Series | Lexis Supplements
Edited book | Paradeigmata voluntatis
Chapter | Paradigmi epici, ovvero della volontà degli eroi
Paradigmi epici, ovvero della volontà degli eroi
Abstract
Heroes are the first paradeigmata, for everyone, even for philosophers. Their most important virtue is tlemosyne, i.e. the ability to choose and resist in the face of dangers and difficulties. But the will has some more problems. Heroes have to deal with the gods and with Fate, that is, with the Moirai and their own destiny. Heracles, the greatest of all heroes, performs the well known labours in the service of Eurystheus, by the will of the gods. Aegisthus, Clytemestra’s lover and Agamemnon’s killer, is the negative model: he indeed chose what he wanted, but then he becomes the model of hybris. Agamemnon is the commander-in-chief of the Achaeans. But in the events of the war, he reveals all his errors of inadequate will. Achilles, the strongest warrior of the Trojan War, chooses between life and death and then regrets his choice when it is too late. Odysseus, the hero of metis, is perhaps the only one who knows how to choose the paths of the will. Certainly, with many risks and suffering. But this is the virtue of tlemosyne.
Submitted: April 26, 2021 | Accepted: Nov. 23, 2021 | Published Dec. 13, 2021 | Language: it
Keywords Odysseus • Will • Heracles • Gods • Heroes • Fate • Choice
Copyright © 2021 Alberto Camerotto. This is an open-access work distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction is permitted, provided that the original author(s) and the copyright owner(s) are credited and that the original publication is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. The license allows for commercial use. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.
Permalink http://doi.org/10.30687/978-88-6969-583-4/001
