Hector: A Pillar of Strength

O muse, of every hero who fought at Troy, tells us the story of the most worthy: that great son of Priam, Hector. He who it was that without gall or sinister motive, fiercely defended his people, though he died alone. He who it was that paid the price for the treachery of Paris and the pride of Troy despite his innocence. He who it was that affixed a meaning to being "a pillar of strength" to one's people.

Hector's chivalric nature and actions later earned him a place in the nine worthies of Jacques de Longuyon, thus indicating military virtue equal to that of Julius Caesar and Alexander the great. Hector's inner virtue was evident all throughout the Iliad of Homer. Unlike many of the other characters of the book, Hector was devoid of pride. While Achilles lost his best friend over his pride, while Agamemnon lost thousands of argives because of his pride, while Ajax committed suicide over his pride, Hector died the noble death of the patriot.

What is so striking about the siege on troy was that manny a renowned hero came with Agamemnon while among the Trojans, very few are mentioned other than Hector himself. This, however didn't seem to matter however because Hector was second only to Achilles in his wrath over dead Patroclus. When Hector faced Achilles, he was alone. Abandoned by men and spurned of the gods, he faced a cross road. He could die a cowards death in safety, or he could stand as a support of his people and a defense to his aged father and mother, his wife, and his infant son. He decided thus:

"Alas! the gods have lured me on to my destruction. ... death is now indeed exceedingly near at hand and there is no way out of it- for so Zeus and his son Apollo the far-darter have willed it, though heretofore they have been ever ready to protect me. My doom has come upon me; let me not then die ingloriously and without a struggle, but let me first do some great thing that shall be told among men hereafter. ”

—Spoken by Hector facing Achilles, after a missed spear-throw, The Iliad Book XXII Lines 299-305.

The story of Hector is a parallel to a Book of Mormon character who faced the self same situation. Mormon in his days and times was subject to the dark destiny of his people. The Nephites through pride and wickedness faced annihilation of their entire civilization, while their only pillar of strength was Mormon. While Mormon fought and lead their wars, they came off victors (just like the way that hector did for his people), but when Mormon retired from the battlefield in despair for his people, they were destroyed (as what happened to Troy). Hector and Mormon were both "pillars of strength."

Comparing a great person to a pillar seems to be one of the greatest similes you can make about someone. In architecture, a pillar is a cylinder that is integral to the integrity of a building. Often found as essential to foundations, it differs from a free standing column. If Hector and Achilles were both of godly strength, what makes them different? Achilles was a column standing for his own glory, while Hector was a Pillar; the support of family, home, and country.

Time will crumble column and pillar alike, but which one mattered more in the grand scheme of things? The decorative pillar with looks only? No. It was the column that was worthy of the glory, for it had purpose.

What does it take to be likewise?

Image Courtesy of Wikipedia Commons 
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Hector_Astyanax_MN_Jatta.jpg