Fred Kiesche

“In the final book, Achilles treats the suppliant Priam with mercy, and allows for a brief cessation of fighting to enable the dignified burial of his enemy Hector. The limitless wrath of Achilles can end only once he recognizes that no absolute, permanent victory is ever possible. Everyone must bear unbearable losses, for which no compensation could ever be enough. In the end, we all lose. Our best hope is to accept partial, temporary limits on conflict, accepting human companionship and community as our only, always inadequate compensation, for the pervasive experience of loss.”
― Homer, The Iliad

“Freeman contained infinities.”45”
― David Kaiser, "Well, Doc, You're In": Freeman Dyson’s Journey through the Universe

“The Iliad shows what happens when all these social norms are violated, and fighters push for victory at any cost.”
― Homer, The Iliad

“Conflict” (eris) appears at the start of Hesiod’s Works and Days, a didactic poem about rural life from the same era as The Iliad. Hesiod’s narrator declares that there are two types of conflict, one bad and one good. Bad conflict causes war and destroys communities, while good conflict motivates people to outdo their neighbors. When one potter competes with another, everyone wins. Even the less successful artisan ends up with a better piece of work.”
― Homer, The Iliad