What did everyone think about the quote on page 269. “Men do not go to war for love of others, but for love of themselves. The same is true for gods. The Trojan War was never about Helen.”
Excellent question, @John_A! I’ve got that passage highlighted, too.
I definitely agree with “The Trojan War was never about Helen.” She was just the excuse Agamemnon needed to invade Troy.
I think wars are most often started because of egos and avarice. I’m not sure it’s always true of people to get roped into participating, however. In thinking about WWII, for example, the U.S. was late to the party and only joined after it was attacked. (And I may not be remembering my history properly so feel free to correct me; I know the US had been considering whether or not to join the fray, but it was Pearl Harbor that pushed it over the edge, if I’m not mistaken.)
What a question! I think men want power for themselves. I do not believe they do it for the good of the country or the people. I have often wondered if there were no “leaders” but people in the world who want to work for the better of humankind would it be be a better world?
I agree that the Trojan War was never about Helen. Not at its core. But I do believe there are as many reasons for a man to go to war as there are men who go. Each takes up that cause for a different reason. Some for honor and duty. Some for country. Some for glory. Some for violence. Some to survive. Some to protect. It depends on the man and the war, and the cause and the reason to be there. I do not agree that men go for love of themselves. I think that is reductive and dismissive.
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