"Hero"

I wonder if we've gone down the wrong path in our useage of the word 'hero.' I've heard it used as a synonym for protagonist; I've preferred to use it as a personification of virtue, strength and action.

If we peel away the morality and even ethics of individuals, and instead focus on the grandeur of their deeds, a different kind of hero emerges. Consider the Greek heroes such as Hercules and Achilles. These were deeply flawed individuals who were certainly no more moral or ethical than the average man. They were, however, larger than life, and they performed actions to match their personalities and powers.