The enduring heart, Iliad
...for him, was and still is an unwilling duty. That he would avoid the path if possible. War is supposedly a form of suffering for both Hector and Andromache. There is always an inevitable risk of death or some sort of loss where battle takes place. Yet, he expresses great bravery that he will confront his fear of death and live a heroic life. He suffers through knowing the fact that, if indeed he does go to war, he will get slew. If this does happen, he understands that his wife and son will be taken away as prisoner, maybe even killed. Yet still as a result of powerful factors: honor, pride and trust, he is able to go through his suffer and leave to war. In the meantime, we can see Andromache's dreadful fear of her husband's death as she says in Book Six (L-13), "No pity for our child, poor little one, or me in my sad lot soon to be deprived of you! Soon, soon Greeks as one man will set upon you and cut you down!" She is terrified by even imagining the loss of her loved one. She also suffers from the thought of her son's future as she also includes, "Do not bereave your child and widow me!" (Book Six) Andromache, solid and tough accepts her lord's return to war as Hector explains that when she is seen, people will say "There is the wife of Hector, who fought best at Troy" Even 2. as Hector leaves both are able to spend times of joy as his father began laughing and his mother laughed as well as they watched over their son. Andromache and Hector are able to face suffer with the bond of love and trust they have between them. Andromache, however has already faced disastrous death of many relatives. In Book six (L-20) she tells Hector, "Father is dead and Mother. My father great Achilleus killed ...The seven brothers that I had at home in one day entered Death's dark place. Achilleus, prince and powerful runner, killed all seven ... Mother...Artemis the hunter shot her in her father's house." From this paragraph, we are able to see Andromache's horrific background: the murder of all her seven brothers and both her parents by the hands of Achilleus. These losses are appalling. We can be sure that she has been through the most terrifying situations, not just once but a numerous amount of times. Howbeit she has survived through these deaths and has lived with all her might, joyously wedding Hector. She acquires hard-heartedness and is capable of going through harsh virtues without eternally grieving and ending her life. Nevertheless, as a personal statement, I believe that each life destroyed can result to a wound in your heart. If Hector dies, will she be able to continue on with the enduring heart? I believe this is an object to be thought about. As the Iliad proceeds to Book Eighteen (L-25), Achilleus mourns for his dear friend, Patroklos' death, "As things were, I could not help y friend in his need. Far from his home he died; he needed me to shield him or to block the death stroke." Achilles is agonized by Patroklos' death. He experiences deep sorrow. Yet his grief does not over rule him. As Achilleus has a strong moral character full of pride and hubris, he changes his sorrow to anger and hatred as he says (L-37), 3. "Ai! Let strife and hate perish from the lives of gods of men, with anger that poisons even the wise and is far sweeter than slow-dripping honey, clouding the hearts of me like smoke." At this point, his hatred and anger towards one who slew Patroklos over rules Achilleus' heart. And he decides to take revenge as he says, "Now I must to look for the destroyer of my great friend." Achilleus is able to confront his sorrow in different ways to the other characters. He gets over mournfulness by taking revenge and he letting anger and abomination pour out. From a modern view of life, this is an unacceptable way to face emotions. However, Ancient Greek culture teaches us that revenge is honorable and heroic. By taking revenge, many are able to forget about the grief and continue on with their life. Progressing on, in Book Twenty-four (L-20) Priam makes a dramatic acquaintance to request the body of his dead son, Hector. "I fathered here, but scarce is left to me. Fifty I had when the Greeks came. ...Most are gone. ...He who stood alone among them all, their champion, and Troy's, ten days ago you killed him." Priam explains the fact that he had fifty children yet that the majority has died. An adage from Japan expresses that there is nothing in this world, more sorrowful than your own child dieing before you. Priam has gone through this bitter hard...