Sweet Magnolia Travel is offering a group trip to Greece with a Greek Island cruise April 3-13, 2021!  We will visit many of Greece's ancient sites such as the Acropolis and Olympia, as well as the ruins in Mycenae, dating from 1,350 BC and described in Homer’s epic poem, “The Iliad”, all the while being accompanied by an expert Tour Director who will bring Greece to life by sharing its history, stories, and insider secrets. The deposit of $250 is due for each person by June 20, 2020, with the balance of around $1629 due February 2, 2021 (the amount may be less, depending on how many travel.)

 On the 3rd day of our journey, we will visit Mycenae, where 19th-century excavations reveal impressions of the splendors so vividly described by Homer in his epic poem The Illiad. In the effort of discerning the significance of the historic landmark of Mycenaie, one of the many scenes of the story, some say one of the most significant, an account of mercy and forgiveness is recounted here.

Achilles and Agamemnon

 The Illiad is a story of war and the tragedies of war in 1300 BC.  A soldier named Achilles was part of the Achaean (Greek) forces during the ten long years of the Trojan War, which according to legend, was fought over the much-courted Helen of Troy, who had been kidnapped from her Spartan husband Menelaus by Paris, the Prince of Troy. The leader of the Achaeans (Greeks) was Helen's (first) brother-in-law Agamemnon, who led the Achaeans to Troy to win her back.

Proud and autocratic, Agamemnon antagonized Achilles, causing Achilles to leave the battle. Furthermore, Achilles has been told by his mother that he would have one of two fortunes: he could fight at Troy, die young and achieve everlasting fame, or he could choose to return to Phthia where he would live a long life, but be forgotten. Like any good Greek hero, Achilles first chose fame and glory, but Agamemnon's arrogance was too much for him, and he headed home.

Several books of the Iliad are dedicated to the negotiations to get Achilles back into battle. These books describe long conversations among Agamemnon and his diplomatic team including Achilles' old teacher Phoenix, and his friends and fellow warriors Odysseus and Ajax, pleading with Achilles to get him to fight. Odysseus offered gifts, news that the war was not going well and that Hector, a lead force for the Trojans, should be killed by Achilles. Phoenix reminisced about Achilles' heroic education, playing on his emotions; and Ajax upbraided Achilles for not supporting his friends and companions in the fray. But Achilles remained adamant: he would not fight for Agamemnon.

 Patroclus and Hector 

After he left the conflict at Troy, instead of deciding to fight Hector himself, Achilles urged one of his closest friends Patroclus, to go fight in Troy, offering his armor to his friend. Patroclus donned Achilles's armor--except for his ash spear, which only Achilles could wield--and went into battle as a direct substitute (what is referred to as "doublet") for Achilles. And at Troy, Patroclus, Achilles’ closest friend,  was killed by Hector, the greatest warrior on the Trojan side. Upon word of the death of Patroclus, Achilles was filled with remorse and rage.

As the story goes, an enraged Achilles put on the armor and killed Hector--significantly with the ash spear--directly outside of the gates of Troy, and then dishonored Hector's body by dragging it around tied to the back of a chariot for nine consecutive days. Achilles’ attempt at finding peace with the death of his friend, and his responsibility for it, is evident in many scenes where he wages war with the gods. At one point, he sacrifices 12 Trojans to the dead body of his friend, which offers him no peace.  He also wages war against a river, which manifests itself into a god, causing floods.  In retaliation, a fire god sends fires upon the people.  It seems that no matter what Achilles does, he cannot find comfort in the death of his friend.

Eventually, Hector's father, King Priam of Troy, appealed to the better nature of Achilles. He places a ransom in his wagon in the middle of the night, and taking an enormous risk, he travels to the Achillean Camp to search for Achilles’ hut, to beg Achilles to release Hector’s body to his family in Troy for proper funeral rites.  Priam kneels at Achilles’ feet and kisses the hands of the man who murdered his son and dragged the body behind his chariot for nine days.  

Achilles is absolutely stunned at this gesture.  He marvels at the old man, confused at first, and asks him “Do you know who I am, do you know how much danger you are in?”  Once he gets his wits about him, he starts to marvel at the gesture, at the bravery of the old man before him.  It is the very moment that Achilles grants the man’s wish that he begins to feel peace with the death of his friend, and further adds to the old man that he will give him a 12 day truce to gather the supplies he needs to go through the various rituals and processions of the ceremony of Hector, Tamer of Horses.

The last words in the book are “Thus held they the ceremony of Hector, Tamer of Horses.”  This is how Achilles finds peace after grieving the tragedy of his friend’s death for so long; by taking pity on an old man and granting his wish to bury his son.  Homer seems to be saying that it is forgiveness that brings peace, not glory in war, and not by attacking adversaries.  It is the feeling of empathy for the humanity of one’s adversary, extending mercy to the enemy; that is what brings Achilles peace and that is what The Illiad is about.