Example Of Argumentative Essay On Free Will In Homer’s Iliad

According to the tales of Homer, the Greek gods played a significant role in determining the destiny of humanity. There may be no greater example of this in the Iliad besides the death of Hector. Achilles chases Hector around and around the entire city of Troy, making three entire circuits around the fortifications. Zeus holds a golden balance between the interests of Achilles (whom Athena favors) and Hector (whom Apollo favors). When the balance finally turns toward Athena and Achilles, she instantly zips to the side of Achilles and tricks Hector in to turning and fighting. Hector is the only Trojan outside the city walls now, as the rest all cower inside. However, Athena takes on the form of Deiphobus, one of Hector’s brothers, and tells Hector to “let us two make a stand and fight” (p. 16). Having someone by his side encourages Hector to turn around and engage Achilles. When Hector throws his spear, only to see it bounce of the shield of Achilles, he asks Deiphobus for another spear, only to find that Deiphobus has vanished. It is at this point that Hector laments, “Alas! The gods have lured me onto my destruction. I deemed that the hero Deiphobus was by my side, but he is within the wall, and Athena has inveigled me; death is now indeed exceedingly near at hand” (p. 17). The fact that Hector knows the gods are behind this deception is particularly telling, as it indicates that Athena has used her cunning in this way in other situations. It is clear that Hector would not have turned and fought without this trickery from Athena, which indicates that the gods usurped free will in this instance to bring about the death of Hector.