Courage, intelligence and physical strength are all excellent qualities found in human beings and are especially appreciated by the ancient Greeks in Homer's Iliad. These qualities can be seen in many of the characters in this epic poem, and people fortunate enough to have these qualities are regarded more highly than those who lack them. A person's excellence or aretê is determined by the courage, intelligence, or physical strength he displays to those around him. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay While intelligence and physical strength are fiercely respected by the Greeks in Homer's Iliad, courage is seen as the best quality a person can have. Indeed, it is this lack of courage that turns Paris' brother Hector against him in the fight against the Achaeans. Hector notices Paris' fear of Menelaus and states, "Surely now the flowing-haired Achaeans laugh at us, thinking that you are our bravest champion, just because you are handsome, but there is no strength in your heart, nor courage." Hector, then, lost any respect he had for Paris, all because he showed weakness towards an enemy that Paris itself provoked. Even though Paris is seen as “divine” because of its beauty, this is not enough to sustain his aretê towards his family, much less his companions. Cowardice could therefore be seen as the worst quality to have among the ancient Greeks, and once displayed, it is difficult to regain lost respect. Similar to courage, intelligence is a virtue admired among the Achaeans and is used as a determinant of a person's aretê. Intelligence is seen as the ability to reason and be able to persuade others simply with words. It is a powerful tool when handled correctly and a great example of this power is displayed by Odysseus. Odysseus was visited by Athena and told him to go to the kings of the Achaeans to gather them to fight against the Trojans. "Thus he passed through the army, marshalling it, until once again they clamored back to the meeting place from their ships and shelters..." Since all men of great influence listened to Odysseus, this shows enormous respect for his voice of reason and wisdom. If Athena, an Olympian goddess, knew that Odysseus could succeed in encouraging the Achaeans where Agamemnon failed, then this shows that Odysseus' intelligence is the main determinant of his aretê. Therefore intelligence is also an important quality when determining someone's excellence. In addition to courage and intelligence, physical strength is another characteristic revered by the Achaeans and is obviously represented by Achilleus. Achilleus is a demigod and as such his strength on the battlefield far surpasses that of the average man. A man with physical strength like Achilles would make it almost impossible not to think highly of him. He is capable of performing extraordinary feats which in return earn him respect among the Achaeans. For this reason Achilleus has immense influence, so much so that Agamemnon fears that he might try to overthrow his authority "Yet here is a man who wishes to be above all others, who wishes to have power over all and be lord of everyone, and give them orders, but I think one will not obey him." Without his physical strength Achilleus would not have gained so much respect from his fellow Achaeans which in turn would not have made him a threat to Agamemnon. Physical strength played a key role in determining Achilles' aretê and helped him gain power over his soldiers. Please note: this is just one.