Essay about Showing Pity to the Pitiful

Submitted By jayfuhlo
Words: 1573
Pages: 7
Open Document
Showing Pity to the Pitiful

In both Homer’s Iliad and Sophocles’ Oedipus at Colonus, a character finds themselves in a pitiful situation. Achilles of the Iliad adversely shows pity to his deceased enemy’s father, Priam, because the gods insist that he does so. Achilles also shows pity in result of Priam’s begging strategies. In Oedipus at Colonus, Theseus showers his pity upon Oedipus because of Oedipus’ alliance to the city of Athens and because of Oedipus’ promises to give a gift that will forever protect Athens. The comparisons of these pity-seeking situations can further the understanding of Greek Literature. I will discuss Achilles’ and Theseus pity through the causes: divine intervention, Priam and Oedipus’ strategies to gain pity, and the specific ways in which Achilles and Theseus decide to reveal their pity.

As in every Ancient Greek play I have read thus far, the gods have a say in almost every mortal affair. Divine intervention occurs in both works, Iliad and Oedipus at Colonus, but the style is different in each book. In the Iliad, Apollo persuades Zeus to encourage Priam to ransom his son’s corpse from Achilles. Zeus says, “Perhaps in fear of me he will give back Hektor. / Then I will send Iris to Priam of the great heart, with an order / to ransom his dear son, going down to the ships of the Achaians / and bringing gifts to Achilles which might soften his anger” (Iliad. 24. 116-119). Zeus then sends Achilles’ mother, Thetus to persuade Achilles to accept the ransom. At one point in Priam’s quest for pity, Priam takes it too far and Achilles boldly states that his reason for showing pity is because of the gods, but if Priam pushes him, Achilles will disobey the gods and kill him.
“Then looking darkly at him spoke swift-footed Achilles:
‘No longer stir me up, old sir. I myself am minded to give Hektor back to you. A messenger came to me from Zeus … I know you Priam, in my heart, and it does not escape me that some god led you to the running ships of the Achaians …
Therefore
you must not further make my spirit move in my sorrows, for fear, old sir, I might not let you alone in my shelter, suppliant as you are; and be guilty before the god’s orders.’
He spoke, and the old man was frightened and did as he told him” (Iliad. 24. 559-571).

Achilles’ only shows pity to obey the gods, but Theseus, on the other hand, shows pity because the gods will show him favor. In Oedipus at Colonus¸ the divine intervention is not as apparent. Oedipus offers promises to Theseus, that he prays that are in the gods’ will. “Just defend your word to the last, and you / will never say you welcomed Oedipus for nothing, / a useless citizen in this land of yours, / unless the gods defeat my dearest hopes” (710-713). Theseus believes in Oedipus and keeps his vows with hopes that Oedipus’ promises come true. “And he said that if I keep my pledge / I’d keep my country free of harm forever. / I swore it, and the powers heard my vows, / and Zeus’s son above all, / the guardian of our oaths who sees all things” (1984-1988). In both cases, divine intervention plays a major role in the characters’, Achilles and Theseus, decision to give pity to the ones that sought it.

Priam and Oedipus have a common strategy as they yearned for pity: begging. As soon as Priam enters his enemy’s territory, he falls at Achilles’ feet, which is the ultimate image of a beggar. “Tall Priam / came in unseen by the other men and stood close beside him / and caught the knees of Achilles in his arms, and kissed the hands / that were dangerous and manslaughtering and had killed so many / of his sons” (Iliad. 24. 476-480). Priam’s actions cause Achilles to either feel sorrow for Priam or guilt within himself because he makes Priam rise from the floor. “he rose from his chair, and took the old man by the hand, and set him / on his feet again, in pity for the grey head and the grey beard,” (Iliad. 24. 515-516). Priam’s obvious form of
Show More

Related Documents: Essay about Showing Pity to the Pitiful

hi my name is bob Essay

An object of natural aversion or habitual dislike. 11. anxious/anxiety- full of mental distress or uneasiness because of fear of danger or misfortune; greatly worried; solicitous: Her parents were anxious about her poor health. attended with or showing solicitude or uneasiness: anxious forebodings. earnestly desirous; eager 12. appalled- To fill with consternation or dismay. struck with fear, dread, or consternation 13. apologetic- containing an apology or excuse for a fault, failure, insult,…

Words 5111 - Pages 21

The Ogood Samaritan Essay

Any physical contact with a Samaritan would make a Jew ceremonially unclean. The Samaritans responded with a strong dislike for the Jews. The bible does not say whether the injured man was a Jew but either way the charitable Samaritan was moved with pity when he saw the half-dead man on the side of the road, “The first question which the priest and the Levite asked was, “If I stop to help this man, what will happen to me?” But the Good Samaritan reversed the question, “If I do not stop to help this…

Words 1416 - Pages 6

Compromise and Tags Essay

principle not compromised is a principle worth dying for. “ -When you begin to compromise on one value, all others instantly become at risk in the eyes of those around you Use for conclusion: Quotes About Compromise Quotes tagged as "compromise" (showing 1-30 of 3,000) “Indeed the safest road to Hell is the gradual one--the gentle slope, soft underfoot, without sudden turnings, without milestones, without signposts,...Your affectionate uncle, Screwtape.” ― C.S. Lewis, The Screwtape Letters tags: compromise…

Words 1934 - Pages 8

TTTC Rhetoric Analysis

TTTC Rhetoric Essay Synthesizing one’s thoughts into coherent, tangible aspects is achieved through employment of admissible rhetorical devices, conveying intricate, involved concepts. With such a multitude of rhetorical devices to choose from, writers often apply numerous different ones without even realizing they might be doing so. Diction, for example, is often not deeply contemplated before implemented. Such devices as tone and diction simply reveal themselves through expression of author's…

Words 1807 - Pages 8

Poems: City Planners Essay example

The Poems analysed are: The City Planners, Margaret Atwood and The Planners, Boey Kim Cheng. These are taken from the IGCSE Cambridge Poetry Anthology, but may be interesting for unseen poetry too. Question Set How do these poets use language and structure to get across their theme? I wrote this in about half an hour. Both poems are very similar, and have the same topic - City Planning - as shown in their titles. Structurally, they are different though, and the tone differs in places. I've…

Words 15315 - Pages 62