Love Thy Enemy—Lessons From Homer

"Love thy enemy." "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you." "Turn the other cheek." These enduring expressions have resonated across cultures for centuries. Just weeks ago, 6th graders at Liberty Common School encountered an ancient embodiment of "loving thy enemy" within their reading of The Children’s Homer. 

 

To fully appreciate this connection, some context is essential: The Trojan War teeters on the brink. Achilles, the mightiest Greek warrior, refuses to fight, having been spurned by his wartime leader, Agamemnon. Concerned for his compatriots, Achilles' dearest friend, Patroclus, bravely enters the fray, donning Achilles' divine armor. Hector, the stalwart protector of Troy, tragically slays Patroclus.

 

Upon learning of this devastating loss, Achilles is consumed by grief. In furious retaliation, he confronts Hector outside the walls of Troy, striking him down and bringing his body back to the Greek camp. Priam, the venerable King of Troy and Hector's father, is utterly heartbroken. Driven by an unbearable sorrow, he undertakes a desperate journey to Achilles' tent in the enemy camp under the cloak of night, protected by divine intervention. Could Achilles' formidable rage be tempered enough to spare the father of the man who killed his beloved friend?

 

Mighty King Priam humbles himself before Achilles, appealing directly to his heart. He implores Achilles to consider his own father and to imagine him in Priam's agonizing position. He speaks to the profound wretchedness of his condition, declaring, "I have endured what no one on earth has ever done before, I put my lips to the hands of the man who killed my son."

 

Achilles is profoundly moved, and it is said that in that moment, the two men truly see each other for the first time. We witness a tragic understanding between enemies. Achilles returns Hector's body, communes with Priam, and then magnanimously offers to restrain the Greeks ensuring Hector receives the fitting burial rites he deserves.

 

Homer masterfully illustrates the unavoidable truth that our adversaries are often far more intricate and intrinsically connected to us than we might ever comprehend. This ancient wisdom resonates powerfully with the lives of Liberty Common students. It is a truly remarkable privilege to share words thousands of years old that continue to offer invaluable lessons today.

As we navigate the question, “Why do these old books matter?”, let us confidently respond these ancient tales and well-loved classics are instilling within our children what is good, true, beautiful, and perfect. To understand and love thy enemy is a noble pursuit in any generation, but especially one in which the love of many grows cold over things much more trivial than the tragedies described in The Iliad. The Liberty Common teacher is blessed to share these moral and lasting truths through beautiful literature each year with another group of scholars. The Liberty Common student is blessed to discover them for the first time.