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The Hero and the Man: Language, Truth, and the Homeric Origins of Western Idealism
In The Hero and the Man , Robertson explores what it means to be a "Hero" through the lens of Homeric epic. Since the dawn of Western civilization, heroism has always been admirable... but is it the highest aspiration? Or is there something even better that men might strive for? Robertson argues that when viewed together, the Iliad and the Odyssey offer a more complete picture of the trajectory of man in culture that will change how you view the role of the Hero, and what it truly means to be a Man.
201 pages, Paperback
Published December 1, 2021
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
January 12, 2025
Robertson truly seems like the expert on Homer, the Iliad, the odyssey, and the heroism/idealism that comes with it. Whether or not he’s actually the expert I don’t know but his passion for understanding Homers mission is evident.
I probably would have given this a 3 star due to some repetition of thought and redundant chapters. I get he was building on each one and he lays out his goal in the beginning so the reader understands his thought process but by the end I was like “Yeah, I get it.” But I’m giving it 4stars because despite my feelings I kept reading knowing I’d find small nuggets of wisdom. A gold rush of a book that seemed mundane at times until you’d shake out a thought or whole concept that was so thought provoking it left me no choice but to continue on.
My book has well worn pages and plenty of ink notes. I wouldn’t suggest this to everyone but if you’re looking to nerd out on language and history don’t be surprised when you come away inspired to be a better person.
I probably would have given this a 3 star due to some repetition of thought and redundant chapters. I get he was building on each one and he lays out his goal in the beginning so the reader understands his thought process but by the end I was like “Yeah, I get it.” But I’m giving it 4stars because despite my feelings I kept reading knowing I’d find small nuggets of wisdom. A gold rush of a book that seemed mundane at times until you’d shake out a thought or whole concept that was so thought provoking it left me no choice but to continue on.
My book has well worn pages and plenty of ink notes. I wouldn’t suggest this to everyone but if you’re looking to nerd out on language and history don’t be surprised when you come away inspired to be a better person.
June 6, 2025
“In a world of Last Men, caring about what others think of you means not being too annoying. It means being nice and getting along. There is no passion, no drive for earth-moving love or world-shattering hatred.”
This hit and CB Robertson proves himself to be an expert of the Homeric world, history and language. There is profound reading here but it’s not for everyone. My only issue is that some current reeducation of Homer would have escalated this reading.
“But if we can graduate to a more mature understanding of our language, we use to judge the world, we will find that the world doesn’t need to be saved. It has problems to be addressed, but chief among them is our own relationships with each other, and the language we use to navigate those relationships.”
This hit and CB Robertson proves himself to be an expert of the Homeric world, history and language. There is profound reading here but it’s not for everyone. My only issue is that some current reeducation of Homer would have escalated this reading.
“But if we can graduate to a more mature understanding of our language, we use to judge the world, we will find that the world doesn’t need to be saved. It has problems to be addressed, but chief among them is our own relationships with each other, and the language we use to navigate those relationships.”
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews