The changes of such conception usually took place under the influence of the changes of social moods. This often happened after the appearance of new poems or epics. According to the primary task of the essay, it is necessary to say, that the characters of Iliad, Odysseus, and the conclusions by Socrates belong to various epochs of Greek history. And if Odysseus and other characters of Homer’s epic just dealt with the gods, which are shown as mean and mercantile. The gods in ancient epics just behaved like humans, though, to conquer such gods, taking into account that physically they are much stronger, often regarded as heroism. The impression on the adventures of Odysseus, Achilles, and others was empowered by the conception, that only real heroes or someone peculiar had the honor to communicate with the gods.
The heroism displayed by Socrates much later is regarded as heroism, as the society had changed by that moment, and people forgot the imaginary gods and faced the burning issues of bureaucracy, bribery, and others. The concept of heroism started including the courage in contacting the bureaucratic system of the state. It is considered that Socrates yielded his material right for the sake of the highest ideal of human dignity and patriotic duties.
Another point of his heroism is displayed in his courageous scientific offer to discover the human. As the science of that time just claimed to study the surrounding world, and this offer just turned the concept of sciences upside-down.
The imagination about heroism must have been changing through the times. What one was regarded as heroism in ancient times, now may be considered as the casual deed. All these factors depend on social moods and opinions.