Iliad Blog for Chapters 12-17

From the start of the story, it can be observed that there are interventions by the Gods, in fact, the war is even planned by the Gods. Yes, the Gods are powerful, but they cannot control everything. This can be clearly concluded because of the unexpected death of their mortal sons in the war.

Wars were one because time by time, Gods would   interfere and help their sides. From the looks of  things, it is the Gods' war, not the people's. Events like Zeus and the other Gods sending omens to give clues to the people, Hera's seduction to Zeus, and Apollo's act of being one of the soldiers, are powerful evidences that Gods manipulated the war.

But with all of these interventions, I definitely disagree with the fact that the heroes' free and strong will are immaterial. One example is Hector, even though he has seen the omen of the Eagle dropping the serpent in the middle of the Trojans (Book 12), he refused to retreat, and as a result, they were able to give the Achaeans a defeat.

Therefore, I conclude that no God can be able to stop one's free will, no matter how powerful he or she is. It takes a lot more than exceptional powers to change one's heart.

The Iliad

Paris' love for Helen is so strong that he gave up his country's peaceful living just to have her. Sounds like a fairytale story right? But does it really make him noble? Even though Menelaus seemed like the antagonist to Helen and Paris' love story, I consider him as a nobler man. I'm saying this because although he has the rights for Helen, his wife, he wasn't that selfish, he still gave her a chance to be happy with a condition that Paris must defeat him. 

Another reason is that Menelaus fought like a real man; he did not act cowardly, just like what Paris did. He did not ask help from anybody; he had trust for himself. He was supposed to win the battle for Helen, but Paris was helped by Aphrodite.

Modern day Paris are those people who do everything, even destroy other's welfare, to get what they want; just like the corrupt politicians who have justice on their sides. While modern day Menelaus are those poor, oppressed by the modern day Paris (corrupt politicians). They are those who rebel against the government, who took what is supposed to be theirs.