Ragan Shaffer
Mr. Clarkson
Honors English 10/ Per. 3
2 April 2009
Literary Analysis: Ancient Literature
In the Iliad, Homer uses God intervention to help characters follow the path of fate or
freewill. One example of God intervention is when Achilles chases Hector around to city and
Athena disguises herself as Hector’s brother Deiphobus. Athena intervenes in Hector’s fate by
telling him that he will survive and fight off Achilles if he turns around, while disguised as
Deiphobus. She gives Hector false hope that sealed his fate. Hector’s death was the Gods fault
because Zeus decided his fate, which left him bound to die, and Athena deceived Hector by false
courage.
Another example of God intervention in the Iliad is after Hector’s vicious death by
Achilles. After Achilles has tied up Hector’s dead body to his chariot and dragged him around
trying to beat up the body as much as he can. Zeus intervenes by protecting Hector’s body and
then decides to find a way for Achilles to give it up to Hector’s family. Zeus has Thetis instruct
her son Achilles to give the body back to Priam, Hector’s father. He then finds a way for both of
the protective parties to find a way to negotiate. Thetis makes her son soften his anger towards
the other party. Iris, Hector’s mother, makes her husband Priam more humble about all that has
happened. Although Zeus decreed the death of Hector, he also secures the sanctity of his body
and the ensuing afterlife.
A third example of God intervention is when the Trojans are driven back to the walls of
Troy by Patroclus and the surging Myrmidons. During then Apollo flees with them. Although
Patroclus has been warned that he should only push the Trojans out of the Greek camp, he
doesn't listen to the advice. Instead he pushes to the walls of Troy where Apollo warns him to
stop attacking. Patroclus continues attacking and Apollo strikes him with an arrow which leads
to his tragic death. Hector destroys Patroclus’s body and left it in a terrible condition. The death
of Patroclus, foretold by Zeus, is the only act that can overcome Achilles' rage at Agamemnon
and make him return to battle.