The Illiad

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The Iliad

The Iliad by Homer is an epic poem that has several heroes. Heroism is the most important aspect of the characters’ lives, giving definition to their actions and their raison d’être. A hero is always of noble birth, strong, intelligent, and a great leader. Another way the reader can differentiate a hero from a mere mortal is by the help that he receives from the gods. The gods intervene on the side of a hero and give him whatever aid is necessary to achieve victory. One may believe that there is only one hero in the Iliad, Achilles. However, Hector is the true hero. By examining Hector, Odysseus, Diomedes, and Nestor, one can see that these characters surpass all others.
A hero is usually of noble birth with one parent being of divine descent. However, Hector is an exception to this rule. It is believed that Hector is the 1st born son of King Priam and Queen Hecabe of Troy. Since Priam is a descendant of Zeus, this divine lineage is passed down to all his sons. Therefore, Prince Hector is considered to be of divine decent which allows him to be regarded as a hero.
In Hector’s speech about his son Astynax, the reader gains invaluable insight into what it means to be a hero:
Zeus, and you other gods, grant that this boy of mine may be, like me,
pre-eminent in Troy; as strong and brave as I; a mighty king of Ilium.
May people say, when he comes back from battle, “Here is a better man
than his father.” Let him bring home the bloodstained armour of the
enemy he has killed, and make his mother happy.

To Hector the ideals of strength, intelligence and being magnanimous are important. It is important for a hero to display his strength and prowess, and thus kill many in battle. One can see the truth to this statement through the epithet “man-killing Hector.” Men are said to fear Hector because he kills many, especially when he storms the Greek wall. When Hector fights Patrocl...