Paris Vs. Hector

Paris vs. Hector

Hector and Paris are two very unique characters that differ in two major ways, when you compare them to one another. Paris is cowardly and allows love to over power him. Hector on the other hand, knows how to be a lover, but can be a courageous warrior at the same time.

Hector has less difficulty in fighting his opponents, as Paris struggles in battles. Evidence of this is when Paris fights Menelaus, he has the goddess Aphrodite come to his rescue, return him to the walls of Troy, then she urged Helen to go to Paris and make love to him. Helen questions the motivations of the goddess and Aphrodite responds harshly by saying: ""Don't provoke me - wretched headstrong girl! Or in my immortal rage I may just toss you over. Hate you as I adore you now - with a vengeance." Book 3, lines 480-482. Paris has to have two women come rescue him and help him recover, Aphrodite being the savor and Helen being his nurse. Had Paris not been rescued and nursed by Helen, he might have died in battle.

Hector shows his strength in book seven, in the battle between Ajax and himself. As the men prepare for battle, they both pray to Zeus for victory and the two armies also mouth their prayers. Ajax taunts Hector. Hector, afraid of the Greek giant, displays unwavering confidence as he says: "War - I know it well, and the butchery of men. Well I know, shift to the left, shift to the right. My tough tanned shield, that's what the real drill defensive fighting means to me. I know it all, how to charge in the rush of plunging horses. I know how to stand and fight to the finish. Twist and lunge in the War-god's deadly dance." Book 7, lines 275-281. He then hurls his spear and hits Ajax's shield. Ajax hurls and hits his shield and they begin to fight just like lions or wild boars.

Hector may not have defeated his opponent, but he agreed with the Trojans suggestion to call a true until the next day, and exchange the gift of friendship as a sign of the truce with Ajax. Paris would never posses the courage to even attempt to fight Ajax. Paris would of never of made the statement Hector did before the battle. Paris would have prayed to the gods to help him and then would really just rely on their help. The two different fights that Paris and Hector had fought in, clearly demonstrates how Hector has more courage.

There is another example of how cowardly Paris is in book seven. It is when Hector goes to the halls of Paris to find him polishing his armor rather than fighting. He berates his brother and Paris admits that he is a coward and pledges to proceed to battle immediately.

My next comparison is on how Hector and Paris differ on how they display their emotion of love. Hector loves his wife and son very much, but knows his responsibilities. Hector shows his responsibility by stepping up to fight in battle, but he shows compassion towards his wife and love for his son. In book seven before Hector goes off to battle, he goes looking for his wife, only to find her watching over the battle. Andromache begs Hector to think of his son, Astayanax and not risk his life in the midst of the battle, but to guide the fight from the walls instead.