Achilles & Hector Essay

The art in the vase painting in Harvards collection depicts an anguish-stricken office Priam pleading to a victorious and irreverent Achilles for the return of the already desecrated body of his son, the Crown Prince of Troy, Hector. The artist of the vase painting wants to illustrate an image of nullifying status, even more so, it characterized a reversal of altitude a King kneeling and pleading to a common warrior and the body of a prince dishonored. In Book 24 of Homers Iliad, it narrated the weeping King Priam virtually throwing himself at Achilles feet be limitching the latter to release the body of his dead son.In the text, it did not state however, that the body of Hector was in the same board as King Priam and Achilles. It is noteworthy to mention at this point however that the primary reason that Hector is dead is because Achilles avenged the destruction of Patroclus whom Hector killed misidentify him for Achilles. Moreover, in Book 22 of the narrative, Achilles threa tened Hector of the situation he depart be in if he suffered death in Achilles hands, to wit, dogs and vultures shall work their will upon yourself.Achilles grief for the death of Patroclus has fueled his wrath towards Hector and that as an ultimate insult to Hectors person, Achilles have left the body untended out of doors his tent to make good on his word of dogs and vultures shall eat you utterly up. Furthermore, the text speaks of Achilles taking it Hectors body to a place where Priam should not see it. In the vase painting, we see Hectors body below Achilles, who is holding a knife and apparently eating raw nucleus with blood dribble from the knifes blade unto the dead body below.This scene can be gleaned from a prior heated exchange of words between Achilles and Hector. In Book 22 of the Iliad, Hector in his last breath spoke I beg you, Achilles, by your own soul and by your parents, do not allow the dogs to mutilate my body. By the Greek ships, accept the gold and bronze ransom my father and mother will give you and send my body sand home to be burned in honor by the Trojans and their wives. To which Achilles angrily uttered Dont whine to me about my parents, You dogI respect my stomach would let me cut off your flesh in strips and eat it raw for what youve done to me. There is no one and no way to hang on the dogs off your head, not even if they bring ten or twenty ransoms, pile them up here and promise more not even if trojan horse Priam weighs your body out in gold, not even then will your mother ever get to mourn you laid out on a bier. The vase painting seems to draw out from this war of words between Achilles and Hector and displays the aftermath and the realization of Achilles enraged threats.It depicted also an arrogant Achilles eating meat over a dead body an act way beyond being rational. Whereas in the text, upon hearing Priams heart-wrenching plea, Achilles displayed empathy and even went as far as telling Priam that he, Achilles hi mself, is also in sorrow for the death of Patroclus and showed endearing sentiment when he mentioned that Priam reminded him of his own father. Moreover, in the text, Achilles even admired Priam for his candor in dismissal defenseless and alone amidst the enemys lair.One of the major themes of Homers Iliad deals with revenge, reparation, and compensation. In portraying Priams plea to Achilles, the vase painting essentially captured these tether themes. Achilles disrespect for Hectors body speaks of revenge. Achilles, blinded by deep sorrow, did what he thought would best vindicate Patroclus. Hectors legs were bound at the ankles as in the ultimate act of deliverance, Achilles dragged Hectors lifeless body around the tomb of Patroclus.Hectors death itself is the reparation for the death of Patroclus the proverbial an eye for an eye. Whereas, Priams ransom is the compensation for and in exchange for the possession of Hectors body. Works Cited Homer, and Stanley Lombardo. Iliad. Ind ianapolis, IN Hackett Publishing Company, 1997. Wilson, D. F. Ransom, retaliate and Heroic Identity in the Iliad. Cambridge, England Cambridge University Press, 2002.