom. It is necessary to find the similarities that exist between the two men who are being compared, (i.e. In Greek mythology, Achilles is notorious for having a preference between a long and peaceful life, or a … The true origins of the question may never be known for certain, but that does not mean that they are not highlighted in some one the oldest and most. [1] The United States military can and should learn a lesson about its operational art from the lives of the two mythological warriors. Achilles is a more impulsive man than Odysseus. These shifts reflect what the people of that particular time period decided was important, as seen when comparing and contrasting Homer’s epics The Iliad and The Odyssey. ODYSSEUS VS. ACHILLES: WHO IS THE BETTER MAN? I think this makes him the weaker hero. I shared Dietrich Bonhoeffer’s “Stations on the road to freedom” with an old friend this week.. His greatest struggle was not against the walls of Troy, but his return home to his wife and son.