From the initial callousness and stubborn temper of Achilles in the first books of the Iliad to the eventual 'humanization' of Achilles in his interaction with the grieving father of Hector, whom Achilles himself slew, the Iliad can be seen to chronicle the maturation of the Greek hero during the terrible battles of the Trojan War. Achilles is a hero in the epic sense, complete with flaws and bad qualities that round out the character, …showed first 75 words of 744 total…

…showed last 75 words of 744 total…flesh into pieces and eat it raw, for the ill have done me..." (Homer XXII 345- 347) In the last book of the novel, Achilles finally undergoes the final transformation in the story. He listens intently to King Priam's plea to return the body of his slain son. The appeal works, and Achilles is actually moved by the grief of the father. Achilles is once again humanized, and his development as a classic hero is complete.