Farewell to the warrior. Red-figure vase. V century BC.

And yet it must be said that Homer definitely does not like Agamemnon, and perhaps not so much as he is, but as a king in general and as a supreme military leader who abuses his power. In the eyes of Homer, the clan community in general moves towards absolutism with all the consequences that follow from it. The emancipated poet does not like this evolution very much, and the Achaean kings appear in him mainly in a very reduced form. Agamemnon is shown worse than others in this sense, since his power is stronger. But taken on its own, it is not much different from all others, and if it is criticized, it is no more than others. You can even say so. His image is eventually covered with some mournful and tender lyrics. One has only to read the story of the shadow of Agamemnon to Odysseus in Hades about how Clytemestra mercilessly killed Agamemnon and Cassandra and how she did not even close his eye after death (Od., XI, 405-461). It depicts how the weeping Agamemnon, once a powerful and glorious hero, after so many military labors suffered from an evil woman, and how in Hades he still regrets his unsuccessful marriage and is still interested in the fate of his son.

Thus, Homer's Agamemnon is a powerful, glorious, powerful knight and king, unstable and weak-willed, greedy and voluptuous, modest and pliable, a robber and predator, a bold critic of Zeus, often a coward and a drunkard with a lyrically delicate, deeply offended and infinitely suffering soul.

4. Hector.2) The character of Hector, in contrast to the hysterical Achilles, is striking in its deep adherence to principles: for him, the most important thing is to fight for his homeland and for his people. For all his religiosity, which Homer emphasizes in him more than once, in one famous verse he prefers military exploits to any bird-telling (Ill., XII, 243).

He cannot bear shame in front of the Trojans and Trojan women for bad and stupid behavior in war. He is not afraid to admit his military mistakes and covers them up with his heroism. Burning with a passion for military exploits, he, contrary to the advice of his elders, set his troops against Achilles and did not lead them to Troy, although his own death and the useless death of many Trojans was almost obvious. These inner vacillations, covered by selfless heroism, are beautifully depicted in Homer (XXII, 99-130). The consciousness of his duty, the shame before his compatriots in the event of his treason, the habit of fighting in the front ranks – these thoughts come to him even when parting with Andromache (VI, 441-449). At the appearance of the magnificently armed Ajax, Hector's heart trembles (VII, 216). But he does not even think of evading the battle or fighting in any insidious way, without attacking directly, openly and nobly (242-245). Wounds in the neck (262) and in the knees (271) not only do not stop him, but provoke him even more. The slightest hesitation about the plan of battle at the first compulsion from the outside immediately turns into an ardent offensive (XVI, 713-728).

However, the traditional idea of Homer's Hector as a kind of unshakable hero who behaves straightforwardly and schematically and is devoid of any psychology is completely erroneous. This psychology is usually seen only in the famous scene of Hector's farewell to Andromache. Indeed, the tender conjugal and paternal feelings with which Homer's mightiest and bravest hero appears here are so vital and deep that they continue to excite readers even now, and are even now the pinnacle of the beauty of the heroic personality in world literature.

But it is usually overlooked that, for all his heroism and for all his adherence to principles, Hector is depicted in Homer with all those psychological weaknesses, with all those constant vacillations and uncertainty, with all that rashness, expansiveness and impulsiveness, sometimes even naïve pride and self-conceit, which can be found in the smallest and most narrow-minded man. Those who like to schematize and turn Homer into a boring and monotonous epic have always practiced mainly on Hector. However, this is not justified by anything if you do not approach Hector with a bias and if you carefully read Homer.

Hector thinks that it costs nothing to seize the golden shield of Nestor and the variegated armor of Diomedes, made by Hephaestus himself (VIII, 191-197). But, of course, nothing comes of it. He is so confident of his victory over the Achaeans that he is ready to compare himself with Apollo and Pallas Athena (537-541), although he himself knows perfectly well that it is not the Achaeans who must perish, but Troy (VI, 548 ff.). It costs him nothing to promise Dolonus the horses of Achilles, and even to swear by the names of Zeus and Hera (X, 329-331). From the retreat of Agamemnon, he immediately again concludes that he was sure to win over the Achaeans (XI, 286-290). But now (XVIII, 254-283) we read the speech of the wise and judicious Poulidamantes, the same age and companion of Hector, as to why it is not necessary to remain on the plain and wait for the appearance of the enraged Achilles.

What does Hector answer him? He was again deceived by his approach to the Achaean ships, again forgot about the impending destruction of Troy, and literally forcibly silenced Pulidamantes (285-297). He is not moved by the heartbreaking sobs and requests not to oppose Achilles, which he hears from his closest and dearest people (XXII, 38-91). But when he saw Achilles, he, who had never feared anyone, suddenly trembled and began to run away, so that he ran around Troy three times in pursuit of him (136-207). Only the deceitful intervention of Pallas Athena convinced him to stop. But even when he meets Achilles, when he speaks to him, he is also torn apart by internal vacillations. Therefore, the lie of the lazy Paris, who, not wanting to fight, compares the warrior spirit of Hector to an indestructible axe (III, 60-63) is all too obvious.

Hector's tragedy is terrible. Meeting Achilles after the chase, he is not at all at a loss and enters into a duel with great courage. However, he very quickly becomes convinced that he was deceived by Pallas Athena and that he was left alone by Deiphobus, in the image of whom this goddess appeared. However, even before that, Homer sternly and inexorably declares (XXII, 5 ff.):

Hector was shackled by a fatal fate, and he was the only one left

In the same place, near the Scaean Gate, in front of the strong city wall.

He, who had always placed so much hope in the gods, is now convinced of their treachery and treachery, and utters words that are full of courage and despair at once (297-305):