The focus of book 22 is obviously the death of Hector. I found it humorous the way that Hector, knowing his death is eminent, flops back and forth between whether to die honorably or to not fight. Just as entertaining to me, his final decision to try to die with a little honor is a cop out that further lowers the honor of his death.
Hector first starts his questioning of fighting when he said that he would stand and fight, though Priam tried to talk him out of it, he insisted on staying. Later, Hector, in a little miniature conversation with himself, contemplates trying to take the easier way out and try and get a truce; change number one... He realizes halfway through this thought that he should fight; change number two... Eventually, Achilles reaches Hector and Hector takes off in a dead sprint to escape the fight, again changing his mind. His final change came when he stopped running, and took care of business even though he clearly realized his fate was sealed.
Hector’s final offer to Achilles shouldn’t really have been that surprising based on his previous moves. It was great that Achilles turns him down. After flopping multiple times and then trying to weasel his way to an honorable death, Hector earned the death he received.
ps. I posted on Malory's...
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