Theme Analysis In Homer's Iliad, war is depicted as horrible, bloody, and fruitless. There are no clear winners in The Iliad. Many people die in vain because of arrogant and emotional decisions made by men. Achilles directly causes the death of his friend by first refusing to fight, leaving the Greeks at a disadvantage, and then poorly advising his friend Patroclus to join the other fighters. Even the initial cause of the war, Paris' kidnapping …showed first 75 words of 584 total…

…showed last 75 words of 584 total…end of the Iliad, and in a peaceful manner. Homer shows a little redemption for the horrible effects of war when Priam begs Achilles for Hector's body. Achilles and Priam share a moment of realization of what has been lost to the long Trojan war. The final scene is a quiet, mournful funeral, in which the Trojans bury Hector, who was a good man destroyed by the horror of war and the will of Zeus.