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Hector and Achilles: fate and free will in the Iliad (audio)

Adam Nicholson explores the different socio-political environments of the Trojans and Greeks using the examples of Hector and Achilles as described in the Iliad by Homer. He contrasts the civilised society of the Trojan city with the violence of the Greeks on the plain outside the walls. Within this, Nicholson also examines how far the characters are affected by the themes of fate and free will, how this shapes the development of their characters and how far an ancient or modern audience would respond to this.

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2 minutes