A true Greek hero; not too
good; all flushed with the pride of youth, but capable of godlike
impulses. At first, he thinks only of his own wounded pride (when he
finds Iphigenia has been decoyed to Aulis under the pretest of
becoming his wife); but the grief of the queen soon makes him superior
to his arrogant chafings. How well he says,
"_Far as a young man may_, I will repress
So great a wrong!"
By seeing him here, we understand why he, not Hector, was the hero of
the Iliad. The beautiful moral nature of Hector was early developed by
close domestic ties, and the cause of his country. Except in a purer
simplicity of speech and manner, he might be a modern and a Christian.
But Achilles is cast in the largest and most vigorous mould of the
earlier day. His nature is one of the richest capabilities, and
therefore less quickly unfolds its meaning. The impression it makes at
the early period is only of power and pride; running as fleetly with
his armor on as with it off; but sparks of pure lustre are struck, at
moments, from the mass of ore. Of this sort is his refusal to see the
beautiful virgin he has promised to protect. None of the Grecians must
have the right to doubt his motives, How wise and prudent, too, the
advice he gives as to the queen's conduct! He will cot show himself
unless needed.
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