The gods envy us.

This line from *Troy* has endured because it completely reframes the way we think about mortality. “The gods envy us.” At first, it seems impossible. Why would immortal beings envy human beings? But the answer reveals one of the most profound ideas in the film: our lives have meaning precisely because they end. In the scene, the words are spoken with quiet wisdom rather than sorrow. Immortality may sound like the greatest gift imaginable, but the film suggests otherwise. When time is infinite, nothing is truly pre...