of all that breathe and crawl across the earth." - The Iliad
As individuals, what is the strength of the bond we share with others? For Achilles and Patroclus, it unleashed a rage that slaughtered hordes of men. For the greater and lesser Ajax, it gave them strength to protect their ships from ruin. However strong these bonds are, they can be used to manipulate the other. Hera blinds Zeus with passion and betrays his orders, and the Gods consistently abuse mortals trust to get them to do their bidding.
As Valentine's Day came around, I was presented with two views of relationships: the power to destroy or the power to create. While Hallmark cards whispered sweet nothings into a couples heart, Homer revealed the power that lies within a pact between men. The suffering we endure throughout life, agony not apparent in many other lifeforms, lies in our ability to form relationships with others. When Achilles refuses to make a pact with Hector, he essentially refuses to form a bond with him, thus shielding himself from the strongest blow Hector could possibly give.
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