Hector's Rage and Apollo

At the very end of Book 12, Hector is able to break through the wall of the Greeks and, during this, he displays a godlike rage.  This rage he experiences is comparable to the rage of Apollo that is shown in Book 1, and even juxtaposes Hector to Apollo.  As shown:

              “His face was like sudden night,

              And a dark gold light played about the armor

              That encased his zealous bones.  No one

              Could have stopped him, except the gods,

              In his immortal leap through the ruined gate,

              And his eyes glowed with fire.”

The “sudden night” that covers his face is quite similar to Apollo, who “moved like night down the mountain.”  Even more, this night could be considered symbolic, as Hector is becoming more and more overtaken with rage and his hubris continues to grow.  Shining off of his armor is light which, at first may seem insignificant, but Apollo is sometimes called “Phoibos,” or “light.”  This glistening of the armor would make him look something like Apollo as he shines while destroying the wall of the Greeks.  Hector is also unstoppable by anyone except the gods, and the same can be said of Apollo in Book 1.  Hera “plants” the idea of appeasing Apollo into Achilles’s head, so he calls an assembly which leads to returning Chryseis and ultimately leading to Apollo yielding.  While Hera did not make Achilles call the assembly, without Hera, a goddess, Apollo could not have been stopped.  Apollo’s “death-fires,” too, can be compared to the fire in Hector’s eyes.  Therefore, in this moment, Hector is equated to Apollo as he takes down the Achaean Wall.