Here, Cyrano demonstrates both his prowess as a swordsman and wordsmith who can fight his opponent physically and intellectually—with a sword and through his words.
Notice how Cyrano seems to be making a point by throwing The Iliad at the cadet. Although Achilles initially refuses to fight for the Greeks, he returns to the war in order to avenge his friend's death. Perhaps, Cyrano wants the cadet to think about what valor truly means.
