Paris turned and ran, back to the safety of Hector's protection...
He admits that he is a coward. He admits that in face of death, he forgot all his pride, honor and valor and just ran from certain death. He does not try nor pretend to be a hero.
Why is Paris's cowardice repugnant?
What would most people do when death is staring them in their face? Show honor? Show integrity?
I think they will choose between fight or flee, based on what they think will help them evade death.
Then why is Paris, who does not strut around as a hero, such a disappointing character?
Did he not offer to face Menelaus alone to avoid the bloodshed that will result from Trojan war? His heart is in the right place. What can he do if he is weak, unskilled and cowardly.
I think what upsets most of us is the fact that he let so many people die, when he was so scared of dying himself. But I think that wheel was already in motion once Helen fled Sparta and came to Troy. Even that was Aphrodite's doing not Paris'.
What was Paris' mistake?
He admits that he is a coward. He admits that in face of death, he forgot all his pride, honor and valor and just ran from certain death. He does not try nor pretend to be a hero.
Why is Paris's cowardice repugnant?
What would most people do when death is staring them in their face? Show honor? Show integrity?
I think they will choose between fight or flee, based on what they think will help them evade death.
Then why is Paris, who does not strut around as a hero, such a disappointing character?
Did he not offer to face Menelaus alone to avoid the bloodshed that will result from Trojan war? His heart is in the right place. What can he do if he is weak, unskilled and cowardly.
I think what upsets most of us is the fact that he let so many people die, when he was so scared of dying himself. But I think that wheel was already in motion once Helen fled Sparta and came to Troy. Even that was Aphrodite's doing not Paris'.
What was Paris' mistake?
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