In Homeric scholarship, the concept of homecoming (nostos) is often used to compare Achilles, the central hero of the Iliad, with Odysseus, the central hero of the Odyssey. While Achilles sacrifices nostos for glory (kleos), Odysseus succeeds in achieving both simultaneously.
This lecture argues that the theme of nostos also applies to Hector, the leader of the Trojans. Both Homeric poems, particularly the final books of the Iliad, underscore Hector's failed return home. This failed nostos represents the personal sacrifice Hector makes in his pursuit of kleos, thereby emphasizing the tragic cost of Iliadic glory and demonstrating Odysseus’ superiority over his heroic peers from the Iliad.
Sponsored by the Department of Classics, the Franco Family Institute for Liberal Arts and the Public Good, and the College of Arts and Letters.