From the article: Top 10 Heroes of Greek Legend
Hercules is my choice. He is fearless and strong, innovates, loves life, makes mistakes and atones for them. Who is your pick for the greatest Greek hero and why?
Achilles is the Greatest Greek Hero
- There is no argument that Achilles should be considered the greatest Greek Hero. Without Achilles the Greek's would have never won as many battles as they did. He was responsible for defeating any and all opponents in his path, including the great Hector. He was impregnable to any weapon besides for one area on his body. He possessed the greatest fighting ability of all the warriors that ever lived. He was human and used his rage to drive his fierce intensity. Without Achilles Odysseus would never have been able to devise his Trojan horse and enter Troy. There is no argument that Achilles is the greatest warrior but some can argue that he didn't represent the traditional hero image like Odysseus, Hercules, Perseus, Jason, Bellerophon, or Theseus. If we created a tale of the tape between Achilles and all the above mentioned characters, Achilles would reign supreme and rule as if he was a god amongst mortals.
- —Guest SavageSteelWarrior
Odysseus
- He's mortal, He's smart, He's honorable, He's anti-ego and he's the real leader behind it all. a pupet master in a play of god's.
- —Guest NOVA
Prometheus
- Because he was the one who stole fire (that implies technology) from the gods and gave it to humans, in risk of his life. Of course he was not human, but this doesn't make the danger and the challenge lesser. He offered himself, a god, for the good of leeser beings, the humans.
- —Guest Dimitris
Orpheus
- Orpheus is the greatest because he gave his all for the woman he loved. He is the perfect example of a perfect husband. He didn't accept the customs of his fellow Greeks, to have many mistresses at one time. No, he even conquered death to bring back his love. But in the end hastiness was his downfall.
- —Guest Daughter of Hades
Odysseus
- Odysseus was the greatest hero for me since he was a mortal and not a demigod like Achilles and Hercules. Furthermore he did not commit atrocities and adulteries. Therefore if Athena would ever fall in love, she would fall in love with Odysseus. He was a wise leader, a loving husband (ok I don't believe he never cheated), not overly arrogant, smart and courageous. Thus he upheld all of the ancient Greek virtues. Courage, Wisdom, Humility, Justice. Also as a mortal slaying monsters like the Cyclops Polyphemos would not be as easy as for Hercules. However all heroes are heroes, more so the non fictional one's. In addition I truly believe that Odysseus really existed and is not fictional (apart from the exaggerated tales to commend him, he was also the founder of commando units. His squad would engage in commando style patrols and raids in the night during the Trojan war.
- —Guest rallierf1
Atalanta
- First of all, she's a woman and there aren't many woman heroes!! She also accompanied Jason on the quest for the Golden fleece and she slayed the boar!! She also was left by her father and had to survive by herself before Artemis found her!
- —Guest someone
Odysseus
- He was the one, in the first place, who put out the plan of the Trojan Horse, after so many years of fighting. Who knows how much longer it would have lasted, and how many more lives would be lost if not for him? Seriously, the two greatest heroes, Achilles and Hector were already dead.How many more would have been sent to Hades? How could either side keep up? And then we have the Odyssey. He defied a GOD, one of the big three, while we're at it, and dangerous love with Nausicaa and Circe, which tend to get the better of men. And usually, when they can't attain it, they do something rash like murder. Lastly, he is one of the few level headed heroes and is both intelligent and a fierce warrior, unlike Herakles or Ajax.
- —Guest Alcandor
Heracles
- Because Heracles completed all his labours easily and he also defeated some gods, like Achelous and Ares.
- —Guest Praveen
Perseus
- Perseus killed Medusa, that's why. It is easier to name ten, or hundred than to name one! From the mythical times we have from Bellerephontes to Perseus and by the end of mythical times Hercules, Theseus, Jason, Orpheus, Dioscouroi, and plenty of others! In the dawn of the Historic times we have Achilles, Odysseus, Agamemnon.
- —Guest super perseus #1
Greatest Greek Hero!
- It is easier to name ten, or hundred than to name one! From the mythical times we have from Bellerephontes to Perseus and by the end of mythical times Hercules, Theseus, Jason, Orheus, Dioscouroi, and plenty of others! In the dawn of the Historic times we have Achilles, Odyseus, Agamemnon, etc. Then, in te Historic times countless heroes are candidates for a top on the list: Socrates, Themistocles, Epicurus, Heraclitus, Aristotle, and so on. Then, we have the thousands of Hellisistic times, heroes of spirit, brave, etc. Greek heroes, under the Romans, 2nd century BC to 15th century AD are not noted by History. Then, during the Ottoman Empire, there are plenty known and more unknown! From all of them whom do I chose? Epicurus!
- —Guest Stratos
Odysseus
- The Odyssey has been one of my favorite stories since I first read it in high school English class. Of course, nowadays, it's interesting that several of the challenges Odysseus met along the way were females (Circe, The Sirens and Medusa stand out vividly). I guess I most admire Odysseus's downright stubbornness, along with his cunning abilities to thwart his captors left and right, in order to return home again. Arrogant? Yes, but who can blame him, under the circumstances. As an aside, My husband and I thoroughly enjoyed "O Brother, Where Art Thou" (which is loosely based on The Odyssey) several times, and I now have it on DVD.
- —frannycats
Atalanta
- I think Atalanta is the best because she is the only woman that seems to have a lot of power and she showed those men that she could do better than they could. Go Atalanta!
- —Guest Atalanta
I can't decide
- Between Odysseus and Bellerophon. Okay, maybe neither are really the "greatest" but they are my favorites. Odysseus because he used wiles to get what he needed and Bellerophon because he rode Pegasus. I've always wanted to ride Pegasus!
- —Guest Maos
