Homer's epic poem, the Iliad, and John Locke's essay on political philosophy, Second Treatise of Government, are two different types of works literary works with different purposes, but both strongly touch on the themes of revenge and justice. The nature of revenge is agreed upon, but its role in each of the two works is different. Locke implies absolute justice while Homer implies both absolute justice and subjective justice seen by different people, gods and cultures, but both agree that government is the remedy for revenge. Homer and Locke also claim several exceptions for when revenge is acceptable or at least understandable. The Iliad and the Second Treatise use the theme of revenge for two different purposes: the first to drive the plot and to inspire thoughtful thoughts about human nature, the second to make philosophical reasoning. Regardless, they each elucidate a shared belief about the nature of revenge. Homer states through the characters (Agamemnon in particular) that desires such as that of revenge are natural and unavoidable. John Locke states this directly in his Second Treatise, defining it as part of the “state of nature” (2TG), the state the world of men would be in without government. They both say the same thing in two different ways. “What could I do? it is God who accomplishes everything. The eldest daughter of Zeus is Ate, who blinds everything, the power of ruin: her feet are delicate, because she does not walk on the earth, but walks over the heads of men, causing them to fall; and entangle this or that." - Agamemnon, in the Iliad. Both the Iliad and the Second Treatise teach a lesson about revenge: it causes trouble if left unchecked. The Iliad tells of a hero, Achilles, who tragically causes the death and/or... the middle of paper... which we defined above, for his actions against them, for the sake of defending himself from further mistreatment . It makes it clear that mistreatment should be severe and against the people, and that an individual's revenge against the king is not justified for any misdeeds the king does against him. This is supported by his statement that everyone has the right to self-defense, and countered by Achilles seeking revenge against his leader for insulting him (which is shown by Homer to be an unjust and tragic decision). Homer makes the gods an exception; they can do what they want and how they want. He also sometimes makes his vengeful attitude unclear in some places in the Iliad with the way he glorifies the violence of war and an enraged Achilles slaughtering thousands of people, but obviously glorifying war and warriors is part of the culture.