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The heroic code that Homeric heroes follow is that of honour. Every hero endeavours to win the respect of his peers. In fact, achieving honour in life is more important than life itself. Hence, it is not surprising when heroes such as Achilles and Hector, give up their lives to gain the admiration of their peers. In Homeric society, the person who shows highest usefulness enjoys greatest honour. In a war situation, as the one …

…We associate heroism with selflessness. Achilles self-centeredness makes him a great Homeric hero but does not win him any admiration from modern readers. The most important difference between Achilles and Hector is that Achilles fights to achieve glory, whereas Hector fights to prevent shame that may befall upon him. Both are being influenced by the same heroic code, but there are responses are extremely different. Achilles acts out of choice; Hector acts out of compulsion.