All over the world, ordinary people find heroes they aspire to imitate. Comics portray heroes as super-strong men dressed in spandex, and while a three-year-old might aspire to become a superman, older audiences will hopefully find more realistic figures to idolize. Take Barack Obama, the president of the United States; You have worked your entire life to reach the highest position in our government, President. Obama was not born with a silver spoon in his mouth but to a single mother in Hawaii. Through hard work and motivation, he went to college and received an education at Columbia University. He later earned a law degree from Harvard University and began working with the Democratic Party. In 1996 he was elected to the Illinois Senate, and in 2004 he acquired a seat in the United States Senate. After just 5 years of experience in the Senate, he was elected the 44th president. Obama's exponential growth in prominence and power could only have been achieved by one exemplary man. His determination, intelligence, hard work and professionalism have made his success attainable and he should be admired for these traits. Every country has a national hero and Barack Obama is that of the United States. The Greeks also had their share of icons and heroes. They admired Jason and his quest for the Golden Fleece, and Perseus, the killer of Medusa, but their best heroes come from Homer's Iliad: Hector and Achilles. Hector was the best warrior of Troy and son of Priam, the king of Troy. Achilles was the great warrior of the Greek army and killed Hector. The Greek citizens, taking the side of their own nationality, declared the Greek warrior Achilles the hero of the Trojan War, but since ancient Greece there has no longer been an impartial view of Ilia...... middle of paper..... . brings the body back to Priam and shows respect to Agamemnon's couriers when they take Briseis away from him; but its relevance to modern society is limited. Being physically strong is not important for a modern hero, because it is not a necessary trait to make a difference in the world. Athletes are admired not because they are strong and fast, but for their will to succeed and their work ethic. When Achilles acts honorably, he does not make difficult decisions that affect his life and the lives of others; he is simply giving in to his conscience. Furthermore, in today's world everyone is expected to be respectful; the President is not rude to a citizen just because he has the power to be, because our Constitution fights for our rights. Perhaps the only valuable thing that Achilles brings to the modern world is his intelligence, which will always be appreciated.