Figurative Language In The Iliad

The ancient Greeks were known for their strong warriors, who would courageously fight in the violent wars and loyally stand for their city-state. The work The Iliad written by Homer is a lengthy epic poem about the great Trojan War, which many Greek soldiers went to battle in. Throughout this story many brave soldiers dedicated their lives through honor and bravery for this tragic battle between Troy and the Achaeans, which was highly looked upon by many Greeks. The Iliad shows how the ancient Greeks revered warriors, through figurative language, being honorable, and having courage. The Greeks praised the fact that their warriors had courage and were never cowardly. Greek warriors would never give up on a war, even if their ruler was commanding them to return home in defeat because not only is it humiliating but it is cowardly. In The Iliad, Odysseus motivates the Achaean army by saying, “What a humiliation it would be/ to hold out so long, then sail home empty-handed/ Courage, my friends, hold out a little longer” (2. 348-350). Because the Achaean army held out longer, they weren’t look down upon for giving up. Although after being in war for such a long period of time, when a soldier goes home it can be tempting to stay at home with his family, who he would leave behind for battle. When Hector has to make a quick run home he tells his wife, who is begging him to stay, “I would die of shame to face the men of Troy/ and the Trojan women trailing their long robes/ if I would shrink from battle …show more content…
During the time of the ancient Greeks, if a person was a man then they were probably a soldier. Every man has a high expectation for them. The Greeks never believed in a weak soldier, only a cowardly one. During time, it was a great honor to have people look up and praise a