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Standing on the walls of TroyAn ancient city in modern-day Turkey. It is the subject of Homer's epic poem The Iliad. After a ten-year siege, the hero Odysseus finally took the city by hiding a group of Greek soldiers in a vast wooden horse, which the Trojans wheeled into their city. This is the origin of the expression "Trojan horse"., a woman begs her husband to stay and help the city. Instead he wants to join the battle outside. "What are you doing Hector?" she asks. "Your will to fight will kill you."

This is Emily Wilson's retelling of the Iliad, a famous Greek story full of heroes like UlyssesA legendary Greek king of Ithaca. Also known as Odysseus. .

Hector knows that if he dies, his wife will probably end up as a slaveSomebody who is forced to work without pay and cannot leave. . But he goes to fight anyway. He wants to be a hero.

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Today, many look at the Iliad in a different way. Yes, there are stories of battles and fighting monsters and overcoming enemiesPeople who hate each other. . But most of the time, the people in the story are being hurt.

Some say it is time to give up on the idea of being a hero. People who try too hard to become heroes, they say, usually end up hurting themselves or others.

But others say there is nothing wrong with being a hero. Heroes try to look after those who are too weak to look after themselves.

Yes! The people in the Iliad are not perfect, but that does not mean we should give up on being heroes! We all need goals to reach for. Today, anyone can be a hero.

No! We often think of heroes as strong and fearless men. But this is not a helpful idea. These men often acted without thinking and ended up hurting others. Boys should stop trying to be heroes.