Kleos (Greek: κλέος) is the Greek word often translated to "renown", or "glory". It is related to the word for "to hear" and carries the implied meaning of "what others hear about you". A Greek hero earns kleos through accomplishing great deeds, often through his own death. Kleos is invariably transferred from father to son^{[clarification needed]}; the son is responsible for carrying on and building upon the "glory" of the father.

Kleos is a common theme in Homer's epics, the Iliad and the Odyssey, the main example in the latter being that of Odysseus and his son Telemachus, who is concerned that his father may have died a pathetic and pitiable death at sea rather than a reputable and gracious one in battle.

The Greek philosopher Plato, in his dialog Symposium devoted to discussing love, digresses into the subject of fame and glory. This comes in the section that concerns the dialog between Socrates and Diotima. She is explaining that men search for some kind of immortality, for instance by means of physical and intellectual procreation. She then asserts that the love for fame and glory is very strong, and in fact to obtain them, men are ready to engage in great efforts, and also run risks and sacrifices, even of their lives (self-sacrifice), and will sacrifice still more for this than for their children. She then references Alcestis (who died to save Admetus), Achilles (to avenge Patroclus), and Codrus, as examples of heroes in search of fame and immortal renown.^[2]

Plato believed "There's a victory, and defeat; the first and best of victories, the lowest and worst of defeats which each man gains or sustains at the hands not of another, but of himself."^{[citation needed]} Plato emphasized that victory is self-motivated, while glory is to benefit future victory.

Plato's specific commentary about life's glories that "The first and best victory is to conquer self. To be conquered by self is, of all things, the most shameful and vile." has been later referenced by magazines and newspapers such as the American publication Forbes (in June 1928).^[3]

Jorge Manrique was a prominent Spanish poet of the fifteenth century. His most celebrated work was Coplas a la Muerte de su Padre (Stanzas about the death of his father) that was translated into the English language by poet Henry Wadsworth Longfellow. In it is an explanation of the three lives of men:^{[clarification needed]}

1. the terrestrial life, that ends with death
2. the life of fame, that is retained by men's memory
3. the eternal life, of the Christian faith

The life of fame is expressed in the following verse:

• Civil awards and decorations – Decoration awarded for services of a non-military nature
• Honour – Abstract concept entailing a human quality of worthiness and respectability
• Laureate – Winner of an award or competition
• Military awards and decorations – Award, usually a medal of some sort, mark of honor
• Praise – Expression of positive recognition, reassurance or admiration
• Thumos – Ancient Greek concept of spiritedness
• Victory – Success in a competition