Achilles, the great Greek warrior, drags the lifeless body of Hector around Troy.
Hector is a fierce Trojan warrior in an epic called the Iliad by Homer (Nardo 39). He is portrayed in the Iliad as an honest and extraordinary captain of the Trojan army (Hector 488). He is the oldest son of Priam and Hecuba, the royal family of Troy (Nardo 39).
Hector denounced the actions of his brother Paris, who had seduced Helen, the wife of the mighty Greek king, Menelaus (Hector 488). This is the event that sparked the Trojan war (Hector 488 and 489). The Greeks came to Troy to avenge the conduct displayed by Paris. The first Greek soldier that stepped on Trojan land during the Trojan war was immediately killed by Hector (Hector 489). Hector was also part of one of the most touching scenes in all of western literature (Nardo 39). In this famous scene, Hector says goodbye to his wife, Andromache, and his very young son, Astyanax (Nardo 39). He then embarked on his journey as a brutal Trojan soldier (Nardo 39). Hector loved his wife and son very much and treated them with the utmost respect (Hector 488). He was the leader in many attacks on the opposition during the war (Nardo 39). Throughout the first nine years of this bloody war, neither side gained leverage on the battle field (Hector 489).
The highlight of Hector's Trojan career is when he went toe to toe with one of his close friends Patroclus and killed him (Nardo 39). However, this brutal killing had its consequences for Hector and his Trojan brothers (Nardo 40). Achilles, the ultimate Greek warrior, returned to battle to avenge his friend's death after a long absence (Hector 490). The Greeks, led by Achilles, launched a fiery attack that pushed the Trojan's back. This led to a confrontation between Achilles and Hector outside the boundaries of the city (Nardo 40). For Hector, it was the end of the road. Achilles slaughtered Hector and managed to lug his lifeless body behind his chariot (Nardo 40). He paraded his dead body all around the streets of Troy as stunned Trojans looked on (Hector 490). After a while, Achilles gave up Hector's body to King Priam, Hector's father (Nardo 40). He was given the funeral that he deserved after being widely regarded as the greatest champion and hero of the city of Troy (Nardo 40).
The downfall of Troy's largest icon foreshadowed the fall of Troy itself (Nardo 40). This would also mark the end of the Iliad (Hector 490). It only got worse for the Trojan's as the Greeks killed Hector's son Astyanax, out of fear that he would attempt to gain revenge for his father's death (Hector 490). The Greeks respected Hector, like many other Trojans, because of his compassion portrayed in the tales in the Iliad (Hector 490). In fact, Greeks could relate to Hector more than Achilles (Hector 490).
Hector is a symbol of determination and fearlessness because of his willingness to fight and not back down even though he knows Achilles will slay him (Hector 491). Because of this, writers and artists all over the world have used Hector as an example of bravery, grit, and toughness (Hector 491).
Hector denounced the actions of his brother Paris, who had seduced Helen, the wife of the mighty Greek king, Menelaus (Hector 488). This is the event that sparked the Trojan war (Hector 488 and 489). The Greeks came to Troy to avenge the conduct displayed by Paris. The first Greek soldier that stepped on Trojan land during the Trojan war was immediately killed by Hector (Hector 489). Hector was also part of one of the most touching scenes in all of western literature (Nardo 39). In this famous scene, Hector says goodbye to his wife, Andromache, and his very young son, Astyanax (Nardo 39). He then embarked on his journey as a brutal Trojan soldier (Nardo 39). Hector loved his wife and son very much and treated them with the utmost respect (Hector 488). He was the leader in many attacks on the opposition during the war (Nardo 39). Throughout the first nine years of this bloody war, neither side gained leverage on the battle field (Hector 489).
The highlight of Hector's Trojan career is when he went toe to toe with one of his close friends Patroclus and killed him (Nardo 39). However, this brutal killing had its consequences for Hector and his Trojan brothers (Nardo 40). Achilles, the ultimate Greek warrior, returned to battle to avenge his friend's death after a long absence (Hector 490). The Greeks, led by Achilles, launched a fiery attack that pushed the Trojan's back. This led to a confrontation between Achilles and Hector outside the boundaries of the city (Nardo 40). For Hector, it was the end of the road. Achilles slaughtered Hector and managed to lug his lifeless body behind his chariot (Nardo 40). He paraded his dead body all around the streets of Troy as stunned Trojans looked on (Hector 490). After a while, Achilles gave up Hector's body to King Priam, Hector's father (Nardo 40). He was given the funeral that he deserved after being widely regarded as the greatest champion and hero of the city of Troy (Nardo 40).
The downfall of Troy's largest icon foreshadowed the fall of Troy itself (Nardo 40). This would also mark the end of the Iliad (Hector 490). It only got worse for the Trojan's as the Greeks killed Hector's son Astyanax, out of fear that he would attempt to gain revenge for his father's death (Hector 490). The Greeks respected Hector, like many other Trojans, because of his compassion portrayed in the tales in the Iliad (Hector 490). In fact, Greeks could relate to Hector more than Achilles (Hector 490).
Hector is a symbol of determination and fearlessness because of his willingness to fight and not back down even though he knows Achilles will slay him (Hector 491). Because of this, writers and artists all over the world have used Hector as an example of bravery, grit, and toughness (Hector 491).
Sources Cited
"Hector." The Greenhaven Encyclopedia of Greek and Roman Mythology. Don Nardo. Ed. Barbette Spaeth. Detroit: Greenhaven Press, 2002. 39-40. Gale Virtual Reference Library. Web. 28 Mar. 2014.
"Hector." UXL Encyclopedia of World Mythology. Vol. 3. Detroit: UXL, 2009. 488-491. Gale Virtual Reference Library. Web. 28 Mar. 2014
Creti, Donato. Achilles Dragging the Body of Hector around the Walls of Troy. 1671- 1749. 1st-art-gallery. web. 29 Mar. 2014
"Hector." The Greenhaven Encyclopedia of Greek and Roman Mythology. Don Nardo. Ed. Barbette Spaeth. Detroit: Greenhaven Press, 2002. 39-40. Gale Virtual Reference Library. Web. 28 Mar. 2014.
"Hector." UXL Encyclopedia of World Mythology. Vol. 3. Detroit: UXL, 2009. 488-491. Gale Virtual Reference Library. Web. 28 Mar. 2014
Creti, Donato. Achilles Dragging the Body of Hector around the Walls of Troy. 1671- 1749. 1st-art-gallery. web. 29 Mar. 2014