Books VII and Book IX of Homer's Iliad present opposing views on the meaning of material wealth in relation to the heroic code, contrasting consecutively Hector and Achilles, who have already been defined by the poet as polar characters. On the one hand, in the Book VII passage, material wealth acts with moral significance to end the battle between Ajax and Hector and foster a friendship that benefits both the Trojan and Greek armies; whereas Achilles breaks this heroic ideal, as if the giving of gifts as an act has lost its meaning as a means of mending the relationship between Achilles and Agamemnon, and is completely undermined by Achilles' questionable self-preservation due to his lack of emotional control . Since in Homer's time material wealth was representative of social status, the exchange of gifts would have taken away a certain honor easily attributable to the heroic code. The acceptance of the gifts, which seems to act as a form of forgiveness and relative peace between two people, which is reflected in the passage from Book VII, follows the dignity expected from the hero to protect the needs of the larger population. However, the opposition to the rejection of gift-giving due to the desire for personal preservation is reflected in Book IX. Therefore, both the acceptance and rejection of gifts enhance and detract from the heroic image of Homer's characters Hector and Achilles. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an original essayThe basis of the exchange of gifts in both the passage of Book VII and Book IX is for the change of relations between two central characters of the epic, and therefore the outcome of the exchange of gifts is of great importance and has significance touching for the development of the poem. In the passage of Book VII, the focus seems to be on the development of the original “hostility” between the heroic males towards “intimate friendship” – and therefore on the development of their relationship. Hector's prediction of the Achaean and Trojan responses which reads: "these two fought each other with poignant hatred, then joined in close friendship" illuminates Hector's desire for peace in the battle at nightfall, having already explained that it is better' surrender', rather than persevere for the personal glory of one or another of the warriors, having the knowledge that ultimately the decision rests with 'divinity' – Hector does not attempt to dispute this, nor does Aias refuse his offer, despite having a rather demanding and underlying impersonal 'come on then' sense. The exchange seems to be personal items, which also adapts the relationship between the two heroes, since the gifts of the 'sword with silver nails' and the 'war belt colored with shining purple' are not only rich material goods in terms of value but personal goods, giving the exchange a moral meaning in their metaphorical exchange of reciprocal parts. In contrast, in Book IX, the exchange of gifts only serves to fuel the hatred and "anger" between Achilles and his king. Gifts are treated with a contrasting lack of moral value and are instead spoken of in more personal terms, as if they should not be shared. Achilles' repetitive use of "I" and the possessive "mine" in response to his material wealth suggests a greed and lack of personal worth that deems gifts to be "actionless" and likely meaningless - failing to see Agamemnon's attempt to reconcile with Achilles according to the heroic code, and considering the "gifts" only as objects such as "gold", "bronze" or "women" that have economic value, "awarded" to him as are his other winnings, not as a representative of oneExcuse me. Ignoring the reasoning behind the gift, Achilles places himself and his personal needs above those of Agamemnon, his so-called best elder, as well as the entire army. In relation to the heroic code, which expresses the need to put the needs of one's men before one's own personal needs, the union of Hector and Ajax in 'friendship' at the end of the battle is for the good of the 'Greeks'. ' and the 'Trojans'. Homer's almost repetitive use of nonviolent language, "kinship," "thanksgiving," and "happiness," evokes images of peace and friendship and emphasizes the benefits both armies receive from accepting these rich personal gifts. The friendly exchange gives the reader an idea of ​​the priorities in the minds of the heroes: their internal emotions towards each other, which in the moment of battle are "hostility" and "heart-wrenching hatred", are put aside due to their understanding of their greater "divine" purpose for the eventual "victory" of one or the other army. The heroes' recognition of collective rather than personal purpose is emphasized in Hector's piety and understanding of "divinity", meaning that he must ultimately give way to the powers above him and accept his fate, rather than attempt to check it. Achilles' lack of understanding in the Book IX passage counteracts this. Instead of behaving as expected of a great warrior hero and accepting the embassy's offers, Achilles' refusal demonstrates an absence of collective responsibility in his character, placing his own emotional needs, consumed entirely by "hatred" and " anger". that the other heroes manage to put aside, above all else. Achilles seems to promote a sense of inaction in his demand to "not act" at all costs, even if he were given "ten times...twenty times" more as a reward; there is no distinction made by Achilles to separate the personal and public demands of heroism. Indeed, it could be argued that his response is entirely anti-heroic, actually calling for a suggested rebellion: "so that other Achaeans may turn against him in anger", and thus preventing any progress that would lead to success for the Greeks, attempting make one's lack of "action" universal. As an attempt at omnipresent stillness, Achilles goes against the heroic code that requires him to accept and promote forgiveness just as Hector and Ajax manage to do in Book VII. Unusually, despite being more suited to the heroic code, the friendly and accepting exchange between Hector and Ajax differs more powerfully within the plot of the Iliad. It is possible to argue that a person's personal grudge, "hatred" and "anger", is what drives the entire plot of the Iliad. Although momentary peace is often established throughout the poem, peace in its entirety is never fully found as, even at the end of the poem, we are left in media res. Achilles's treatment of the personal, evidently seen in his repetitive use of "mine," is not dissimilar to the hostility between Menelaus and Paris over Helen, who refuse to reach an agreement, even when offered lavish gifts with great value material. the Greek army. The exchange between Hector and Aias could therefore be described in this case as unusual, as they manage to find 'friendship' and participate in an equal 'victory' even in the surrounding environment of 'hostility'. Interestingly, when comparing the two passages of Book VII and Book IX, Achilles' response is undoubtedly more human and genuine, and therefore recognisable, rather than the puppet responses of Hector and Ajax, who follow their own code like a dictated law. Hector's speech, unlike that of Achilles in Book IX, is stereotyped and.