Analysis of Similes in the Illiad 2

In the Iliad, Homer finds a great tool in the simile. Just by opening the book in a random place the reader is undoubtedly faced with one, or within a few pages. Homer seems to use everyday activities, at least for the audience, his fellow Greeks, in these similes nearly exclusively. When one is confronted with a situation that is familiar, one is more likely to put aside contemplating the topic and simply inject those …

…the Trojans, at least literarily, in this poem. His consistent use of beauty and grace with the Trojans contrasted with the viciousness portrayed in the Greeks is clear. Homer might have given other Trojan warriors besides Hector moments of aristea also if their exploits had not have been lost through time. Anyone, especially a poet, would feel indebted to the dead to give them some honor for their duties, and Homer has done just that.