Iliad’s Dilemmas with the Definition Piety - 846 Words

There are many various ways that a person can define and analyze piety. In Plato’s dialogue, Euthyphro presented many possible definitions for the word piety. One definition that Euthyphro showed was that piety is learning how to please the gods in words and deeds such as in prayers and sacrifices (p. 70). By this he means that piety is a business between humans and gods or vise versa. However, one can interpret that after reading book one, six, and seven of The Iliad by Homer, that there are dilemmas that are associated with this definition. The three examples that shows this are: In book one, when Homer mentioned the communication between Achilles and Athene, in book six, which explained the exchange that was made by the woman of troy to Athene and in book 7, where the Achaians did not sacrifice anything to Zeus. The communication between Achilles and Athene shows a problem with the chosen definition of piety. This is depicted in book one when Achilles becomes enraged and wanted to kill Agamemnon because he threaten to take Brassies, a woman that was detained and presented to Achilles during the Trojan War, as a war prize. However, Athene stops him and she was able to prevent him from killing Agamemnon. Athene was capable of doing so because she promises Achilles that he will be honorably rewarded for. This is shown when Athene implied that â€Å"some day three times over such shining gifts shall be given you by reason of this outrage. Hold your hand then, and obey us† (p.