I need an example of a Greek hero achieving Kleos for his polis rather than himself?

Question

writing a paper arguing that the Greek term Kleos has evolved into a very different notion of glory according to changing conceptions of heroism and social and political norms, and is no longer a motivation for modern heroes. any tips?

Answer 1

Here are all the references from Great Scott. Have fun.

kleos , to, Dor. kleWos GDI1537 (Crissa, = RöhlImag.3pp.87/8 No.1), only nom. and acc. sg. and pl.: Ep. pl. klea^ (before a vowel) Hom. (v. infr. 11.1), kleia (nisi leg. kleea) Hes.Th.100: (kleô A):--

A. rumour, report, ti dê k. est' ana astu; Od.16.461; k. euru phonou 23.137 ; ossan . . , hê te malista pherei k. anthrôpoisi 1.283 ; son k. news of thee, 13.415: c. gen., meta k. hiket' Achaiôn the report of their coming, Il.11.227, cf. 13.364; keinou kata k. at the news of his coming, Pi.P.4.125; tôn emôn kakôn k. S.Ph.251 ; rumour, opp. certainty, k. oion akouomen oude ti idmen Il.2.486 ; gunaikogêruton k. A.Ag.487 (lyr.).

II. goodreport, fame, freq.in Hom., k. esthlon Il.5.3 ; andros tou k. euru kath' Hellada Od.1.344 : abs., tôi men k., ammi de penthos Il.4.197 ; to d' emon k. ou pot' oleitai 7.91 , cf. 2.325; k. einai tini to be a glory to him, 22.514; k. ouranon hikei 8.192 , Od.9.20; k. ouranon eurun hikane 8.74 ; k. aphthiton Sapph.Supp.20a .4, Ibyc.Oxy.1790.47, GDIl.c.; k. aresthai, heuresthai, Pi.O.9.101, P.3.111; ginesthe kata k. hôde machêtai in renown, BCH24.71 (Acraeph., iii B.C.); labein S.Ph.1347 ; k. aichmas glory in or for . . , Pi.P.1.66; tês mellous k. A.Ag.1356 ; k. sou mantikon ib.1098; mikrou d' agônos ou meg' erchetai k. S.Fr.938 : less freq. in Prose, k. aenaon Heraclit.29 ; menonti de . . k. mega eleipeto Hdt.7.220 ; k. katathesthai to lay up store of glory, Id.9.78; timên kai k. eschen Ar.Ra.1035 ; porrô k. hêkei Id.Ach.646 ; k. ouranomêkes Id.Nu. 459 ; k. echein ta peri tas naus Th.1.25 ; par' anthrôpois aeimnêston k. echei tina X.Cyn.1.6 ; k. athanaton katathesthai Pl.Smp.208c ; k. te kai epainos pros anthrôpôn Id.Lg.663a ; peri chôras akouein k. mega Lys. 2.5 ; k. hexein en tini Ath.Mech.15.4 ; poion k., ei . . ; 1 Ep.Pet.2.20: pl., aeide d' ara klea andrôn the lays of their achievements, Il.9.189, cf. 524, Od.8.73; klea phôtôn mnêsomai A.R.1.1 .

2. rarely in bad sense, dusphamon k. ill repute, Pi.N.8.36; aischron k. E.Hel.135 , cf. Ar.Fr.796: both senses in Th.2.45 hês an ep' elachiston aretês peri ê psogou . . k. êi of whom there is least talk either for praise or blame. (Cf. Skt. śrávas 'fame', Slav.slovo 'word', 'glory'; cogn. with kleô (A), kluô.)

Answer 2

perhaps Theseus for Athens or Hector for Troy during the Iliad.  Finding a pure example is going to be hard simply because most ancient warriors were interested in only their own personal glory - see Achilles for an example.  Especially since Kleos is more how a warrior is ranked within and relates to his society, his standing as it were - an idea that is distinctive to a single person, not a whole group of people.  Its going to make it hard to try to reapply the concept to the society itself.  Maybe you could approach it as in winning glory for themselves they did also win glory for their family and city so perhaps that would be a way you could work it around.  Hector prays that his son will bring his mother glory and joy with his exploits as a man.  Our modern day heroes - soldier, firemen, etc. - tend to do things for the good of their society and its furtherance, taking little credit for themselves while ancient heroes in Greek times (in some cases) did things for the protection of their societies but expected credit and glory.  Some, like Achilles, seemed to do nothing for their society's good but only for their own glory and the memory of their name.  Try looking at the difference between the Greek approach vs. the Roman one.  The Greeks admired Achilles for gaining personal glory, the Romans prefered the Trojans and Hector as men that fought together for the good of many.  That's probably about where the break in pure kleos came about.  That's a twisty question.  Good luck with your paper.