Editing Hero (section)

== Antiquity ==
{{See also|Greek hero cult}}
[[File:Perseo in Villa San Marco Stabiae.jpg|thumb|left|Perseus and the head of Medusa in a Roman fresco at [[Stabiae]]]]
A classical hero is considered to be a "[[warrior]] who lives and dies in the pursuit of honor" and asserts their greatness by "the brilliancy and efficiency with which they kill".<ref name=":1" /> Each classical hero's life focuses on fighting, which occurs in war or during an epic quest. Classical heroes are commonly semi-divine and extraordinarily gifted, such as [[Achilles]], evolving into heroic characters through their perilous circumstances.<ref name=":02" /> While these heroes are incredibly resourceful and skilled, they are often foolhardy, court disaster, risk their followers' lives for trivial matters, and behave arrogantly in a childlike manner.<ref name=":02" /> During classical times, people regarded heroes with the highest esteem and utmost importance, explaining their prominence within epic literature.<ref>{{Cite journal | last1 = Levin | first1 = Saul | year = 1984 | title = Love and the Hero of the Iliad | journal = Transactions and Proceedings of the American Philological Association | volume = 80 | pages = 43–50 | doi=10.2307/283510| jstor = 283510}}</ref> The appearance of these mortal figures marks a revolution of audiences and writers turning away from [[Twelve Olympians|immortal gods]] to mortal mankind, whose heroic moments of glory survive in the memory of their descendants, extending their legacy.<ref name=":02" />
[[File:Wall painting - two heroes conversing - Herculaneum (ins or II - palaestra) - Napoli MAN 9020.jpg|thumb|left|Two heroes. A Roman fresco in [[Herculaneum]], 30-40 AD]]

[[Hector]] was a [[Troy|Trojan]] prince and the greatest fighter for Troy in the [[Trojan War]], which is known primarily through [[Homer]]'s ''[[Iliad]]''. Hector acted as leader of the Trojans and their allies in the defense of Troy, "killing 31,000 Greek fighters," offers Hyginus.<ref>Hyginus, ''[[Fabulae]]'' 115.</ref> Hector was known not only for his courage, but also for his noble and courtly nature. Indeed, Homer places Hector as peace-loving, thoughtful, as well as bold, a good son, husband and father, and without darker motives. However, his familial values conflict greatly with his heroic aspirations in the ''Iliad,'' as he cannot be both the protector of [[Troy]] and a father to his child.<ref name=":1" /> Hector is ultimately betrayed by the deities when [[Athena]] appears disguised as his ally [[Deiphobus]] and convinces him to challenge Achilles, leading to his death at the hands of a superior warrior.<ref name=":4">Homer. ''The Iliad.'' Trans. Robert Fagles (1990). NY: Penguin Books. Chapter 14</ref>

[[File:The_Rage_of_Achilles,_by_Giovanni_Battista_Tiepolo_(1696-1770),_Italian_Rococo_painter.jpg|thumb|''The Rage of Achilles'', by [[Giovanni Battista Tiepolo]], 1757|302x302px]]
[[Achilles]] was a Greek hero who was considered the most formidable military fighter in the entire Trojan War and the central character of the ''Iliad''. He was the child of [[Thetis]] and [[Peleus]], making him a [[Demigod|demi-god]]. He wielded superhuman strength on the battlefield and was blessed with a close relationship to the [[List of Greek deities|deities]]. Achilles famously refused to fight after his dishonoring at the hands of Agamemnon, and only returned to the war due to unadulterated rage after Hector killed his beloved companion [[Patroclus]].<ref name=":4" /> Achilles was known for uncontrollable rage that defined many of his bloodthirsty actions, such as defiling Hector's corpse by dragging it around the city of Troy. Achilles plays a tragic role in the ''Iliad'' brought about by constant [https://books.google.com/books?id=5TFUv2VRKd8C&dq=achilles+dehumanization&pg=PA91 de-humanization] throughout the epic, having his ''menis'' (wrath) overpower his ''philos'' (love).<ref name=":1">{{Cite book|title = The Mortal Hero: An Introduction to Homer's Iliad|last = Schein|first = Seth|publisher = University of California Press|year = 1984|pages = 58}}</ref>

Heroes in myth often had close but conflicted relationships with the deities. Thus, Heracles's name means "the glory of [[Hera]]", even though he was tormented all his life by Hera, the Queen of the Greek deities. Perhaps the most striking example is the Athenian king [[Erechtheus]], whom [[Poseidon]] killed for choosing [[Athena]] rather than him as the city's patron deity. When the Athenians worshiped Erechtheus on the [[Acropolis of Athens|Acropolis]], they invoked him as ''Poseidon Erechtheus''.

[[Destiny|Fate]], or destiny, plays a massive role in the stories of classical heroes. The classical hero's heroic significance stems from battlefield conquests, an inherently dangerous action.<ref name=":1" /> The deities in [[Greek mythology]], when interacting with the heroes, often foreshadow the hero's eventual death on the battlefield. Countless heroes and deities go to great lengths to alter their pre-destined fates, but with no success, as none, neither human or immortal can change their prescribed outcomes by the three powerful [[Fates]].<ref name=":5">{{Cite web|url = http://www.auburn.wednet.edu/cms/lib03/WA01001938/Centricity/Domain/2205/Fate%20reading.pdf|title = Articles and musing on the concept of Fate for the ancient Greeks|website = Auburn University}}</ref> The most characteristic example of this is found in ''[[Oedipus Rex]].'' After learning that his son, [[Oedipus]], will end up killing him, the King of Thebes, [[Laius]], takes huge steps to ensure his son's death by removing him from the kingdom. When Oedipus encounters his father when his father was unknown to him in a dispute on the road many years later, Oedipus slays him without an afterthought. The lack of recognition enabled Oedipus to slay his father, ironically further binding his father to his fate.<ref name=":5" />

Stories of heroism may serve as [[moral example]]s. However, classical heroes often did not embody the Christian notion of an upstanding, perfectly moral hero.<ref>{{Cite web|title = Four Conceptions of the Heroic|url = http://www.fellowshipofreason.com/archives/4heroes.htm|website = www.fellowshipofreason.com|access-date = 2015-12-07}}</ref> For example, Achilles's character-issues of hateful rage lead to merciless slaughter and his overwhelming pride lead to him only joining the Trojan War because he did not want his soldiers to win all of the glory. Classical heroes, regardless of their morality, were placed in religion. In [[classical antiquity]], cults that venerated deified heroes such as [[Heracles]], [[Perseus]], and [[Achilles]] played an important role in Ancient Greek religion.<ref name=":2">Graf, Fritz. (2006) "Hero Cult". ''[http://referenceworks.brillonline.com/entries/brill-s-new-pauly/hero-cult-e511460?s.num=1&s.f.s2_parent=s.f.book.brill-s-new-pauly&s.q=hero Brills New Pauly]''.</ref> These ancient [[Greek hero cult]]s worshipped heroes from oral [[Epic Cycle|epic tradition]], with these heroes often bestowing blessings, especially healing ones, on individuals.<ref name=":2" />