Greek mythology is filled with stories about people considered great heroes because of their extraordinary qualities. Although Greek heroes fight bravely for honor and glory, their flaws can harm themselves or those close to them. In Homer's Iliad, Achilles is depicted as petty, proud and vengeful. In Virgil's Aeneid, the flawless epic hero Aeneas is depicted as passionate, faithful to his duty, and wise. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get the original essay In The Iliad, the tragic hero Achilles is a dynamic character. Throughout the story, Achilles' actions are controlled by his emotions, particularly his rage. First, Achilles tries to persuade King Agamemnon to return Chryseis to his father. Achilles' act indicates that he wants to protect the Greeks from the plague and to propitiate the god Apollo. When Agamemnon forcibly takes Achilles' prize from him, Achilles feels dishonored and withdraws from the Trojan War. Achilles' childish actions and decisions show how petty he is. In Book 1, Homer shows that Achilles' abstention from fighting implies that he does not care about the Trojan War or the triumph of the Greeks when he tells Agamemnon that "[they] all have it." followed, to please [him], to fight for [him].” him]” (Homer, 82). Second, Achilles is characterized as proud. He asks his caring mother, Thetis, to beg Zeus to “give the Trojans the upper hand, until the Achaeans respect [her] son” (Homer, 568-69). Achilles' request demonstrates that he wants to show Agamemnon that he has lost a great warrior when he swears that "the time will come when all the sons of Achaia will miss [him], a time when, in distress , [they] will lack [his] help” (Homer, 263-66). Because of Achilles' pride, he also loses his best friend Patroclus. Finally, in book 18, after learning of Patroclus' death, “A black cloud of pain engulfed Achilles” (Homer, 27). His uncontrollable anger pushes him to take revenge on Hector. In book 18, "Achilles' heart has no desire to live, to continue living among men, unless Hector is first struck by [his] spear, losing his life" (Homer , 112-115). His violence towards the body highlights the great pain he feels in his broken heart. However, in The Aeneid, Aeneas is depicted as a perfect hero who obeys the gods and accepts his fate. First, Aeneas is a passionate hero, as he is determined to achieve his goal in founding the Roman Empire. Aeneas is wise because he thinks long term. Rather than listening to his heart, he prefers to use his mind and listen to the gods, because they know what is good for his future. Second, Aeneas devotes his life to his duty, despite the temptation he faces on his journey. When Aeneas and Dido fall in love, Aeneas forgets his duty. Aeneas says: “if fate had left him free to live his life” (Aeneid, 139). This means that he is happy and feels comfortable with her, but his happiness does not last long. When, in Book 4, a messenger reminds him of his responsibility, he is “truly overwhelmed by the vision” and “longs to go away, to abandon this land he loves” (Aeneid, 137). Finally, the hero Aeneas is depicted as an adult hero. He does not complain about his duty and does not hesitate to take action. Virgil devotes a long text to describing Dido's intense emotions when she learns that Aeneas is leaving her; however, Aeneas neither comforts her nor eases her pain. Aeneas reacts like a wise hero because “he is deaf to all calls. He will not yield” (Aeneid, 439), which is why he does not allow.