The underlying theme of Homer's masterwork, "The Iliad," is mortality. While there are obvious motifs throughout the poem, I believe that Homer is telling us that death is inevitable regardless of stature. The gods often are referred to as immortals showing us a main difference between the mortals and gods. However as we learn later on even the sons of gods cannot escape death. It is interesting to me that in the synopsis version of our text the deaths are not covered. The books omitted are crucial to understanding how mortality is dealt with. Homer's scenes of death are often explicit and repetitive. This allows the reader to understand that mortality is real. Early in BK I Homer speaks of heroes bodies being left to rot in Hades (lines1-6). Thetis speaks to Achilles about his short life and how he was born to die early. Foretelling that no matter his choices he would die. In BK IV, which is in the actual story, Agamemnon says "age weakens you which comes to all." " .
This hits home that while you may not die in battle old age will eventually get us all. (lines313-316) In BK VI Homer uses expressions to describe mortality. In the speech from Diomedes he talks about how fighting with an immortal will cause an early death saying "Not even mighty Lycurgus lived long after he tangled with the immortals."" But in lines 144-147 he is willing to end the life of Glaucus. In Glaucus' speech he reminds us that humans are mortal by stating "generations come and go." He goes on to describe the many deaths in his lineage, including his brother and sister. In lines 385-387 Hector states he does not know "whether he will ever be back" and that "the gods will destroy" to emphasize he is mortal and understands that there is finality in death. In BK VIX lines 323-328 Achilles speaks of how everybody dies regardless of their effort. Now he is speaking in terms of fighting in the war but this easily describes mortality.
