Outside Reading Post 3

Now, though,/if you really want me to fight to the finish here,/have all Trojans and Argives take their seats/and pit me against Menelaus dear to Ares-/right between the lines-/we'll fight it out for Helen and all her wealth./And the one who proves the better man and wins,/he'll take those treasures fairly, lead the woman home./The rest will seal in blood their binding pacts of friendship./Our people will live in peace on the rich soil of Troy,/our enemies sail home to the stallion-land of Argos,/the land of Achaea where the women are a wonder.

Importance
This quote is said by Paris to Hector when planning the next stage of battle. Finally, Paris and Menelaus, the leaders of opposing armies, would meet and fight for Helen once and for all. Because the Trojan war had been going on for nine years at this point (it was completed after a total of ten), the soldiers in each army were probably pleased to hear that they wouldn't have to do any fighting in this battle. In fact, Paris specified that the two armies would have to promise friendship with each other, so even though one of the leaders was bound to lose and therefore be killed, the overall outcome for the relationship between the two was positive.

Analysis
Because this is Paris speaking, some of the words that he chooses demonstrates his inherent arrogant nature. Just the idea that Paris is willing to face the mighty Menelaus without any help shows an extensive amount of narcissism on his part. Menelaus is constantly described as being a great leader, a great king, and a great warrior, but Paris is apparently only blessed with god-like good looks, which probably wouldn't have much of an effect on Menelaus. Also, the fact that this entire war was over a woman, the argument between Achilles and Agammemnon was over women, and Paris considers women to be a prize of some sort shows that women were not regarded highly in Greek culture. Although there are female gods, they are nothing when compared to the might of Zeus and Apollo. In addition, all the problems in the Iliad seem to arise from women. This idea that women were inferior was rectified in The Odyssey when Penelope is shown to be a wise and strong woman. The misogynistic nature of this part of the book, however, cannot be ignored.