What Makes The Ideal Greek Citizen during the Late Bronze Age: A Comparative Analysis based on the Iliad and Odyssey
Set in the “Age of Heroes”, Iliad and Odyssey are two famous epic myths which give a glimpse into Ancient Greece during the Late Bronze Age — a time period when Greek kingdoms are expanding, having economical strife with one another, interacting with non-Greek communities, and trying to take over trade routes in the area. Both myths are two parts of the same story which begins with the Trojan War and continues with Odyssey’s 20-year long nostos. Overall, the Iliad and Odyssey are important didactic epic myths which show what the characteristics of ideal Greeks should and should not be. In this essay, I will explain why Achilles and Odyssey are examples of ideal Greek citizens whereas Agamemnon, Paris , and Melanthius are not; given the societal and historical context of the Late Bronze Age. The ideal Greek citizen is smart, a good leader, obedient to his ruler, respectful of the Greek way of life, ready to fight and die for his kingdom, and not self-centered; and these traits have contributed Greeks to thrive during the Early Archaic Period.
Achilles and Odyssey, two heroes who earned kleos and time through different values, both serve important purposes for Greek prosperity and are exemplary ideal Greek citizens. In the Iliad, Achilles earns kleos through being a good warrior and dying in war defending the Mycenaeans, whereas in the Odyssey, Odysseus earns kleos through his metis. However, they are both protected by the Goddess Athena: Athena helps Achilles defeat Hector, and Odysseus is Athena’s favourite, often receiving divine help from her when he is in need. Though Greek Gods interfere with the course of events in both myths, it is important that Athena is the protector of both heroes, as she is not only the goddess of wisdom and war, but also the patron of Athens. She is the embodiment of Greekness, and the heroes that she helps portray the values that should be practiced by all Greek people. Thus, Athena’s help to both heroes validates that Achilles and Odysseus demonstrate values of an “ideal Greek citizen” for Greeks to become more powerful during the societal changes of the Dark Ages. Achilles lives a pastoral life yet fulfils his duties for his country in times of war. Though he becomes angered at Agamemnon for stealing his concubine, he still fights for him. He dies in the Trojan War and earns his time. He is an exemplary Greek citizen: has good fighting skills, is willing to die defending his people, and will obey his ruler no matter his personal opinions about him. These are important characteristics every Greek is expected to portray during a time when kingdoms end up in a strife trying to take over important economic routes.
Achilles and Odyssey also provide context on why their characteristics will benefit the Greeks given the context of the Late Bronze Age. The Trojan War, in historical context, is a war over the control of the Black Sea; and the values demonstrated by Achilles validate why the Mycenaeans won the Trojan War. It is thanks to Greeks like him who help their kingdoms prosper during war times; Achilles is only a famous example. Odysseus, on the other hand, is not a famous warrior but a clever trickster and a ruler who comes up with the idea of Trojan Horse, and his nostos depicts how he fights monstrous, non-Greek creatures using his wits. His skills are important to Greece, as the country is expanding and its people are introduced to new enemies which they must fight wisely. The monstrous deities Odysseus meets along the way — the Cyclops, Lotus Eaters, etc. — are just exaggerated versions of what non-Greek people were perceived as during those times. Odyssey could be perceived as the exaggerated account of Greeks while they are expanding in the Mediterranean and meeting different cultures, yet their most “Greek” attributes help them dominate their new enemies. His arrival at home and taking over his palace from suitors sends a strong message to the common Greek listeners: a ruler must never be disrespected since a good ruler is always stronger than those who challenge him.
Both myths also provide examples of characters who are not the ideal Greek citizens, and the course of events they undergo validate that their non-Greek characteristics have led to those outcomes. To support this argument, I will draw examples from Agamemnon, Paris, and Melanthius. Agamemnon is the self-centred King of Mycenae whose hubris brought misfortunes to his people. His unwillingness to give Chryseis back and let his people suffer from a plague demonstrates how little he cares about his people. His words,
“But I am willing to give her back, even so, if that is best for all. What I really want is to keep my people safe, not see them dying. But fetch me another prize, straight off too, else I alone of the Argives go without my honor. … look — my prize is snatched away!” (Homer Iliad Book 1, Lines 135–141)
show how self-indulgent and proud he is, as he believes he is entitled to a new concubine even when his prior caused so many troubles. In Iliad, Agamemnon leads Mycenaeans to the Trojan War, and in the Odyssey, his circumstances surrounding his death are revealed. As a poor leader and a bad example of a father who sacrifices his own daughter, he is murdered by his own wife. Both the Iliad and the Odyssey exemplify the outcomes of wrong characteristics: his hubris has caused the plague and the late arrival of Achilles to the battlefield, leading to many deaths; his self-centeredness has led him to sacrifice his daughter to please the Gods he had angered, bringing him doom to his own family. Thus, through his character, the Greek leaders are advised to be planned, refrain from being self-absorbed and take calculated decisions instead of emotionally triggered ones.
Furthermore, Paris and Melanthius are examples of what an ideal Greek man should not be, and their death is a reminder of the consequences. Paris is self-absorbed and ignorant of the Greek traditions. He rapes the King’s wife, Helen, and when asked to duel Menelaus for the commoners not to die, he flees. His immaturity has started the Trojan War, and he does not take any responsibility, letting others die for him as he spends time in Helen’s bedroom. In the Iliad, Paris dies and the Trojans lose the war. He represents the opposite of what a Greek man should be: a Greek man should be ready to fight, respect the Greek way of life, and take responsibility for his actions. Otherwise, they will find themselves in a similar situation as Paris: dead and their kingdom raided. Similarly, Melanthius is also a man who does not respect the Greek way of life, as told in the Odyssey. He lies to his king, Odyssey, when asked if he ever saw Odyssey and he replies he has not, even though he kicked Odyssey. He provokes suitors to pursue Penelope, the wife of his King. He lacks respect towards his King and he is a liar, which are not the traits ideal Greek citizens should display. He is later murdered by Menelaus’ son Telemachus, and his fate sends as a reminder to the Greek citizens that they should be fully loyal to their rulers and respect them.
Overall, the Iliad and Odyssey give us an image of the Greek way of life during the Late Bronze Age, which was followed by the Early Archaic Period — a period when Greek society underwent political change due to expansion, got involved in conflicts with non-Greeks such as “the Persian Wars”, started colonizing in the Mediterranean, and poleis — city states — became more powerful, replacing kingdoms. They are important didactic epic myths which show what the characteristics of ideal Greeks should and should not be: smart, a good leader, obedient to his ruler, respectful of the Greek way of life, ready to fight and die for his kingdom, and not self-centered. The heroes glorified in both myths exemplify the traits that will help Greeks prosper, and the unfortunate events that follow the characters who portray non-ideal values remind the listeners of the consequences. Both myths are not simply literary accounts of partially historical events, but also a lesson for future Greeks to draw from about how to live their life as the ideal Greek citizen. Such lessons have helped Greeks prosper in the Early Archaic Period as they set their first colony in Naples, won against the Persians, and achieved many more successes.
Citations
Homer, and Robert Fagles. Homer: the Iliad. The Softback Preview, 1997.
