Question

In Odyssey 11, does the ghost of Achilles say to Odysseus that he would rather be gloriously dead than ignominiously alive?

A) True
B) False

Answer 1

The claim that Achilles would prefer being gloriously dead to ignominiously alive is false. In the Odyssey, he reveals a preference for life over death, regardless of its status, shifting a common Greek heroic value. The correct option is B.

Step-by-step explanation:

The statement that the ghost of Achilles tells Odysseus that he would rather be gloriously dead than ignominiously alive is false. In Book 11 of Homer's Odyssey, when Odysseus meets the shade of Achilles in the underworld, Achilles actually expresses a contrary sentiment. He states that he would rather be a living servant to a poor tenant farmer than rule over all the dead. This is a significant departure from the notion of valor in death that was often celebrated in Greek heroic culture.

Achilles' reflection in the afterlife underscores the theme that life, no matter how humble, is preferable to death, even a death that was gloriously achieved. The legendary warrior's words challenge the classical hero's pursuit for everlasting glory through death in battle, highlighting the value of life above the renown of a warrior's end.

Hence, Option B is correct.