Sophocles once said: “Fate has a terrible power. You cannot escape it with wealth or war. No fort will be able to keep him away, no ship will be able to overcome him. When reflecting on life, we often come across the principles of destiny and free will. Do we humans really have full control over our lives and actions? Do we have a predestined time to die or is our last breath purely the result of the choices we make? Maybe Sophocles is right and there is an element of fate in the universe that ultimately determines what we say, what we do, who we meet, and what trials and tribulations come our way. Perhaps Sophocles is completely wrong and everything we know is simply the product of chance. Homer and Sophocles examine these ideas in their works, The Iliad, Oedipus Tyrannus, and Antigone. In these tragic tales, it is evident that although the characters appear to have the ability to choose outcomes, fate is ultimately the strongest force in their lives. Fate governs the events that take place in the Iliad. In the first book, Achilles is faced with a choice. He is debating whether to draw his sword and kill Agamemnon or quell his anger. His "racing spirit veered back and forth" but he began to draw his sword from his side. This decision, however, was not what was supposed to happen. Athena flew to convince him otherwise, saying that if he would only "hold back now," "one day glittering gifts will lie before [him]." Achilles weighed both his options and made a choice, however, his choice went against Zeus' will, and thus intervention was necessary. Destiny is often seen in war. Throughout the book the gods tinker and tamper with the outcomes of battles and duels between warriors. This is seen in the third book during the duel between Paris and Menelau...... middle of the sheet ...... old that Laius has been murdered, Oedipus is determined to find the murderer, and even goes so far as to Curse him, saying, "I curse the murderer, whoever he may be... may he suffer and die, pain beyond pain." This is interesting because Oedipus is damning himself. He is using his free will to determine someone else's fate, but it is his own fate that he is determining. Eventually, it is revealed to Oedipus that he is the child that his mother, now wife, gave away to be destroyed after hearing the oracle that the child would kill its parents. Oedipus realizes that the fate assigned to him by Apollo has come true, and Jocasta realizes the evils of which she has been a part. Jocasta commits suicide and Oedipus gouges out his eyes. Although Oedipus initially attempted to escape his curse, his fate was too powerful and led him step by step down the path of his own self-destruction..