heroism

Aeneid

Iliad

Book 3: Helen points out Agamemnon, Odysseus and Ajax to Priam showing their reputation and honour (time).

Book 3: Menelaus demonstrating his aristeia in the duel with Paris

Book 1: Agamemnon and Achilles being upset about the loss of Briseis and Chryseis as they are their war-prizes (geras) to reward their heroism in the war

Book 6: Hector promises to return to the battlefield to fulfil his duty, criticises Paris for not fighting, refuses to pray to the Gods whilst covered in blood and reassures his oikos

Book 1: Achilles prophecy of die young and be honourable or die old and not be remembered. Achilles chooses to die young, evident in him choosing to fight in Book 18

Book 16: Patroclus goes off to fight, killing several Trojans and dies courageously

Unheroic Iliad

Unheroic Aeneid

Book 12: Aeneas shows furor towards Turnus for his killing of Pallas, which is out of character for a Roman hero

Book 9: Nisus and Euryalus kill the Rutulians whilst they slept; this is cowardly

Book 2: Some of the Trojans put on Greek armour to sneakily kill the Greeks, this is a cowardly and unheroic way to kill

Book 1: Achilles withdraws from the battle refusing to fight and getting Thetis to persuade Zeus to let the Greeks lose without him

Book 3: Paris has to borrow armour from his brothers and when Menelaus requests the duel, he retreats into the Trojan lines showing him as cowardly

Book 1: Agamemnon requests Achilles war prize, Briseis, which dishonours Achilles.

Book 1: Aeneas gathers materials for the men and gives a speech encouraging their spirits

Book 10: Aeneas kills several men on the battlefield

Book 2: Aeneas gathering his men and fighting despite being outnumbered

Book 1: Aeneas wishes for a heroic and honourable death like those who fought at Troy rather than dying in the storm

Book 12: Turnus is seen as a Homeric hero whereas Aeneas is a proto-Roman

Book 6: Paris is sat in his house polishing his armour rather than fighting on the battlefields

Book 9: Agamemnon declares they should go home and give up on the war, lack of determination

Book 9: Achilles refuses to re-join the fight holding onto his menis and stubbornness

Book 17: Menelaus and Ajax shield Patroclus' body from the Trojans being described as fearful warriors

Book 18: Achilles returns to the battlefield

Book 22: Hector dies an honourable death defending his city against the threat of Achilles

Book 22,23,24 : Achilles mistreats Hectors body, dragging it around disrespecting burial rites

Book 10: Turnus was stolen by Juno and placed on a ship preventing him from fighting

Throughout the epic, Aeneas consistently prays to the Gods showing his piety e.g Book 4 listening to Mercury

Book 4: Aeneas leaves Dido due to the gods and his destiny creating him as stoic