Greek Civilization Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Greek Civilization - Essay Example It is upon this Achaean Wall that the quest for honor and justice prevails. Notably, â€Å"death in ten thousand shapes hangs ever over our heads, and no man can elude him: therefore let us go forward and either win glory for ourselves, or yield it to another† is a quote which basically means the determination of the warring armies around the legendary phenomenon to claim honor and justice for perceived past injustices as evident in Homeric Book XII. The place of timeh is the Achaean Wall. In the quest to die of honor if such a fate so reaches his army, Polydamas asks Hector to mobilize the soldiers and pass through the trench and the contested territory controlled by the Achaean army. Hector buys the idea, and all of the Trojans descend but for one senior member known as Asius (Moon, 2014). The army’s forward advance is driven by the determination to die of honor, and true to their mission, the enemy forces pin them down in the brutal confrontation. Their attempt to conquer the rampart with relative ease is thwarted. As the Trojans advance towards the enemy forces, they notice a rather important communication; above them, they come across an eagle holding a huge snake. The reptile confronts its captor fiercely, prompting the injured eagle soaked in blood to abandon the serpent. Polydamas interprets this sign to the effect that even though the Trojan army is superior to their enemy any attempt by them to storm the Achaean vessels with fire would result in their defeat. The resulting situation will force the Trojans into hasty retreats with heavy casualties. Hector disregards the sign and rebukes Polydamas saying that the army should construe the bird sign positively and seek justice for their country or retain their honor in death if they all die pursuing the noble cause (Presgonzlez, 2005). The two patriots and agents of justice move across the ramparts, mobilizing the soldiers. In the meantime, the Trojans led by Sarpedon and