Achilles
Posted on | February 16, 2008 |
Achilles has been described as the most handsome warrior to fight in the Trojan War. He was seen as a great hero and is the main character in the Iliad. Achilles was also the subject of great speculation with regard to his close relationship with Patroclus.
Mythology
Achilles was born in Farsala to the king of the Myrmidons, Peleus, and his immortal wife Thetis, a sea nymph. He was sent to Mt. Pelion where he was raised by a centaur named Chiron.
An ancient story by Statius claims that Thetis dipped Achilles in the river Styx, trying to make him immortal. The story goes on to tell that she forgot to dip the heel she had been holding him by, making it the only spot on his body vulnerable to attack.
Achilles was known as the only mortal man capable of experiencing extreme rage, which at times drove him into battle in order to seek revenge for a wrongdoing.
Many of the stories of Achilles are told during the Trojan war, of which Homer’s Iliad covers a few weeks. The story begins as Achilles refused to fight alongside the Greek forces any longer. He was angry at the Achaean commander for demanding that Achilles turn over Briseis to him.
With Achilles withdrawl from battle, the Trojans began gaining ground against the Greek forces. The Greek commander was blamed for making Achilles mad, which in turn was causing the Achaeans to lose ground to the Trojans. He sent Odysseus to try to bribe Achilles with gifts in exchange for his return to battle. Achilles refused and urged them to return to Greece.
Achilles finally relented and agreed to help the Achaean forces. He prayed to his mother that the Trojans could be defeated, although by this time the Greeks were teetering on the edge of destruction at the hands of the Trojans. Achilles consented to let Patroclus lead the Greek troops against the Trojan forces. Patroclus and his men were able to push back the Trojans, but was killed by the Trojan leader Hector.
In a rage, Achilles became a killing machine, seeking to exact revenge upon Hector. At one point Zeus had to have Achilles restrained to prevent him from taking on the city of Troy singlehandedly. Achilles finally found Hector, who had to be persuaded by Athena to fight Achilles rather than run from him. Achilles killed Hector, then dragged his body behind a chariot for nine days. The Iliad closes with Hector’s funeral, which takes place shortly before the fall of Troy.
Achilles had an affinity for boys, and had made advances toward a Trojan boy named Troilus. When Achilles was turned down by Troilus, he decapitated the boy inside the temple of Apollo. Troilus was killed just prior to his twentieth birthday, and myths told that should Troilus live past his twentieth birthday, Troy would be invincible. Apollo was enraged by the desecration of his temple, and swore revenge against Achilles.
Achilles was finally killed by an arrow, which struck his heel. Paris was the one who loosed the arrow, but many believe it was guided to its fatal mark by Apollo.
Following his death, Odysseus and Ajax competed for Achilles’ armor by telling why they were the bravest warriors, and therefore the most deserving of it. When Odysseus won the competition, Ajax lost his mind and went mad. After killing many sheep, believing them to be Greek soldiers, he killed himself.
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