War is very similar to love: it costs a lot of money, time and energy; distracts you from other areas of life; sometimes you win, sometimes you lose, but most importantly, in the end, it's still worth fighting for. But unlike love, war cannot and must not be justified and despised, neither by gods nor by men. Whatever people try to do to resolve their disputes, they sometimes become so exasperated that they resort to killing each other, and taking a life is no small matter. It is no coincidence that most people suffer from post-traumatic stress resulting from the wars in Afghanistan, Iraq and Iran. It is because sinners live on the same planet, sinning and accusing each other of sinning while covering up their own sin. So wars come and go, exchanging power between nations attacking each other. The Trojan War, partially exemplified in Homer's Iliad, follows this natural pattern of human nature. The Iliad doesn't come anywhere close to making war unjustifiable and absurd. Indeed, the poem makes it clear that in the minds of both the Greeks (even the Achaeans) and the Trojans the war was justified and that each side thought they were entitled to some sort of resolution in their favor. Therefore, one should examine the Iliad from the point of view of the poet's characters and beliefs, from a fixed fictional point of view rather than from the point of view of the real world. Both the Greeks and the Trojans had rational and somewhat realistic reasons behind their logic, summarized in three observations: the main characters' competition to elevate their own importance, their manly fight for the beautiful Greek girl, and finally the revenge they owe be done for their fallen comrades in arms. But even if both parties… middle of paper… how necessary, nor how justified, it is not a crime.” It is a common occurrence to forget the people who suffer and die at the merciless hands of the evil dictator called War. It may be possible, as long as these people are remembered and cared for, to reshape what the world thinks justified war means. Works Cited1. "Ernest Hemingway." BrainyQuote.com. XPLORE inc, 2013. 25 November 2013. Http://www.brainyquote.com/quottes/quotes/e/nesthemi108407.htmlult information on http://www.brainyquote.com/citation/quottes/e/ernesthemi108407. html#es7TMJ3OCjuHZ4Sw.992. SparkNotes Editor. "SparkNote on the Iliad." SparkNotes.com. SparkNotes LLC. 2002. Network. 25 November 2013.3. Homer. “The Iliad”. Robert Fitzgerald, Anchor Books, 1974.4. Leithhart, Peter J. "Heroes of the City of Man: A Christian Guide to Selecting Ancient Literature" Canon Press, Idaho, 1999.