#something about the awful simplicity of a fence of ferocious-looking teeth that are. in the end. no match for death

[ravencromwell]

“Cowards and heroes have the same reward. Do everything or nothing—death still comes.” (9.409–10) Moreover, perhaps the trade was never worth it in the first place. Material wealth—such as treasure or animals—can be traded and recovered, but this loss can never be recouped: You can raid fine cattle or well-fed sheep, and you can trade to get tripods and horses with fine golden manes. But human life does not come back again after it passes through the fence of teeth. No trade or rustling can recover it. (9.524–29) The almost childlike simplicity and truth of the observation is overwhelmingly powerful. Teeth are a fence between the interior and exterior of the body, like a barrier that keeps animals inside their pen. But this little fence is too frail to keep human life locked inside. Achilles, an experienced looter and cattle thief, knows how easily animals can be filched from their original owners, and how hard it may be to track down a stolen horse or herd. To recover a lost life is not hard, but impossible.

--from Emily Wilson's Introduction to The Iliad