In defence of Achilles - Leaders vs followers

A brilliantly written book which I have enjoyed listening to (more than once) as well as reading the book, which I couldn’t put down. My fascination is with the quarrel, I sympathise wholeheartedly with Achilles and his frustration in having to listen to and follow a greedy, inconsiderate undiplomatic leader. If he was accused of ‘always’ complaining, it’s no wonder he did. If he was a smart, intelligent, diplomatic, charismatic and kind person, as he seemed to be, he must have baulked at having to listen to Agamemnon every day. In those day men followed like sheep, and few thinking men stood their ground. As shown in the book, Achilles entered the war voluntarily, he was not conscripted and was a King in his own right, even if a minor one, so could speak his mind, unlike the majority of the soldiers, who, if the need arose, could have Achilles shield and defend them from Agamemnon. One couldn’t ask for a better defender than Achilles, the greatest warrior known in his time. If he has been vilified down through the ages, why? Was he so wrong in killing Hector, or for dragging his body around for days? Shows the pen is mightier than the sword, if Achilles can be brought so low. War is war and atrocities happen on both sides, not just on one side. War is meant to kill or be killed or maimed. Achilles did return Hector’s body when Priam appeared pleading for it, saying he did have it in mind to return the body! A reflection of his compassionate spirit, which grief had stifled somewhat. Anyone would have done the same, even Hector, if someone he loved as much, was killed brutally like he killed Patroklos. Would Hector have given up Patroklos’ body if the Achaeans had not managed to rescue it? We will never know. Reading of Apollo shooting his deadly arrows causing sickness and death with funeral pyres burning daily reminds me of this COVID pandemic, with so many sickening and dying having vaccine jabs, reminiscent of Apollo’s arrows, and funeral pyres burning like it’s done in India?!

So we come down the ages to the 20th Century and Mohammed Ali, a trained boxer, quick on his feet, fast with his punches and rhymes. The greatest boxer in the world in his time. He and Achilles had many things in common, the most important, both refusing to fight in a war. Ali refused to enlist in the Vietnam war, was jailed and his Olympic medals confiscated. Because of a quarrel of unjust means, Achilles quit the war, and his prize was taken from him. So many similarities in their lives, both known as great fighters in their time. Both thinkers standing their ground, Ali, against one kind of injustice and Achilles against another kind. The Iliad shows what happens when great thinkers and incompetent leaders clash. God help us followers who think!

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