Warrior Culture In The Iliad

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In The Iliad by Homer, warrior culture is based on gaining loot, glory and respect. Loot is what the warriors receive after winning or killing someone in war. Glory is gained by heroic deeds and actions done in combat. Respect is the guidelines that the warriors have to follow in war and is given when a warrior has done something honorable. These are the three most important aspects of war in The Iliad. There are two sides in this epic, the Greeks and the Trojans. A war began in between them because Trojan prince, Paris took Helen, wife of Menelaus, king of Sparta. Menelaus persuades his brother, Agamemnon, king of the Greeks, to lead the army towards the Trojans in effort to obtain Helen back for Menelaus. Helen is a type of loot and Menelaus’ …show more content…
Achilles is drained, but still happy with the scraps he receives after fighting hard. Achilles would never rant this much if something was not very important to him. Loot is the most important to him since he does not have a family. All he wants is loot and it means everything to him. He wants to be better than the best, which he already is, but he loves proving it. Women are also loot and Achilles wants that as well. Achilles and Agamemnon fight over Briseis, a beautiful girl who has the hearts of both of the men. Achilles proclaims to Agamemnon about how to settle for whom gets Briseis, “Fight it out / for Helen and all her wealth in single combat. / And the one who proves the better man and wins, / he’ll take those treasures fairly...” (3. 110-13) He knows he is a better fighter than Agamemnon, so he wants to fight for her; however, he says that his idea is fair. Also, Achilles sneakily slips in that whoever wins is the better man, so it has to do with his ego as well. Achilles has a big ego, but he can back it up with his fighting skills and

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