Socrates And Achilles - 1466 Words

Socrates and Achilles: the Martyr Heroes Madelyn Vogel ILS 205 By comparing himself to the Greek hero Achilles before the jury in Plato’s Apology, Socrates attempts to portray himself as a hero of equal merit to Achilles and others of similar standing. By selecting the greatest of the Classical Greeks to compare and contrast himself to in his argument, Socrates surreptitiously urges his audience to view him as being of the same caliber as Achilles. This not only authenticates Socrates’ claims, but also exhibits his disconnect from earlier forms of thought. Essentially, Socrates attempts to display himself in the same light as his predecessor Achilles through their shared aspiration to do what they deem to be right in addition to their†¦show more content†¦At the battle of Troy, Achilles chooses almost certain death in exchange for the honor of avenging Patroclus. As Socrates paraphrases, â€Å"when his mother said to him, as he was eager to slay Hector, ‘My son, if you avenge the death of your friend Patroclus and k ill Hector, you yourself shall die; for straightway, after Hector, is death appointed unto you,† (The Apology, 28c). However, Socrates is relatively loose in his representation of Achilles. Homer’s Achilles is focused primarily on private affairs as seen when he only agrees to return to battle to avenge personal loss in the form of his â€Å"beloved† Patroclus (The Iliad, book 18, 120). Contrastingly, Socrates represents the Greek hero as being much more absorbed by the necessity of attaining honor and justice for both himself and his peers. Through this specific example, Socrates makes it apparent that, he, like Achilles before him, is both willing and able to die if that is what it takes to find truth. He will under no circumstances condemn any of his actions just to save his life. Socrates’ primary motivation for comparing himself to Achilles, the best of all the classic heroes, is to convince the jury of his Achillean heroism. One attribute of a hero a ccording to the events of the Iliad is that one must either kill or be killed in the pursuit of honor. Correspondingly, the Iliad chronicles Achilles’ life and death on the natural path to heroism. Despite theShow MoreRelatedAnalyzing The Ways That Plato Is An Unusual Epic Hero946 Words   |  4 Pagesfleet footed Achilles and the cunning Odysseus. Every man, woman, and child knew the stories of Jason, Hercules, and Hector. However, there is one man who achieved fame akin to the epic heroes of olden times with neither strength nor skill. His name was Socrates. In ancient Greece, Socrates was the most famous celebrity. Today, Socrates is perhaps more famous than any epic hero. In an article entitled, â€Å"Celebrities of the Ancient World,† Robert Garland says, â€Å"The fact remains that Socrates was one ofRead MoreThe Sermon On The Mount1530 Words   |  7 PagesJesus taught, would have grown up with stories of the Greek and Trojan war. Their heroes were opposite i n character of those that Jesus taught would be blessed. Achilles and Odysseus, who were considered blessed by the gods, could not line up with Jesus’ teachings. Among those in history who could have lined up with this teaching, Socrates might come close, but his life hardly appears to reflect blessings. Jesus’ teachings were revolutionary as they presented the people of the time a completely newRead MoreNotes On Plato s The Rhodes, And Agesander Of Rhodes 1160 Words   |  5 Pageshttp://www.stoa.org/diotima/anthology/wlgr/wlgr-privatelife233.shtml Plato and Socrates were students of each other. Socrates did not write anything down, af far as we know. Plato was a student of Socrates. 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Socrates believesRead MoreThe Apology of Socrates Essay examples810 Words   |  4 PagesSocrates is at the age of seventy and appearing in a law court for the first time. For the people of Socrates time is accusing Socrates, for miss leading the youth corrupting them and boasting about being wise, causing him to become very unpopular. Socrates says to the jury I am going to speak the whol e truth, for it is me by myself that I have to defend. He says my accusers are many and I don’t know them, they say, â€Å"you should be careful not be deceived by an accomplished speaker like me† (CohenRead Morean analysis of the qualifications of an Epic Hero887 Words   |  4 Pages often times even named for. These heroes include Achilles, Odysseus, Aeneas, Socrates, Gilgamesh, Beowulf, and Arthur; there are certain things about these men that make them heroes. Achilles is the ideal hero, the obvious hero. He is the son of a goddess and a man, a demi-god. He is handsome and kingly in stature. 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Although some do not necessarily believe him to be the grandest man, he is still the basis of a lot of stories in which young men feel they should model. Achilles has certain qualities, such as willpower and a care for his men, as Graham Zanker says, â€Å"The loss of his armor would among normal heroes be considered a loss of honor, but Achilles makes noRead More Justice for All Ages Essay example4920 Words   |  20 Pagesprofessional and amateur academic philosophers of today. The question is so hard, because it is quite difficult to know where to begin. Socrates1 spoke of justice in relation to the gods, Plato in relation to an individual’s duty in society, and Achilles, in a somewhat indirect way, in relation to honor and loyalty. All three of these men had very convincing arguments about the true nature of justice, but it is impossible to say now, or most likely ever, whether any of them actually got it rightRe ad MoreGreek Society vs. Socrates Essay897 Words   |  4 PagesGreek Society vs. Socrates What make a man virtuous? Throughout many texts of Greek society the picture of a perfect man is painted and apparent. This man, the â€Å"perfect man†, is the virtuous Greek citizen. Who is virtuous not only in the eyes of society, but also at home, in war, and in his relationship to the God(s). Also in Greek society, there was a man named Socrates who’s opinion differed with his culture’s thoughts, and he constructed his own thoughts and beliefs of what characteristics