The Iliad: Pride Comes Before a Fall

By Toddy Hoare

Proud Troy claimed a god-given heritage, lured

Helen when vacuous Menelaus was dis-honoured

By peacock Paris breaking humble  hospitality.

Pride toppled Achilles and Agamemnon: such ability

Caused stalemate while with anger possessed.

Patroclus dressed for show their stand-off processed.

A legacy of divine copulation

Stood as history’s interpretation.

Flawless Briseis, Penelope, Helen

Stood above the squabbling alpha males

Yet remained victims the while

As gods pursued differences with guile.

Death and destruction through war had their way:

Valiant Hector could not save the day.

Myth’s magic worked its spell 

Life on Troy’s plain did not go well.

Victims of vanity allowed puffed-up pride

To blind those lauded heroes ere they died.

Thus the bards proclaimed golden bronze age tales

Of personality clashes between alpha males.

Wiley Odysseus emerged with credit

Relying on Athena’s guidance and wit.

Further events offstage filled the story

That grief and gore eclipse war’s glory.

Toddy trained as a sculptor, served as a soldier, and earned his keep as a rural parish priest in North Yorkshire until retirement but throughout used sculpture to express theology and scripture for others while exhibiting with the Portrait Sculptors, Federation of British Artists and the Discerning Eye at the Mall Galleries London. In retirement still taking services, cutting headstones, making prints and writing poetry.