This submission to Night speaks volumes about the ancient psyche as portrayed by Homer, and every deviation from this submission, when a Greek or a Trojan is willing to face the darkness, is even more significant to our understanding of their world-view. Night is not personified in the Iliad the same way Dawn is personified. Night is mysterious, powerful and aloof. Because of her indefinite nature, Night takes on many meanings, in contrast to her largely literal mythological counter-parts. Most significantly, Night represents death.
Homer describes almost every single warrior s last moment as a blinding mist.
One must take heed that Night and darkness are not the same, for darkness is literal and Night encompasses both the literal and the metaphorical, but darkness and Night are often interchangeable. The former, though, is the defining aspect of the latter. Mortals fear Night chiefly because she brings darkness, and with it inability to see that is frustrating and terrifying. As portrayed by Homer, these ancients are not terribly philosophic people. They emphasize duty, honor, loyalty, and action.