Steph's Iliad Paper on Courage, Loyalty, and Respect in the Iliad
...honor, is a notion foreign to the prevalent modern concept of war integrity. As early as 400 B.C., the concept of courage began to be slowly filtered out of the process of war. “At this time the Greek’s developed the catapult, a device that allowed for the intimacy of combat to be replaced by technological advancement,” (http://www.thenewfaceofwarefare.com). The invention of the crossbow in ancient China and cannons in 1300’s Europe also drastically reduced the necessity of courage in a warrior. The utilization of machine guns in the Civil War and tanks and fighter planes in World War II also contributed to eliminating a close proximity to danger as an element of war. Finally, with the development of nuclear weapons and smart bombs, which are guided to their target by a computer, Homer’s concept of courage and the heroic code became obsolete. Loyalty in the Iliad provides another integral aspect of Homer’s ideal moral code. In the Iliad, the Trojan War, marked by ten years of strife for both Achaeans and Trojans, is fought out of loyalty. When Paris, the Prince of Troy, steals Helen, the wife of Achaean King Menaleus, a war ensues to bring her back. Menaleus vows to retrieve his wife, no matter the cost, and is strongly supported by Greek warriors, who fight for Menaleus out of loyalty to their King and to their country. Menaleus even sacrifices his life for Helen when it is agreed that “if Menaleus kills Paris, let the Trojans give back Helen and all that she has,” (Homer, p. 49). Homer creates an ideal of human nature which, although never historically perfect, was far more predominant in ancient battle codes than those of current war culture. This extreme degree of loyalty is a part of Homer’s idealistic morality which is no longer a fundamental part of contemporary war values. With the current controversial American involvement in the Iraqi war, our country is faced with a distinct drop in national loyalty. Recent affairs have “energized the already heightened anti-America sentiment in this hostile region,” (http://blog.deanforamerica.com). As anti-war and anti-America rallies remain an everyday spectacle, many Americans continue to mistake a disdain for the President and foreign policy as a disdain for our great country. In a time when few people appreciate the freedoms we have, and even fewer express this loyalty to a country of such opportunity, Homer’s concept of loyalty remains a utopia in which gratitude is given where it is deserved. Respect for earned status is also a vital part of Homer’s idealistic war code. In the Iliad, elders such as Phoenix and Priam are treated with admiration and reverence, even by warriors of the opposing side. Phoenix is consistently referred to as a wise mentor and Priam is described as a compassionate elder who leads “his people” with dignity and patience. Priam even ventures into...