Bill Brown |
The Iliad by Homer is an epic poem that recounts the ten-year Trojan War and the heroic deeds of warriors like Achilles, Hector, Ajax and Odysseus. Under Aristotle’s tutelage Alexander had studied Homer’s epic poem the Iliad, with its great warrior-hero Achilles. Alexander carried a copy of the Iliad with him for the rest of his life, and the poem inspired him to become a great warrior-hero in his own right. The Iliad explores themes of glory, courage, honor, and the human condition through great struggle, and is considered one of the greatest works of ancient Greek literature. The moral message of the Iliad is that having the courage to fight gives a man’s life honor and meaning, but that war itself is tragic. While Homer emphasizes honorable exploits of brave warriors, he also does not shy away from showing the human cost of war. Video courtesy of John Tedesco of Major League Media.