How are heroes defined in classical literature?

Answer 1

The word "hero" comes from the Greek word ἥρως (heros). This word in turn appears to come from a PIE word that means "protector" or "defender". In Greco-Roman myth, a hero was often the son of a god (e.g., Perseus, Heracles, Theseus, Achilles, Aeneas). They tended to fight monsters (e.g., some of the aforementioned plus Bellerophon, Odysseus). When they fought men, they racked up an impressive body count, often against overwhelming odds (Achilles, Diomedes, Odysseus). A few of the more famous ones made a trip to the Underworld (Heracles, Theseus, Odysseus, Aeneas). Not every hero checks all of these boxes, but you get the idea.