Both ferocious and highly intelligent at the same time, wolves and leopards are often compared to the most revered hunters and warriors of Homeric poetry. Although the roles of predator and prey are reversed in each of these significant pauses, the skill and intuition of both the Greek and Trojan armies are highlighted in the similes of books 16 and 21 of Homer's Iliad, in which the fighters are compared to these ferocious animals. The simile from book 16 depicts a pack of wolves waiting for the right moment to pounce on lost lambs, slowly picking them off one by one without their shepherd noticing. In the simile of book 21, there is no wolf trying to get a meal; instead, a leopard faces its opponent, its mind unshaken as it prepares to fight to the death of the hunter or itself. Upon closer examination of the two similarities, however, the resemblance between the two animals begins to crumble, suggesting a turn of events in the Trojan War, when the predator quickly becomes the prey and the Greeks begin to lose the battle. plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an original essayThe ferocity of the two armies is perhaps never more evident than in the telling pauses where the men are compared to ruthless animals, implying a lack of remorse for those they have killed and a strong intention to do so again. In book 16, the Greek leaders stage an aggressive attack against the Trojan warriors, brutally and forcefully throwing their swords and spears through the bodies of their enemies, leaving behind piles of flesh and blood. The violent action is then interrupted in a sort of suspension of narrative time, describing the way in which the Greeks fight to be as ferocious as an animal that could hunt its prey: wolves will infallibly kidnap lambs or goats that have separated from the flock Due to the shepherd's carelessness, predators quickly exterminate the defenseless young animals (Iliad, 16.374-378). The diction within this passage elicits a feeling of barbarism and offers insight into the evil minds of those in battle. Just as wolves hunt lambs, Greek soldiers “unfailingly” pursue their targets, relentlessly “picking off” the Trojans like vultures over rotting flesh. The analogy of the weak lambs to the Trojan forces evokes sympathy and perhaps even a sense of duty to protect them. Like lambs, the soldiers are defenseless in the face of attacks from the stronger Greek army, which takes advantage of the absence and inadequacy of their “shepherd” – Priam – as their leader. Yet this is how life should be both in battle and in nature: the strong overwhelms the weak, the hunter devours his prey. The wolves make “swift destruction” of the lambs, reflecting the desperation of the Trojans who are aware of the danger around them, but who can do little or nothing to protect themselves. Instead, the Greeks continue to bomb their targets with all their might, hoping to gain an advantage and ultimately win the war. In much the same way, the book 21 simile compares armies to wild animals and ruthless hunters. But while the simile in Book 16 highlights the strength and weakness of the Greek and Trojan armies respectively, Book 21 uses this pair of man and animal to exemplify the resilience and determination of the Trojans against the Greek leaders. Preparing for battle against Achilles, Agenor summons all the courage he can muster: a leopard comes out of the deep bush before the eyes of a hunter, completely fearless. Even if he hears the houndsbark, she will not turn and run away, and even if the human is lucky enough to strike first and hit her with his spear, she will not give up, but will continue to fight with the spear in her body until she is killed - or she is pierced with claws (Iliad, 21.594-601). Comparing Agenor to a leopard, Homer uses vivid imagery to paint a picture of the impending battle between two of the strongest forces of the Greek and Trojan armies. Evoking visual and auditory images of “dogs barking” as the leopard “comes out of the deep bush,” Agenor's courage is highlighted as he faces what appears to be his imminent death. Despite the excessive power of Achilles and the hunter, Agenor and the leopard to which he is compared are determined to fight with all the strength they have, regardless of the outcome. The animalistic nature of both the Greek and Trojan soldiers is emphasized in both similes as the wolves relentlessly attack the lambs, just as the leopard and the hunter are relentless in their battle against each other. Similar to the simile in book 16, this willingness to accept one's fate stimulates a maternal instinct in the audience to protect the vulnerable lambs and the powerful, but seemingly disadvantaged, leopard. But while the parallels between the two similarities might seem obvious at first glance, it's the subtle differences between the two that make them so important. Although at least one army is likened to a wild animal in the similes, it is crucial to note that only the Trojans appear as animals in Book 21. Preying on vulnerable lambs, the wolves of Book 16 are quickly compared to the Greek leaders and their troops who they made their way with the Trojans,” highlighting the inhuman nature of both Achaeans. and their enemy (16.379). In the second simile, however, the source of the conflict is not between two animals but between a powerful leopard and a menacing hunter. Where at first glance it appears that the battle is balanced between man and wild animal, a more detailed look at the differences between the two emphasizes the circumstances of the fight, and the leopard no longer appears as the clear winner but as an adversary conquerable. This contrast between man and animal highlights the differences between Agenor and Achilles in the war, both personally and in relation to their entire army. Represented by the hunter, Achilles is shown to be of intelligence and strength far superior to that of his animal counterpart, Agenor. Like hounds baying for the hunter, Achilles has the entire Greek army at his side, so he pairs his intelligence with numerical strength to give him a significant advantage during battle. Unlike the barbarism seen in book 16 by the Greeks ruthlessly attacking the defenseless Trojans, this change from animal versus animal to animal versus human highlights the turn of events in the Trojan War as the Greeks slowly begin to lose the war, the Trojans gain more and more strength. But it is not only the dissimilarity between man and animal that continues the contrast between similarities, since it is imperative to also take into account the gender distinction employed by Homer. When you pay close attention to the secondary details surrounding a simile, the subtle nuances in the diction suddenly appear more easily and can lead to a deeper analysis of the events it is describing. Just like the images in book 16, the simile in book 21 evokes a feeling of pity for both the lambs and the leopard respectively. However, it is only when we read more deeply into the meaning of Homer's words that we begin to understand why audiences feel this way. In addition to intelligence, the hunter has an advantage that could be.