PARIS, THE HERO OF HEROES

Hero? Heroism? What's up with those? When we hear the word hero, we usually think of superman, batman, etc. It is also related to heroism which means the act of being courageous. In the Trojan war, Paris was the hero of all heroes.

Paris was just a simple warrior before the Trojan war. Because of the problem of Troy, he became a part of the Trojan war. Even if he was just a simple warrior, he still fought for Troy. He fought for himself. He fought for his beloved Helen. He sacrificed his life because of his love to the city of Troy and his love to Helen. 


All of the warriors in the Trojan war were all heroes in their own way but Paris stood up and became the hero of heroes.

REWIND AND REWRITE

Rewind and Rewrite? We humans can't rewind and rewrite our past. We are not capable enough to rewind our steps and our time. We are also incapable of rewriting our history. We are just humans, simple men and women.


The god of all gods, Zeus, made a lot of changes in the Trojan war. He was the reason why the Trojans had a good fight with the Acheans. He contributed a lot to the Trojans. He helped them to stay alive, to be strong, and to be better warriors.


This was not a good part in the Trojan war because the Acheans were somehow cheated. Cheated in a way that their opponent was the god of all gods. It would be much better if the Trojan war was not interrupted by the Greek god. It would be much better if it was a war between two great, strong fighters and their allies. 


Rewinding the Trojan war and rewriting it is impossible to do. It will always be a big epic in the lives of the Greeks. It made a great hit in our history. 

ZEUS AT HIS WEAKEST POINT

Zeus, the god of all gods, is the only one who got out from Chronus' immoral act. He has a wife who is also a goddess who is Hera, the goddess of marriage.


In the epic Iliad, Zeus and Hera are not allies in terms of support. Zeus helps Paris and the Trojans while Hera helps Achilles and the Spartans. Hera took advantage of Zeus' weakness, lust. Hera, with other gods and goddess, devices a plan that can help the Spartans defeat the Trojans. Hera made love with his husband, Zeus. After, Hera and her allies helped the Spartans defeat the Trojans. Zeus wasn't able to do anything for he has to rest. 


Zeus' weakness is that he thinks everything in this world has to be give and take. He is too just to the point that he is already inflicting and pain to his allies, the Trojans. 

A KING? OR A LOOSER?

In our time today, it is difficult to find a great leader. A leader who is willing to sacrifice his things, his body, and his life. A leader who is strong and fair to all men. A leader who listens to his men. A leader who accepts criticisms. A leader who is willing to move without any reward.


There was a king named Achilles who is somehow the opposite of the said characteristics of a true king. He was trusted by his people in saving and protecting Sparta. However, he did not fulfill his duty as a king. He looked coward, selfless, and an average person who wanted to have a good life without thinking about the welfare of his friends and country men.


Achilles did not act as a king during the Trojan war. He was offered to join the Spartans in fighting the Trojans yet, he did not accept the offerings. He did not want to join the war for he wanted to have a great life without any problems. He made a mistake for not sacrificing himself for the good of the greater.


One wrong move we can make a big difference in our lives. So, we need to think about our decisions very carefully. It may be for the good of ourselves or for the good of the more. The answers to these questions are in our hands. We are the kings of our decisions.

The amazing Iliad at 1-5

Between Paris and Menelaus, who do you consider as a nobler/greater/more honorable man?

· What incidents support your answer?

· Who can be cited as a modern day Paris/Menelaus? Why?

*I believe that Menelaus is a nobler/ greater/ a more honorable man that Paris. He is greater that Paris because when they fought, Menelaus won. He was about to kill Paris but Aphrodite prevented it from happening. 


 In the modern day, there are some people nowadays who are like Menelaus. An example is a wrestler named Randy Orton. He always finish his matches with his hands raised up high. An another example are the people who rally. They won't stop until they finish what they need to finish. In our present time, Menelaus can also be seen as the army we have. They fight with a handful of courage and wisdom. They are not afraid of their opponents even if they're outnumbered.