Achilles: Torn between Two Matters

Credits to =djailledie for the image

Being a leader entails a lot of decision making. The decisions he makes may result to either something which can lift him up, or to something which can pull him down. Many times he has to make what we call 'sacrifices' for the sake of the common good. This was experienced by the great of king of the Myrmidons, Achilles.

In book XVI of The Iliad, his permission was asked by Patroclus if he could go to war wearing his prestigious armor. He said yes but he posted certain conditions. In the war, Patroclus was able to slain a lot of enemies; however, he was also killed because of Apollo Shootafar.

Credits to ~ishka-el for the image

His decision to send Patroclos out to the battlefield has both a positive and a negative effect. First, the positive is that he was able to achieve his main goal that was to push the Trojans away from the ships. The negative is that he lost something he could never take back, the life of his friend.

As the greatest warrior of the Achaian fleet, i believe that he was concerned for what would happen to the whole army. His hidden motivation was actually to bring panic to the Trojans by just even showing his 'fake' presence. I believe he really would like to fight force-to-force with the enemy; however, he was torn between two things: his concern for the army and his hatred to Agamemnon.

What he did was the safest choice he could take. He wanted to help his army but he did not want to give up his pride. Therefore, he was able to help the army because of his 'fake' presence, as well as he was able to grieve for the lost of his wife.

In this incident, Achilles conveys the kind of a leader who cannot fully fulfill his responsibilities for his people because of personal matters. He cannot give his whole self to his duties because of some personal sacrifice he has to make.

This confusion Achilles had been going through is also being experienced by President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo. I'm not referring to her duties to our country, yet I'm referring to her duty to go down from his place on 2010. Because of the numerous cases her husband has brought, she needs to retain power, so she decides to run again as a congresswoman in Pampanga.

Credits to by ~jaybhoi for the image

Somehow, Gloria Arroyo's case can be compared to Achilles'. They know they have to do something for the common good, yet they cannot do it because a personal matter is at stake.