Odysseus_And_Achilles

Odysseus And Achilles Odysseus and Achilles In Homer’s epic poems “The Iliad” and “The Odyssey”, Achilles and Odysseus are two characters that greatly encompass the human nature idealized by ancient Greeks. By studying the warrior’s thoughts, actions, and ethics, the Ancient Greeks expected to learn how to handle the various obstacles on the course of life. Throughout their quests, Achilles and Odysseus embody the physical, spiritual, and intellectual strengths and weaknesses that the Ancient Greeks observed, and used to go about their daily lives with triumph. Both Achilles and Odysseus illustrate a vast amount of physical strength which the Greeks look upon as being necessary for the claim of respect, self-worth, and victory in the face of battle. Being half-God, the son of immortal Thetis, Achilles’ physical power is inherent. As “Zeus’s favorite fighter,” the young warrior is well known for his mightiness (166). The ability to lift his father’s spear that “No other Achaean fighter could heft […and that] only Achilles had the skill to wield” exemplifies his strength above all men (171). Even King Agamemnon envies the respect that the Gods pay him for being a “great soldier.” To Achilles’ face he claims, “I odysseus, achilles, greeks, physical, strength, being, spirit, men, great, victory, kyklops, battle, ancient, achilles’, through, strong, respect, rather, models, illustrate, having, glory, demonstrates, both, weaknesses, strengths, spiritual, ships, life, heart, gods, even, before, back