Courage, intelligence, and physical strength are all excellent qualities found in humans, and they are valued above all by the ancient Greeks in Homer's Iliad. These qualities can be seen in many of the characters in this epic poem, and people who are lucky enough to possess these qualities are valued more than those who lack them. A person's excellence or aretê is determined by their courage, intelligence or physical strength that they demonstrate to those around them. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get the original essay Although intelligence and physical strength are fiercely respected by the Greeks in Homer's Iliad, courage is considered the best quality a person can have. In fact, it is this lack of courage that turns Hektor, Paris's own brother, against him in the fight against the Achaeans. Hektor notices Paris' fear of Menelaus and says, "The flowing-haired Achaeans surely mock us now, thinking that you are our bravest champion, only because you are handsome, but there is no has neither strength nor courage in your heart.” Hektor therefore lost any respect he had for Paris because he showed weakness towards an enemy that Paris itself provoked. Even if Paris is considered "divine" because of its beauty, this is not enough to support its popularity among its family and even less among its comrades. Cowardice could then be considered the worst quality one could have among the ancient Greeks, and once displayed, it is difficult to regain lost respect. Like courage, intelligence is a virtue admired among the Achaeans and is used as a determinant of a person's aretê. Intelligence is considered the ability to reason and be able to intelligently persuade others with simple words. It is a powerful tool if used correctly and a great example of this power is presented by Odysseus. Odysseus received a visit from Athena and told him to go see the kings of the Achaeans in order to rally them to fight against the Trojans. “So he marched through the army to gather them together, until once more they returned noisily to the gathering place from the ships and shelters….” Since men of great influence all listened to Odysseus, this shows enormous respect for his voice of reason and wisdom. If Athena, a goddess of Olympus, knew that Odysseus could succeed in encouraging the Achaeans where Agamemnon had failed, this proves that Odysseus' intelligence is the major determinant of his arete. Intelligence is therefore also an important quality in determining the excellence of a person. Besides 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 exceeds that of the average man. It would be almost impossible for a man with such physical strength as Achilles not to esteem him. He is capable of performing astonishing feats which in return earn him the respect of the Achaeans. For this reason, Achilleus has immense influence, enough to make Agamemnon fear that he will attempt to overthrow his authority. “Yet here is a man who wishes to be above all others, who wishes to hold power over all and be lord of all. and gives them their orders, but I think they will not obey him.” Without his physical strength, Achilleus would not have gained so much respect from his fellow Achaeans, which would not have made him a threat to.