Heroes of All Time

       What would be more important for you between your job and your family? Will you consider first the ones you love who beg you to stay by their side or will you help the ones in need who cries for your aid? Being in that situation had never been easy. You may only have two options. First is to set aside your responsibility as a leader that may lead into a defeat but knowing that you have your family with you. The second one is to go on to the combat that may or may not lead you to success and fatality. That kind of situation often happens to conquerors. Two of them are Aeneas and Hector who are both great heroes of their times. Aeneas was in deep sorrow and was in rage that he wants to go in battle with the Greeks.  But his wife Creusa begs him that he must save their lives first before anyone else. She continued begging for herself and her son's safety. Her feelings of being a wife and a mother over power her that time. Aeneas seeing his wife acting that way considers her. He listened to Creusa and he prioritized his family first before anyone else and flee with them. 

       On the other hand Hector who was going to brawl with Achilles was asked by his wife Andromache to not go into combat anymore. Andromache begs him to stay by her side with his son because if he dies in the battle, no one will be left with her and Astyanax since her father and brothers were already killed by Achilles.  Hector considers the request of his wife but then he insists to go on combat because it is his responsibility. Although Hector thinks of his family, he still prioritized his fellow men, because he thinks that it is his destiny and the will of the Gods for him. There are a lot of things in common and in contrast between the stories of Aeneid and Iliad. First, they have the same scene where in the wife of the two heroes asked them to stay by their side and don't go into combat anymore.  Creusa prevents Aeneas from having revenge during the Trojan War and Andromache begs Hector to not go into battle with Achilles. Secondly, they differ because the other one refuses to listen to his wife while one considers his wife's request. Aeneas turned his back to the war and chose his family over his obligation while Hector prefers to go in combat than to stay with his family, he chose his responsibilities rather than his loved ones. 

       We cannot judge anyone of them. Both of them just did what they think is right. For a soldier, a leader and a hero, one must swear to do his obligation sincerely and make it as his top priority. But a family must also be one of the things that he needs to consider. Decision making is certainly a tough thing to do, you must always read between the lines, you must always consider the ones involve and you must always accept whatever your choice will end up into. 

Defeat first, Victory later

       Aeneas had been into many conquers. Aeneas lost many of his fellow Trojans during the battle. You'll never know the true essence of winning if you don’t even lose just for once. But for Aeneas he doesn't just lose one but many, plenty of sacrifices were done and a lot of trials were conquered. He really had been into so many struggles during the journey to found Rome. But he never gave up, he never loses hope, he keeps on praying to the Gods and Goddesses for their support. After his last battle with Turnus, he finally had the glory of victory in his hands. It was certainly a harsh journey not just for Aeneas but for all of the Trojans as well. Aside from having victory at their side, they also found Rome. It was one of the greatest victories they can ever obtain.

       One will not achieve success easily. Achieving it with such effort is the most satisfying triumph. Success will never be yours unless you worked hard for it. Victory is the bittersweet part of the game. It’s bitter because someone will get badly hurt for you to get victory. It’s also sweet because at last all the hard works, obstacles, heart aches that you've been through will already be paid off. One may attain victory through determination and hard work. 

A Man of Values

“Try not to become a man of success. Rather become a man of value.” 

- Albert Einstein

          Aeneas was retelling the events that happened which led to the fall of Troy starting from that night of the banquet where the Trojans were celebrating for their victory, but had no idea that it will also be the night of their defeat. When the Trojans were in their deep sleep in the middle of the night, the Greeks attacked them. The wooden horse which they thought was a peace offering was really a trap, a massive trap from the Greeks. The wooden horse contains the greatest warriors of the Greeks while the others were just waiting outside the frontier of Troy's walls. Countless Trojans died in the battle, most of them were hurt, and those who were left in Troy became slaves. The fall of Troy was really a very upsetting event for the Trojans. Aeneas, knowing that fighting back from the Greeks will not be a wise decision, flew from Troy simultaneously with the other Trojans. 

          When I read the part where Aeneas was narrating his experiences to Dido about the fall of Troy, my sympathy sank with his story. I could sense that he was really in deep sorrow but then he is trying his best to move on and focus on more essential stuffs. I feel sympathy for him, though we all know that he is certainly a brave warrior and an unconquerable hero. But to feel powerless and worthless while seeing someone so close to you, is eventually dying and you can't do anything at all to save him.

          He is indeed destined to found Rome himself. When I read that part, I was so pleased. All of the dreadful things that Aeneas experienced will bear good ones because it will make him stronger. Maybe it is really meant to be a tragic way for victory to come to him. He is indeed the founder of Rome but before that he ran into such obstacles and challenges. He lost a lot of his men and also his loved ones. He sacrificed his free will. He led his men into such journeys and battles. I know he felt a very intense pain in his heart but he still kept on moving forward even if it hurts him sometimes and I salute him for that.

The Mysterious Beam

The Mona Lisa painting is a very famous work of art and a very controversial oil painting in Western Art History. This painting made by Leonardo da Vinci is really striking, very distinctive yet mystifying. Her smile is a very captivating smile and everyone is interested to know the true reason behind her enigmatic smile. Researchers found out that the smile is consist of 83% happy, 9% disgusted, 6% fearful, 2% angry, less that 1% neutral and not surprised at all.  The new theory for Mona Lisa's smile states that the young woman posing in that painting suffered from muscular atrophy on the right side of the body.

 Some people wonder why Mona Lisa’s facial expression seems to alter depending on the direction from which you glance at her. Given the fact that da Vinci manages to capture so many diverse emotions and character-traits in one canvas, it seems normal that every time one gazes at the Mona Lisa, one sees something different. Because it is not easy to outlook all the portrayed emotions and aspects of Mona Lisa’s personality in one glance, one is left with a sense of mystery. Certainly, this canvas is truly appealing and the smile is really mystifying.

 According to the painter’s biographer, the artist hired clowns, singers and bell-ringers in order to amuse Mona Lisa so that she wouldn’t get depressed or bored.  No matter what’s the explanation behind the smile. The bottom line is Leonardo da Vinci did a great job in this work of art. Regardless of the individual in the painting, the reason for its smile and other puzzling speculations in it, it will always be the one of the most remarkable paintings in the whole wide world.