The Iliad, insofar as it concerns the Greek hero Achilles more than any other individual, depicts the Achaean in a surprisingly shocking light, sometimes throughout of history. In his encounter with Lycaon, who had been taken prisoner by Achilles long ago, Achilles demonstrates how far his warlike attitude can go. Yet it is equally surprising that he is capable of impressive compassion, as described elsewhere in the Iliad. What appears to be an almost unbelievable fluctuation of attitude and mood, however, is far from unexplained or contradictory. In fact, there is a well-defined regularity to Achilles' actions and behaviors, to the point where it can be systematically classified. Achilles is not a loose cannon or an unpredictable firebrand. The method of his madness can be applied to his encounter with Lycaon as to any of his episodes in the Iliad. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”?Get the original essay It is in Scroll XXI, at the height of his vengeful and destructive advance, that Achilles encounters Lycaon. He has just captured twelve soldiers to sacrifice them, and at the precise moment he reaches Lycaon, he is “thirsty for even more blood” (33). Lycaon begs Achilles to have pity on him. He mentions that he was once captured by Achilles and had little time to enjoy his newfound freedom. He also distances himself from Hektor, whom he knows has the enmity of Achilles because of the death of Patroklos. Almost in despair, Lycaon falls to his knees, declaring himself “begging” to Achilles (64). Achilles' reaction at this moment is, along with his defilement of Hektor's body, one of the most sinister and bellicose moments in the Iliad and in Achilles' development as a character. He kills Lycaon with his sword “plunged…to the hilt” (114). Then he said without delay: "Lie there among the fish, who will lick the blood from your wound and rejoice; your mother will not lay you on a coffin to mourn you, but the whirlwinds of Skamandros will drag you into the broad bosom of the sea. There the fish will feed on the fat of Lycaon as they dart beneath the dark ripples of the waters... You will nevertheless perish miserably until there is no man among you who has not paid in full for the death of Patroklos and the havoc you caused among the Achaeans whom you killed while I stood aside from the battle” (114-136). The absolute disregard for respecting Lycaon's body illuminates the depths of cruelty of which Achilles finds himself capable of. But unlike his kindness in Scroll XXIV, when Priam comes to ask for Hektor's body, it can seem inconsistent. upon meeting Priam, Achilles cries openly and even seems empathetic towards the loss of the great patriarch. How can we explain this disparity in attitude? What must be emphasized about the Lycaon episode is that it must be placed in context. Achilles goes on a rampage, killing as many men as possible on the battlefield. This is key on the battlefield, Achilles is a warrior in the truest sense of the word. He fights only in the sense that each field encounter can only be resolved one way, usually to the death. When Lycaon attempts to reason and negotiate, Achilles severely reprimands him: “'Idiot...don't talk to me about ransom'” (97). We could say that Achilles is in “warrior mode”. While a more typical soldier might actually turn to negotiation on the battlefield, Achilles is revealed throughout the Iliad to be the quintessential warrior: his armor is the best, his skill is the best and its legend is.