For the Homeric hero, honor was a code to live by, won on the battlefield, achieved through oratory, and achieved through athletic prowess. However, to understand why honor was an important theme in Homer's Iliad, we must look at how the heroes of the epic, such as Agamemnon and Achilles, lived by this code, observing their behavior and the way they treated others in the course of history. With this in mind, we can establish the ideal conduct that ensures honor and the reality of what living by such a code meant for all involved. Victories in battle earned the Homeric hero honor in the eyes of his fellow aristoans; however, this was not enough to showcase their triumphs. '... [T]here seems to be a close equation between honour... and the possession of a 'prize'...' (Block 1, p. 50), since success in battle could be forgotten, the heroes materialized these victories within the prizes taken as war spoils. These awards provided a lasting symbol of their achievements; therefore, their importance was immense. We see this importance demonstrated in the way Agamemnon is determined to keep Chryseis, his “trophy,” telling her father, “The girl I will not give back…” (Iliad, 1:29). She is the embodiment of his honor, manifested in the flesh. When he is forced to return her to her father, Agamemnon's symbol of honor disappears and his pride is wounded. This dishonor may even jeopardize his position as head of the Greek army and explains why he demands another man's "prize". The insistence on personal gain seems to protect the Homeric hero from consequences that can affect not only him, but also those under his leadership. Agamemnon ignores evidence that the girl's father is a priest of the god Apollo, stating that abiding by this code was how his fellow aristoans would judge them. The poem thus accentuates the nature of human beings and suggests that mortals should try to live their lives as honorably as possible, so that their memory outlives them. Thus, the pursuit of honor in the Iliad is, as Emlyn-Jones states, that "... gives us an insight into the weaknesses of heroes as leaders... and the inherent instability of the social code by which they operate... ." (ECW, essay 2, 2006, p. 63). Bibliography: Ancient sources: Lattimore, R. (trans.) (1961) Homer's Iliad, Chicago and London: The University of Chicago Press, reproduced in Readings book 1 (2006) A219 Exploring the Classical World, readings 1.1-6 , pp. 7-62, Milton Keynes: The Open University.Modern Sources:Emlyn-Jones, C. (2006) Experiencing the Classical World, Essay two, 'The