Introduction

Ancient Greece had a lot of heroes who had supernatural abilities, strength and powers according to the Greek mythology. These heroes emerged during different periods of heroic age such as Argonautic expedition, Theban cycle and the Trojan War. Among the warriors were Achilles and Hercules who were both great warriors during their time and few heroes can be compared to them? Achilles who was dipped by his mother into River Styx and made invulnerable throughout his body except on his heel was a hero during the Trojan War. Hercules who was active in the earlier parts of Greek mythology; was brave, powerful and most loved of all was known to perform twelve impossible labours and was a famed warrior. During their times, they performed various roles.

Roles played by Achilles

Achilles was the most successful soldier during the Trojan War (Lee & Jacobs, 2002). According to Greek prophecies, they could not win the Trojan War without him. The prophesy also said that he would die during the Trojan War. His mother Peleus hid him in the court of Lycomedes where he was dressed as a girl. The Greeks would later search for him so as to win the war. He was able to capture twelve cities around Troy nine years into the war.

Achilles avenged the death of his partner Patroclus who was killed by Hector, leader of the Trojans. Agamemnon, chief of Achaean forces dishonours Achilles causing him to withdraw from the battle (Rosenberg, 2010). He then gives Patroclus his armour who then heads into the war. The battle then turns against the Greeks, as the Trojans led by Hector push the Greeks towards the ocean and destroy their ships. Patroclus in an attempt to retaliate and push back the Trojans, is killed in the process. Achilles grieves the death of his companion and a new armour is made for him including the great shield of Achilles. He chases Hector three times around the Troy walls and kills him.

Roles played by Hercules

Hercules performed the famous twelve labours during the service of king Eurystheus where he spent ten years (Silk, 1985). The labours were a continuous deed of difficult tasks. Though he was supposed carry out a series of ten feats only, some two were disqualified and he was added another two. Slaying of Hydra was disqualified because he was helped by Lolaus. Cleansing of the Augean stables was disqualified because received payment for the task and the rivers also helped him. The twelve labours in order were slay the Narrnean lion, slay the nine headed Lernaean Hydra, capturing the  golden hand of Artemis, capturing the Eryrnanthian boar, cleaning the Augean stables in a single day, slaying of the Styrnphalian birds, capturing of the Cretan bull, stealing of the mares of the Diornedes, acquiring girdle of Hippolyta, acquiring cattle of the monster Geryon, stealing of apples on the Hesperides and capturing and bringing back Cerberus. Great number of side adventures was carried out by Hercules. He organised warlike campaigns during his time. He also successfully fought the river god Achelous for the hand of Deianeira (Rom, 2016).

Hercules killed the prince of Iphitus of Oechalia and was forced to work as a slave to atone for his sins by the oracle. He would become the slave of the Queen of Lydia, Ornphale who made him dress like a woman and do needlework like other women in the court. He would later be set free by the same queen (Nikolovska, 2015). Conquering of the expedition in Troy, together with other heroes, and later engaged in ravelling war in Sicily against the Titans. Although, the Titans had long been defeated, the  prophecy would predict  their  corning  back  and  being  defeated  this  time  round  by  a  mortal  hero. He defeated the Titans then protected the Greeks from the Titans and their gods from being imprisoned.

Growing up in Thebes, Hercules became very popular among the people for his bravery and strength. The lion skin he would wear was from a lion he killed which could eat local sheep. He cornered near its cave in the mountain of Cithaeron, killed it and skinned it for its fur. Hercules returned to Greece to revenge against Augesius for refusing to honour their agreement which was made after he cleaned out his stables (Silk, 1985). He was defeated and left that land for Calydon where he met his second wife, princess Deianeira.

Differences between Hercules and Achilles Family

Hercules was the son of Zeus, an Olympian god and Alcmene, a mortal woman. Hercules had two families. In the first family, he had eight children where he kills six of his children and wife Megara in a fit madness (Rom, 2016). Later after performing the twelve labours, he marries Deianeira with whom they have one son Hyllus. Deianeira later mistakenly kills Hercules. Achilles, son of Peleus, a great warrior who fought alongside Hercules and Themis, a sea nymph. Achilles had one son who later plays a role in the Trojan War.

Powers

Hercules was a feared warrior with superhuman strength. His weakness was lack of tactical thinking and intellect. He did not wear armour while going to war but rather wore lion skins and fought using a club. He could be easily tricked by the enemies. He was fearsome and fought some battles bare hand. He was unpredictable and sometimes as he was even driven crazy by Hera the wife of Zeus. Achilles, an unmatched warrior of his time, an unbeaten warrior in hand to hand combat who could take a group of enemies solely. His main weakness was his heels which were vulnerable. He fought using a sword and a spear and wore armour unlike Hercules.

Achilles was a demi-god who had more strength than human and was invincible except for his heels. Achilles also possessed superhuman reflexes which were mostly associated with demi-gods. Hercules was a human born of a god but with god-like strength (Lee & Jacobs, 2002). Hercules's strength and power were seen as counterpoint to his lack of intellect and wisdom. Achilles, trained by Chiron centaur, a battle skills tutor for most Greek heroes hence was skilled in battle unlike Hercules who did have any form of training for battles.

Similarities between Achilles and Hercules

Hercules and Achilles were almost invincible. Hercules, who was the son of Zeus had superhuman strength and powers than other mortals. Achilles, dipped in River Styx was made invulnerable. The river Styx was believed to pass through the underworld and give immortality powers to those who swum in it. Both Achilles and Hercules accomplished great feats which required more strength. Hercules was able to accomplish the  twelve labours, he held up the sky for Atlas though for a short period and fought god Apollo on equal terms until his father Zeus could intervene, killed the Nemean lion, the Hydra and the Stymphalian birds. He captured Cerynean Stag, Erymanthean Boar, Cretan bull and the three headed Cerberus. While Achilles fought in the Trojan War and killed Hector together with their other enemies.

The weaknesses of both Hercules and Achilles led to their vulnerability and subsequent death. Achilles heels which were his weakness lead to his death when he was shot on his heels by Hector’s brother on the Troy's battlefield with the guidance of god Apollo according to the prophesy. Hercules after loving another woman and making his wife jealous, the wife mistakenly poisons him. The two Greek heroes both have strong tempers, Achilles wrath is not surprisingly the first word of Iliad. He erupts faster in his quarrel with Agamemnon, Mycenae and later his anger is directed towards Hector for killing his compatriot. For Hercules, he slays his friend Linus after he strikes him. He also kills heralds of king Erginus on corning to demand taxes.

Achilles and Hercules are provided with special sustenance during their times. Achilles is provided with nectar and ambrosia by the order of Zeus to Athena. Athena also gives Hercules special aid to help him accomplish Eurystheus twelve labours. Achilles being an individualist, quarrels with Agamemnon and is side-lined during the Trojan war causing the Greeks to suffer casualties. Also, Hercules gets into battles alone with the mortals without the help of the fellow Greeks. Music is an aspect in both of the hero's lives. Achilles is found by embassy singing an epic, he is also a lyric hero in the songs of Pindar and Sappho. Hercules is taught to play lyre by Linos after trying not to fall under the spell of music and the voice of Eurydice.

Achilles is denied Briseis, a trojan woman, by Agamemnon causing him to get furious and humiliated and refrains from war. Hercules was a slave to Lydian queen Ornphale. While in his second marriage with Deianeira, he gets a concubine, Lale, which makes his wife jealous and consequently rubs potion on his robe causing an unending agony leading to his death.

Both Hercules and Achilles are risk takers; Achilles after knowing from prophecy that he would die in a Trojan war and become a hero, he risks going back to the battle and kills Hector but is slain by Trojan prince. He remains a hero among the Greeks by freeing them. Hercules would repeatedly fight monsters and giants like Antaeus, Syleus and Busiris. The two heroes did not meet in timeline because when Hercules was completing his twelve labours, the Trojan War had not gained fame. Achilles father, Peleus, fought alongside Hercules  and  took  part  in  the  hunt  for  the  golden  fleece.  Upon his death, Hercules surrenders  his  bow  and  arrows  to  Philoctetes  who  would  later  kill  Paris  who  killed Achilles.

What Achilles and Hercules represented

Achilles represented an angry young warrior; in the ten-year Trojan War, none of the heroes could be compared to the greatness of Achilles. Being courageous and ruthless, the warrior showed his skill and boldness on the battlefield. He would kill multitude of Trojans as well as their other allies. Also being a young hero, his pride would not allow him to heed to the counsel of others. When he felt insulted by his leader, Achilles abandons his comrades and retreats back to the camp. Achilles is depicted as a symbol of art; from being a subject in Greek art to being painted on vases from Athens to Mykonos. Various scenes on black and red figure pottery in the seventh to fifth century BC shows Chiron receiving Achilles from his father Peleus. Hercules represent symbol of military triumph; the Greeks would build military statues to commemorate victories from wars. He also represents a symbol of divinity; Hercules worship is seen when the Greeks erect statues in forum Boarium of Hercules.

Hercules is depicted as a symbol of art, both in Roman works of pre-renaissance and post renaissance art. In the arts, he is identified by his favourite club and lion skin. He is also seen as an economic symbol as he was used on coins during the ancient Roman empire. Since then, he is the main motif in coins and medals. In military, the British Royal Navy ships bore the HMS Hercules between eighteenth and twentieth century.  Also, French Navy ships had the name Hercule. Hercules, who had great strengths and power, was not immune to disappointments and dark times. His life, although born of a god as a father, was not always a perfect one.

Conclusion

Achilles is portrayed as a young, proud and angry warrior (Rosenberg, 2010). Though he is the one who can help his fellow Greek comrades to win the battle in Troy, his pride as a young man does not allow him to heed to the counsel others. He is jealous when Agamemnon humiliates him by not awarding him the prize and retreats back to the camp. His anger is also shown when he goes to avenge the death of his partner, Patroclus, against Hector. Achilles is seen as one who was loyal, fearless and would fight for the course he believed in. His sensitivity which stands at end is when he allows Priam into his hut to take the body of Hector, shows how he is understanding of Priam 's grief and situation. Hercules, known to be the strongest man on earth, is known for his courage and self- confidence. Although he is primitive and violent, he is seen as loyal to the people around him. Relatively, Hercules seems to be the strongest of them having been able to accomplish the twelve labours and more powerful hero, while Achilles roles is known to have protected the fate of mankind.