Achilles

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Achilles

In Greek mythology

Greek mythology

'''Greek mythology''' is the body of myths and legends belonging to the Ancient Greece concerning their List of Greek mythological figures#Immortals and Greek hero cult, Cosmology#Metaphysical cosmology, and the origins and significance of their own cult and ritual practices....
, Achilles (also Akhilleus or Achilleus; Ancient Greek

Ancient Greek

'''Ancient Greek''' is the historical stage in the development of the Greek language spanning across the Archaic Greece , Classical Greece , and Hellenistic civilization periods of ancient Greece and the classical antiquity....
: ) was a Greek

Greeks

The '''Greeks''' , also known as '''Hellenes''', are a nation and ethnic group native to Greece, Cyprus and neighbouring regions, who can also be found in Greek diaspora communities around the world....
hero

Hero

A '''hero''' , in Greek mythology and folklore, was originally a demigod, the offspring of a mortal and a deity,their Greek hero cult being one of the most distinctive features of Religion in ancient Greece....
of the Trojan War

Trojan War

In Greek mythology, the '''Trojan War''' was waged against the city of Troy by the Achaeans after Paris of Troy stole Helen from her husband Menelaus, the king of Sparta....
, the central character and the greatest warrior of Homer

Homer

'''Homer''' is traditionally held to be the author of the ancient Greek language epic poems the ''Iliad'' and the ''Odyssey'', as well as of the ''Homeric Hymns''....
's Iliad
ILiad

The '''iLiad''' is an electronic handheld device, or e-book device, which can be used for document reading and editing. Like the Sony Reader or Amazon Kindle, the iLiad makes use of an electronic paper display....
, which takes for its theme ; the Wrath of Achilles.

Achilles also has the attributes of being the most handsome of the heroes assembled against Troy

Troy

'''Troy''' is a legendary city and center of the Trojan War, as described in the Epic Cycle, and especially in the ''Iliad'', one of the two epic poems attributed to Homer....
, as well as the best.

Later legends (beginning with a poem by Statius

Statius

'''Publius Papinius Statius''' was a Roman poet of the Silver Age of Latin literature, born in Naples, Italy. Besides his poetry, he is best known for his appearance as a major character in the ''Purgatorio'' section of Dante Alighieri epic poem ''The Divine Comedy''....
in the first century AD) state that Achillies was invulnerable in all of his body except for his heel

Heel

The '''heel''' is the prominence at the posterior end of the foot. It is based on the projection of one bone, the calcaneus, behind the articulation of the bones of the lower Human_leg....
.

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Birth

Achilles was the son of the nymph

Nymph

In Greek mythology, a '''nymph''' is any member of a large class of mythological entities in human form. They were typically associated with a particular location or landform....
Thetis

Thetis

Silver-footed '''Thetis''' , ''disposer'' or "placer" , is encountered in Greek mythology mostly as a sea nymph, one of the fifty Nereids, daughters of ''the ancient one of the seas with shape-shifting abilities'' who survives in the historical vestiges of most later Greek myths as Proteus ....
and Peleus

Peleus

In Greek mythology, '''Pele?s''' was a Greek hero cult who was already known to Homer. Peleus was the son of Aeacus, king of the island of Aegina, and Ende?s, the oread of Mount Pelion in Thessaly; he became the father of Achilles....
, the king of the Myrmidons

Myrmidons

The '''Myrmidons''' were an ancient tribe of Greek mythology. They were very brave and skilled warriors as described in Homer's ''Iliad'', and were commanded by Achilles....
. Zeus

Zeus

Poseidon

In Greek mythology, '''Poseidon''' was the god of the sea and, as "Earth-Shaker," of earthquakes. The name of the god Nethuns in Etruscan mythology was adopted in Latin for Neptune in Roman mythology: both were sea gods analogous to Poseidon....
had been rivals for the hand of Thetis until Prometheus

Prometheus

In Greek mythology, '''Prometheus ''' is a Titan known for his wily intelligence, who stole fire from Zeus and gave it to human beings for their use....
, the fire-bringer, warned Zeus of a prophecy that Thetis would bear a son greater than his father. For this reason, the two gods withdrew their pursuit, and had her wed Peleus.

As with most mythology there is a tale which offers an alternative version of these events: in Argonautica (iv.760) Hera

Hera

Zeus

'''Zeus''' in Greek mythology is the king of the gods, the ruler of Mount Olympus and the god of the sky father and List of thunder gods. His symbols are the thunderbolt, eagle, bull , and oak....
, that Thetis was so loyal to Hera's marriage bond that she coolly rejected him.

According to a fragment of an Achilleis— the Achilleid
Achilleid

The '''''Achilleid''''' is an unfinished work of Statius. It details the early life of the Greek warrior Achilles. It says it will go on to relate the whole of his life, from birth to his death, including all the Trojan War; however the only extant portion finishes just after he is recruited to fight for the Greeks....
, written by Statius

Statius

'''Publius Papinius Statius''' was a Roman poet of the Silver Age of Latin literature, born in Naples, Italy. Besides his poetry, he is best known for his appearance as a major character in the ''Purgatorio'' section of Dante Alighieri epic poem ''The Divine Comedy''....
in the first century AD, and to no other sources, when Achilles was born Thetis tried to make him immortal by dipping him in the river Styx

Styx

'''''Styx''''' may refer to:* Styx , the river that forms the boundary between the Greek underworld and the world of the living, as well as a goddess and a nymph that represent the river....
. However, he was left vulnerable at the part of the body she held him by, his heel. (See Achilles heel

Achilles Heel

'''Achilles Heel''' may refer to:* Achilles' heel, a metaphor for a fatal weakness in spite of overall strength* Achilles Heel , a band from New York state...
, Achilles' tendon.) It is not clear if this version of events was known earlier. In another version of this story, Thetis anointed the boy in ambrosia

Ambrosia

In ancient Greek mythology, '''''ambrosia''''' is sometimes the food, sometimes the drink, of the Greek gods, often depicted as conferring ageless immortality upon whoever consumes it....
and put him on top of a fire to burn away the mortal parts of his body. She was interrupted by Peleus and abandoned both father and son in a rage.

However none of the sources before Statius makes any reference to this general invulnerability. To the contrary, in the Iliad Homer mentions Achilles being wounded: in Book 21 the Paeonian hero Asteropaeus, son of Pelagon, challenged Achilles by the river Scamander. He cast two spears at once, one grazed Achilles' elbow, "drawing a spurt of blood."

Also in the fragmentary poems of the Epic Cycle in which we can find description of the hero's death, Kùpria (unknown author), Aithiopis
Aithiopis

The '''''Aethiopis''''' or '''''Aithiopis''''' is a lost Epic poetry of ancient Greek literature. It was one of the Epic Cycle, that is, the "Trojan" cycle, which told the entire history of the Trojan War in epic verse....
by Arctinus of Miletus

Arctinus of Miletus

'''Arctinus of Miletus''' or '''Arctinus Milesius''' was a Cyclic poets whose reputation is purely legendary, as none of his works survive. Traditionally dated between 775 BC and 741 BC, he was said to have been a pupil of Homer....
, Ilias Mikrà
Little Iliad

The '''Little Iliad''' is a lost Epic poetry of ancient Greek literature. It was one of the Epic Cycle, that is, the "Trojan" cycle, which told the entire history of the Trojan War in epic verse....
by Lesche of Mytilene, Iliou pèrsis by Arctinus of Miletus

Arctinus of Miletus

'''Arctinus of Miletus''' or '''Arctinus Milesius''' was a Cyclic poets whose reputation is purely legendary, as none of his works survive. Traditionally dated between 775 BC and 741 BC, he was said to have been a pupil of Homer....
, there is no trace of any reference to his general invulnerability or his famous weakness (heel); in the later vase-paintings presenting Achilles' death, the arrow (or in many cases, arrows) hit his body.

Peleus entrusted Achilles to Chiron

Chiron

In Greek mythology, '''Chiron''' or '''Cheiron''' was held as the superlative centaur among his brethren. Like the satyrs, centaurs were notorious for being overly indulgent drinkers and carousers, given to violence when intoxicated, and generally uncultured delinquents....
the Centaur

Centaur

In Greek mythology, the '''centaurs''' are a race of creatures composed of part human and part horse. In early Attica Pottery of ancient Greece, they are depicted with the torso of a human joined at the waist to the horse's withers, where the horse's neck would be....
, on Mt. Pelion

Pelion

'''Pelion''' or '''Pelium''' is a mountain at the southeastern part of Thessaly in central Greece, forming a hook-like peninsula between the Pagasetic Gulf and the Aegean Sea....
, to be raised.

Achilles in the Trojan War

the Rage of Achilles By Giovanni Battista Tiepolo

The first two lines of the Iliad read:

Sing, Goddess, of the rage, of Peleus' son Achilles

the accursed rage, which brought pain to thousands of the Achaeans.

Achilles is the only mortal to experience consuming rage (menis). His anger is at some times wavering, but at other times he cannot be cooled. The humanization of Achilles by the events of the war is an important theme of the narrative.

Telephus

When the Greeks left for the Trojan War, they accidentally stopped in Mysia

Mysia

'''Mysia''' was a region in the northwest of ancient ''Asia Minor'' or Anatolia . It was located on the south coast of the Sea of Marmara. It was bounded by Bithynia on the east, Phrygia on the southeast, Lydia on the south, Aeolis on the southwest, Troad on the west and by the Propontis on the north....
, ruled by King Telephus

Telephus

A Greek mythology, '''Telephus''' or '''Telephos''' was one of the Heraclidae, the sons of Heracles, who were venerated as founders of cities. Telephos was by far the most famous of these heroes, and the various sites at which libations were offered to placate his spirit occasioned etiology of travels around the Greek mainland, in Magna Graecia a...
. In the resulting battle, Achilles gave Telephus a wound that would not heal; Telephus consulted an oracle, who stated that "he that wounded shall heal". Guided by the oracle, he arrived at Argos

Argos

'''Argos''' is a city in Greece in the Peloponnese near Nafplion, which was its historic harbour, named for Nauplius ....
, where Achilles heals him in order that he become their guide for the voyage to Troy. According to other reports in Euripides

Euripides

'''Euripides''' was the last of the three great tragedy of classical Athens . Ancient scholars thought that Euripides had written ninety-five plays, although four of those were probably written by Critias....
' lost play about Telephus, he went to Aulis

Aulis

'''Aulis''' is:*In Greek mythology, '''Aulis''' was both**A daughter of King Ogyges and Thebe , and**Modern day Avlida, a port in Boeotia where the Greek navy rallied before setting off against Troy...
pretending to be a beggar and asked Achilles to heal his wound. Achilles refused, claiming to have no medical knowledge. Alternatively, Telephus held Orestes

Orestes (mythology)

In Greek mythology, '''Orestes''' was the son of Clytemnestra and Agamemnon. He is the subject of several Ancient Greek theatre and of various legends connected with his madness and purification....
for ransom, the ransom being Achilles' aid in healing the wound. Odysseus

Odysseus

'''Odysseus''' or '''Ulysses''' , in Greek mythology , was a legendary Greeks king of Ithaca and the hero of Homer's Epic poetry, the ''Odyssey''. Odysseus also plays a key role in Homer's ''Iliad'' and other works in the Epic Cycle....
reasoned that the spear had inflicted the wound; therefore, the spear must be able to heal it. Pieces of the spear were scraped off onto the wound and Telephus was healed

Cycnus of Colonae

According to the Cypria of the Epic Cycle and traditions related by Plutarch

Plutarch

'''Lucius Mestrius Plutarchus''' , ''c.'' AD 46 ? 120 ? commonly known in English as '''Plutarch''' ? was a Ancient Rome historian , biographer, essayist, and Middle Platonism....
and the Byzantine scholar John Tzetzes

John Tzetzes

'''John Tzetzes''' , was a Byzantine Empire poet and grammarian, known to have lived at Constantinople during the 12th century.Tzetzes was Georgians on his mother's side ....
, once the Greek ships arrived in Troy, Achilles fought and killed Cycnus of Colonae

Cycnus

In Greek mythology, four people were known as '''Cycnus''' or Cygnus . Most of them ended up being transformed into swans. The most famous Cycnus however, was the son of Ares....
, a son of Poseidon.

Troilus

According to the Cypria (the part of the Epic Cycle that tells the events of the Trojan War before Achilles' Wrath), when the Achaeans desired to return home, they were restrained by Achilles, who afterwards attacked the cattle of Aeneas, sacked neighboring cities and killed Troilus

Troilus

Dares Phrygius

'''Dares Phrygius''', according to Homer, was a Troy priest of Hephaestus. He was supposed to have been the author of an account of the destruction of Troy, and to have lived before Homer....
' Account of the Destruction of Troy, the Latin summary through which the story of Achilles was transmitted to medieval Europe, Troilus

Troilus

Priam

Apollo

In Greek mythology and Roman mythology, '''Apollo''' , is one of the most important and many-sided of the Twelve Olympians. The ideal of the ''kouros'' , Apollo has been variously recognized as a god of light and the sun; truth and prophecy; archery; medicine and healing; music, poetry, and the arts; and more....
) and Hecuba

Hecuba

'''Hecuba''' was a queen in Greek mythology, the wife of King Priam of Troy, with whom she had 19 children. The most famous of said children was Hector of Troy....
's five legitimate sons. Despite his youth, he was one of the main Trojan war leaders. Prophecies linked Troilus' fate to that of Troy and so he was ambushed and decapitated upon an altar-omphalos of Apollo by Achilles. In this version of the myth, Achilles' death came in retribution for a sacrilege he had previously committed, his decapitation of Troilus

Troilus

'''Troilus''' is a legendary character associated with the story of the Trojan War. The first surviving reference to him is in Homer's ''Iliad'' which is believed to have been written in the late 9th century BC or 8th century BC....
upon an altar-omphalos of Apollo. Ancient writers treated Troilus as the epitome of a dead child mourned by his parents. Had Troilus lived to adulthood, the First Vatican Mythographer claimed Troy would have been invincible.

In the Iliad

Homer's

Homer

'''Homer''' is traditionally held to be the author of the ancient Greek language epic poems the ''Iliad'' and the ''Odyssey'', as well as of the ''Homeric Hymns''....
Iliad
ILiad

The '''iLiad''' is an electronic handheld device, or e-book device, which can be used for document reading and editing. Like the Sony Reader or Amazon Kindle, the iLiad makes use of an electronic paper display....
is the most famous narrative of Achilles' deeds in the Trojan War

Trojan War

In Greek mythology, the '''Trojan War''' was waged against the city of Troy by the Achaeans after Paris of Troy stole Helen from her husband Menelaus, the king of Sparta....
. The Heroic epic only covers a few weeks of the war, and does not narrate Achilles' death. It begins with Achilles' withdrawal from battle after he is dishonored by Agamemnon

Agamemnon

In Greek mythology, '''Agamemnon''' / is the son of King Atreus of Mycenae and Queen Aerope, the brother of Menelaus and the husband of Clytemnestra; different mythological versions make him the king either of Mycenae or of Argos....
, the commander of the Achaean forces. Agamemnon had taken a woman named Chryseis

Chryseis

In Greek mythology, '''Chryseis''' was a Troy woman, the daughter of Chryses. Chryseis, her apparent name in the ''Iliad'', means simply "Chryses' daughter"; later writers give her real name as '''Astynome'''....
as his slave. Her father Chryses

Chryses

In Greek mythology, '''Chryses''' was a priest of Apollo at Chryse, near the city of Troy. According to a tradition mentioned by Eustathius of Thessalonica, Chryses and Briseus were brothers, sons of a man named Ardys ....
, a priest of Apollo

Apollo

Calchas

In Greek mythology, '''Calchas''' , son of Thestor, was a Argive seer, with a gift for interpreting the flight of birds that he received of Apollo: "as an augur, Calchas had no rival in the camp"....
correctly determined the source of the troubles but would not speak unless Achilles vowed to protect him. Achilles did so and Calchas declared Chryseis must be returned to her father. Agamemnon consented, but then commanded that Achilles' battle prize Briseis

Briseis

'''Hippodameia Brise?s''' is a Troy woman captured by the Greeks in the ''Iliad''. She was first Achilles' prize of the Trojan war; he fell in love with her....
be brought to replace Chryseis. Angry at the dishonor (and as he says later, because he loved Briseis) and at the urging of Thetis, Achilles refused to fight or lead his troops alongside the other Greek forces.

As the battle turned against the Greeks, Nestor

Nestor (mythology)

In Greek mythology, '''Nestor of Ger?nia''' was the son of Neleus and Chloris, and the King of Pylos. He became king after Heracles killed Neleus and all of Nestor's brothers and sisters....
declared that the Trojans were winning because Agamemnon had angered Achilles, and urged the king to appease the warrior. Agamemnon agreed and sent Odysseus

Odysseus

'''Odysseus''' or '''Ulysses''' , in Greek mythology , was a legendary Greeks king of Ithaca and the hero of Homer's Epic poetry, the ''Odyssey''. Odysseus also plays a key role in Homer's ''Iliad'' and other works in the Epic Cycle....
and two other chieftains to Achilles with the offer of the return of Briseis and other gifts. Achilles refused and urged the Greeks to sail home as he was planning to do.

Eventually, however, hoping to retain glory despite his absence from the battle, Achilles prayed to his mother Thetis, asking her to plead with Zeus to allow the Trojans to push back the Greek forces.

The Trojans, led by Hector

Hector

In Greek mythology, '''Hector''' , or '''Hektor''', is a Troy prince and one of the greatest fighters in the Trojan War. He is the son of Priam and Hecuba, descendant of Dardanus, who lived under Mount Ida, and of Tros, the founder of Troy....
, subsequently pushed the Greek army back toward the beaches and assaulted the Greek ships. With the Greek forces on the verge of absolute destruction, Patroclus led the Myrmidons

Myrmidons

The '''Myrmidons''' were an ancient tribe of Greek mythology. They were very brave and skilled warriors as described in Homer's ''Iliad'', and were commanded by Achilles....
into battle, though Achilles remained at his camp. Patroclus succeeded in pushing the Trojans back from the beaches, but was killed by Hector before he could lead a proper assault on the city of Troy.

Achilles' revenge on Hector

After receiving the news of the death of Patroclus from Antilochus

Antilochus

In Greek mythology, '''Antilochus''' was the son of Nestor , king of Pylos. One of the suitors of Helen, he accompanied his father to the Trojan War....
, the son of Nestor, Achilles grieved over his close friend's death and held many funeral games in his honor. His mother Thetis came to comfort the distraught Achilles. She persuaded Hephaestus

Hephaestus

'''Hephaestus''' was a Greek god whose Roman equivalent was '''Vulcan '''. He was the god of technology, blacksmiths, craftsmen, artisans, sculpture, metals, metallurgy, Fire and volcanoes....
to make new armor for him, in place of the armor that Patroclus had been wearing which was taken by Hector

Hector

Shield of Achilles

The '''Shield of Achilles''' is the shield that Achilles uses to fight Hector, famously described in a passage in Book 18, lines 478-608 of Homer's ''Iliad''....
, described in great detail by the poet.

Enraged over the death of Patroclus, Achilles ended his refusal to fight and took the field killing many men in his rage but always seeking out Hector. Achilles even engaged in battle with the river god Scamander

Scamander

In Greek mythology, '''Scamander''' was a river god, son of Oceanus and Tethys according to Hesiod. Scamander is also thought of as the river god, son of Zeus....
who became angry that Achilles was choking his waters with all the men he killed. The god tried to drown Achilles but was stopped by Hera

Hera

In the Twelve Olympians of classical Greek Mythology, '''Hera''' or '''Here''' was the wife and older sister of Zeus. Her chief function was as goddess of women and marriage....
and Hephaestus. Zeus himself took note of Achilles' rage and sent the gods to restrain him so that he would not go on to sack Troy itself, seeming to show that the unhindered rage of Achilles could defy fate itself as Troy was not meant to be destroyed yet. Finally Achilles found his prey. Achilles chased Hector around the wall of Troy three times before Athena

Athena

In Greek mythology, '''Athena''' is the shrewd companion of Hero and the goddess of Hero endeavour. She is the virgin patron of Athens, which built the Parthenon to worship her....
, in the form of Hector's favorite and dearest brother, Deiphobus

Deiphobus

In Greek mythology, '''Deiphobus''' was a son of Priam and Hecuba. He was a prince of Troy, and the greatest of Priam's sons after Hector and Paris ....
, persuaded Hector to stop running and fight Achilles face to face. After Hector realized the trick, he knew his death was inevitable and accepted his fate. Hector, wanting to go down fighting, charged at Achilles with his only weapon, his sword. Achilles got his vengeance, killing Hector with a single blow to the neck. He then tied Hector's body to his chariot

Chariot

The '''chariot''' is the earliest and simplest type of carriage, used in both peace and war as the chief vehicle of many ancient peoples. Chariots were built in Mesopotamia by the Mesopotamians as early as 3000 BC and in China during the 2nd millennium BC....
and dragged it around the battlefield for nine days.

With the assistance of the god Hermes

Hermes

'''Hermes''' is the messenger of the gods in Greek mythology. An Twelve Olympians, he is also the patron of boundaries and of the travelers who cross them, of shepherds and cowherds, of thieves and road travelers, of orators and wit, of literature and poets, of athletics, of weights and measures, of invention, of general commerce, and of the cunni...
, Hector's father, Priam

Priam

In Greek mythology, '''Priam''' was the king of Troy during the Trojan War and youngest son of Laomedon. Modern scholars derive his name from the Luwian compound ''Priimuua'', which means "exceptionally courageous"....
, went to Achilles' tent to plead with Achilles to permit him to perform for Hector his funeral rites. The final passage in the Iliad is Hector's funeral, after which the doom of Troy was just a matter of time.

Penthesilea

Achilles, after his temporary truce with Priam, fought and killed the Amazonian

Amazons

The '''Amazons''' , ) are a nation of all-female warriors in Classical and Greek mythology, who were possibly historical. Herodotus placed them in a region bordering Scythia in Sarmatians....
warrior queen Penthesilea

Penthesilea

In Greek mythology, '''Penthesilea''' or ''Penthesileia'' was an Amazons queen, daughter of Ares and Otrera, and sister of Hippolyta, Antiope and Melanippe....
, but later grieved over her death. At first, he was so distracted by her beauty, he did not fight as intensely as usual. Once he realized that his distraction was endangering his life, due to Penthesilia's superior fighting skills, he refocused, and killed her. As he grieved over the death of such a rare beauty, a notorius Greek jeerer by the name of Thersites laughed and mocked the great Achilles. Annoyed by his insensitivity and disrespect, Achilles punched him in the face and killed him instantly.

Memnon, and the fall of the Achilles

Following the death of Patroclus, Achilles's closest companion was Nestor's son Antilochus

Antilochus

In Greek mythology, '''Antilochus''' was the son of Nestor , king of Pylos. One of the suitors of Helen, he accompanied his father to the Trojan War....
. When Memnon

Memnon

'''Memnon''' may refer to:* Saint Memnon the Wonderworker ? early Christian saint from Egypt, hermit and hegumen of one of Egyptian monasteries* Memnon and those erroneously named after him in the Graeco-Roman era:...
, king of Ethiopia

Ethiopia (mythology)

In Greek mythology, '''Ethiopia''' , literally meaning 'the land of burnt faces', was the name given to a kingdom based at Joppa in Phoenicia. Aethiopia also referred to an ancient Egyptian military colony in the Caucasus mountains on the river Alazani ....
killed Antilochus, Achilles was once again drawn onto the battlefield to seek revenge. The fight between Achilles and Memnon over Antilochus echoes that of Achilles and Hector over Patroclus, except that Memnon (unlike Hector) was also the son of a goddess.

Many Homeric scholars argued that episode inspired many details in the Iliads description of the death of Patroclus and Achilles's reaction to it. The episode then formed the basis of the cyclic epic Aethiopis, which was composed after the Iliad, possibly in the 7th century B.C. The Aethiopis is now lost, except for scattered fragments quoted by later authors.

As predicted by Hector
Hector

In Greek mythology, '''Hector''' , or '''Hektor''', is a Troy prince and one of the greatest fighters in the Trojan War. He is the son of Priam and Hecuba, descendant of Dardanus, who lived under Mount Ida, and of Tros, the founder of Troy....
with his dying breath, Achilles was thereafter killed by Paris
Paris (mythology)

'''Paris''' , the son of Priam, king of Troy, appears in a number of Greek mythology. Probably the best-known was his elopement with Helen, queen of Sparta, this being one of the immediate causes of the Trojan War....
with an arrow (to the heel according to Statius
Statius

'''Publius Papinius Statius''' was a Roman poet of the Silver Age of Latin literature, born in Naples, Italy. Besides his poetry, he is best known for his appearance as a major character in the ''Purgatorio'' section of Dante Alighieri epic poem ''The Divine Comedy''....
). In some versions, the god Apollo
Apollo

In Greek mythology and Roman mythology, '''Apollo''' , is one of the most important and many-sided of the Twelve Olympians. The ideal of the ''kouros'' , Apollo has been variously recognized as a god of light and the sun; truth and prophecy; archery; medicine and healing; music, poetry, and the arts; and more....
guided Paris's arrow. Both versions conspicuously deny the killer any sort of valor owing to the common conception that Paris was a coward and not the man his brother Hector was, and Achilles remained undefeated on the battlefield. His bones were mingled with those of Patroclus
Patroclus

In Greek mythology, as recorded in the ''Iliad'' by Homer, '''Patroclus''', or '''Patroklos''' , son of Menoetius , was Achilles? beloved comrade and, according to some , his lover....
, and funeral games were held. He was represented in the lost Trojan War epic of Arctinus of Miletus
Arctinus of Miletus

'''Arctinus of Miletus''' or '''Arctinus Milesius''' was a Cyclic poets whose reputation is purely legendary, as none of his works survive. Traditionally dated between 775 BC and 741 BC, he was said to have been a pupil of Homer....
as living after his death in the island of Leuke at the mouth of the river Danube
Danube

The '''Danube''' is the longest river in the European Union and Europe's second longest river after the Volga.The river originates in the Black Forest in Germany as the much smaller Brigach and Breg River rivers which join at the eponymously named German town Donaueschingen, after which it is known as the Danube and flows eastwards for a distance...
(see below). Another version of Achilles death is that he fell deeply in love with one of the Trojan princesses, Polyxena, Achilles asks Priam for Polyxena's hand in marriage. Priam is willing because it would mean the end of the war and an alligance with the world's greatest warrior. But while Priam is overseeing the private marriage of Polyxena and Achilles, Paris who would have to give up Helen if Achilles married his sister hides in the bushes and shoots Achilles with a divine arrow killing him.

Paris was later killed by Philoctetes
Philoctetes

In Greek mythology, '''Philoctetes''' was the son of King Poeas of Meliboea in Thessaly. He was a Greek hero, famed as an archer, and was a participant in the Trojan War....
using the enormous bow of Heracles
Heracles

In Greek mythology, '''Heracles''' or '''Herakles''' meaning "glory of Hera", or "Glorious through Hera" '''Alcides''' or '''Alcaeus''' " was a hero, the son of Zeus and Alcmene, foster son of Amphitryon and great-grandson of Perseus....
.

The fate of Achilles's armor
Achilles's armor was the object of a feud between Odysseus
Odysseus

'''Odysseus''' or '''Ulysses''' , in Greek mythology , was a legendary Greeks king of Ithaca and the hero of Homer's Epic poetry, the ''Odyssey''. Odysseus also plays a key role in Homer's ''Iliad'' and other works in the Epic Cycle....
and Telamonian Ajax
Ajax (mythology)

'''Ajax''' or '''Aias''' was a Greek mythology, the son of Telamon and Periboea and king of Salamis Island. He plays an important role in Homer's ''Iliad'' and in the Epic Cycle, a series of epic poems about the Trojan War....
(Ajax the greater). They competed for it by giving speeches on why they were the bravest after Achilles to their Trojan prisoners, who after considering both men came to a consensus. Odysseus won. Furious, Ajax cursed Odysseus, which earned the ire of Athena. Athena temporarily made Ajax mad with grief and anguish as he began killing sheep, thinking they were his comrades. After a while, Athena had lifted the madness and Ajax had seen that he had actually been killing sheep. In his embarrassment, he then committed suicide. Odysseus eventually gave the armor to Neoptolemus
Neoptolemus

In Greek mythology, '''Neoptolemus''' was the son of the warrior Achilles and the princess Deidamia . Achilles' mother foretold many years before Achilles birth that there would be a great war....
, the son of Achilles.

A relic claimed to be Achilles' bronze-headed spear was for centuries preserved in the temple of Athena on the acropolis of Phaselis
Phaselis

'''Phaselis''' is an ancient Lycian city in the provinces of Turkey of Antalya Province in Turkey. It is located between the Bey Mountains and the forests of Olympos National Park, 16 km west of the touristic town of Kemer and on the 57th kilometre of the Antalya?Kumluca highway....
, Lycia, a port on the Pamphylian Gulf. The city was visited in 333 by Alexander the Great
Alexander the Great

'''Alexander the Great''' , also known as '''Alexander III of Macedon''' was an ancient Greeks King of Macedon . He was one of the most successful military commanders of all time and is presumed undefeated in battle....
, who envisioned himself as the new Achilles and carried the Iliad with him, but his courtbiographers do not mention the spear, which he would indeed have touched with excitement. But it was being shown in the time of Pausanias
Pausanias (geographer)

'''Pausanias''' was a Roman Greece traveller and geographer of the 2nd century AD, who lived in the times of Hadrian, Antoninus Pius and Marcus Aurelius....
in the second century CE.

Achilles and Patroclus
Achilles's relationship with Patroclus is a key aspect of his myth. Its exact nature has been a subject of dispute in both the classical period and modern times. In the Iliad
ILiad

The '''iLiad''' is an electronic handheld device, or e-book device, which can be used for document reading and editing. Like the Sony Reader or Amazon Kindle, the iLiad makes use of an electronic paper display....
, they appeared to be generally portrayed as a model of deep and loyal friendship. However, commentators from the classical period to today have tended to interpret the relationship through the lens of their own cultures. Thus, in 5th century BC Athens the relationship was commonly interpreted as pederastic. Contemporary readers are more likely to interpret the two heroes either as non-sexual "war buddies", or as an egalitarian homosexual couple.

The cult of Achilles in antiquity
There was an archaic heroic cult of Achilles on the White Island, Leuce
Snake Island (Black Sea)

'''Snake Island''', also known as '''Serpent Island''' , lies in the Black Sea off the coasts of Romania and Ukraine. The island is part of the Kiliya Raion of Odessa Oblast, Ukraine....
, in the Black Sea
Black Sea

The '''Black Sea''' is an inland sea sea bounded by southeastern Europe, the Caucasus and the Anatolia and is ultimately connected to the Atlantic Ocean via the Mediterranean Sea and Aegean Seas and various straits....
off the modern coasts of Romania
Romania

'''Romania''' is a country located in Southeastern Europe Central Europe, North of the Balkan Peninsula, on the Lower Danube, within and outside the Carpathian Mountains, bordering on the Black Sea....
and Ukraine
Ukraine

'''Ukraine''' is a country in Eastern Europe. It is bordered by Russia to the east; Belarus to the north; Poland, Slovakia, and Hungary to the west; Romania and Moldova to the southwest; and the Black Sea and Sea of Azov to the south....
, with a temple and an oracle
Oracle

An '''oracle''' is a person or agency considered to be a source of wise counsel or prophecy opinion; an infallible authority, usually Spirituality in nature....
which survived into the Roman period.

In the lost epic Aithiopis
Aithiopis

The '''''Aethiopis''''' or '''''Aithiopis''''' is a lost Epic poetry of ancient Greek literature. It was one of the Epic Cycle, that is, the "Trojan" cycle, which told the entire history of the Trojan War in epic verse....
, a continuation of the Iliad
ILiad

The '''iLiad''' is an electronic handheld device, or e-book device, which can be used for document reading and editing. Like the Sony Reader or Amazon Kindle, the iLiad makes use of an electronic paper display....
attributed to Arktinus of Miletos, Achilles’ mother Thetis returned to mourn him and removed his ashes from the pyre and took them to Leuce at the mouths of the Danube. There the Achaeans raised a tumulus for him and celebrated funeral games.

Pliny's Natural History (IV.27.1) mentions a tumulus
Tumulus

A '''tumulus''' is a mound of Soil and Rock s raised over a Grave or graves. Tumuli are also known as '''barrows''', '''burial mounds''', '''H?gelgrab''' or '''kurgans''', and can be found throughout much of the world....
that is no longer evident (Insula Akchillis tumulo eius viri clara), on the island consecrated to him, located at a distance of fifty Roman miles from Peuce by the Danube Delta
Danube Delta

The '''Danube river delta''' is the second largest delta in Europe, after the Volga Delta, and is the best preserved on the continent . The greater part of the Danube Delta lies in Romania , while its northern part, on the left bank of the Chilia arm, is situated in Ukraine ....
, and the temple there. Pausanias
Pausanias (geographer)

'''Pausanias''' was a Roman Greece traveller and geographer of the 2nd century AD, who lived in the times of Hadrian, Antoninus Pius and Marcus Aurelius....
has been told that the island is "covered with forests and full of animals, some wild, some tame. In this island there is also Achilles’ temple and his statue” (III.19.11). Ruins of a square temple 30 meters to a side, possibly that dedicated to Achilles, were discovered by Captain Kritzikly in 1823, but there has been no modern archeological work done on the island.

Pomponius Mela
Pomponius Mela

'''Pomponius Mela''', who wrote around 43, was the earliest Roman Empire geographer.His little work is a mere compendium, occupying less than one hundred pages of ordinary print, dry in style and deficient in method, but of pure Latinity, and occasionally relieved by pleasing word-pictures....
tells that Achilles is buried in the island named Achillea, between Boristhene and Ister (De situ orbis, II, 7). And the Greek geographer Dionysius Periegetus of Bithynia, who lived at the time of Domitian, writes that the island was called Leuce "because the wild animals which live there are white. It is said that there, in Leuce island, reside the souls of Achilles and other heroes, and that they wander through the uninhabited valleys of this island; this is how Jove rewarded the men who had distinguished themselves through their virtues, because through virtue they had acquired everlasting honor” (Orbis descriptio, v. 541, quoted in Densusianu 1913).

The Periplus of the Euxine Sea
Periplus

'''''Periplus''''' is the Latinization of an ancient Greek word, pe??p???? , literally "a sailing-around." Both segments, ''peri-'' and ''-plous'', were independently Productivity : the ancient Greek speaker understood the word in its literal sense; however, it developed a few specialized meanings, one of which became a standard term in the ancient...
gives the following details: "It is said that the goddess Thetis raised this island from the sea, for her son Achilles, who dwells there. Here is his temple and his statue, an archaic work. This island is not inhabited, and goats graze on it, not many, which the people who happen to arrive here with their ships, sacrifice to Achilles. In this temple are also deposited a great many holy gifts, craters, rings and precious stones, offered to Achilles in gratitude. One can still read inscriptions in Greek and Latin, in which Achilles is praised and celebrated. Some of these are worded in Patroclus’ honor, because those who wish to be favored by Achilles, honor Patroclus at the same time. There are also in this island countless numbers of sea birds, which look after Achilles’ temple. Every morning they fly out to sea, wet their wings with water, and return quickly to the temple and sprinkle it. And after they finish the sprinkling, they clean the hearth of the temple with their wings. Other people say still more, that some of the men who reach this island, come here intentionally. They bring animals in their ships, destined to be sacrificed. Some of these animals they slaughter, others they set free on the island, in Achilles’ honor. But there are others, who are forced to come to this island by sea storms. As they have no sacrificial animals, but wish to get them from the god of the island himself, they consult Achilles’ oracle. They ask permission to slaughter the victims chosen from among the animals that graze freely on the island, and to deposit in exchange the price which they consider fair. But in case the oracle denies them permission, because there is an oracle here, they add something to the price offered, and if the oracle refuses again, they add something more, until at last, the oracle agrees that the price is sufficient. And then the victim doesn’t run away any more, but waits willingly to be caught. So, there is a great quantity of silver there, consecrated to the hero, as price for the sacrificial victims. To some of the people who come to this island, Achilles appears in dreams, to others he would appear even during their navigation, if they were not too far away, and would instruct them as to which part of the island they would better anchor their ships”. (quoted in Densusianu)

The heroic cult of Achilles on Leuce island was widespread in antiquity, not only along the sea lanes of the Pontic Sea
Black Sea

The '''Black Sea''' is an inland sea sea bounded by southeastern Europe, the Caucasus and the Anatolia and is ultimately connected to the Atlantic Ocean via the Mediterranean Sea and Aegean Seas and various straits....
but also in maritime cities whose economic interests were tightly connected to the riches of the Black Sea.

Achilles from Leuce island was venerated as Pontarches the lord and master of the Pontic (Black) Sea, the protector of sailors and navigation. Sailors went out of their way to offer sacrifice. To Achilles of Leuce were dedicated a number of important commercial port cities of the Greek waters: Achilleion in Messenia (Stephanus Byzantinus), Achilleios in Laconia (Pausanias
Pausanias (geographer)

'''Pausanias''' was a Roman Greece traveller and geographer of the 2nd century AD, who lived in the times of Hadrian, Antoninus Pius and Marcus Aurelius....
, III.25,4) Nicolae Densusianu
Nicolae Densusianu

'''Nicolae Densusianu''' was a Transylvanian-born Romanian ethnologist and collector of Romanian folklore. His main work, for which he is chiefly remembered, was the posthumously printed ''Dacia Preistorica'' , with a preface contributed by C....
(Densusianu 1913) even thought he recognized Achilles in the name of Aquileia
Aquileia

'''Aquileia''' is an ancient history Roman Republic city in what is now Italy, at the head of the Adriatic Sea at the edge of the lagoons, about 10 km from the sea, on the river Natiso , the course of which has changed somewhat since Roman times....
and in the north arm of the Danube delta, the arm of Chilia ("Achileii"), though his conclusion, that Leuce had sovereign rights over Pontos, evokes modern rather than archaic sea-law."

Leuce had also a reputation as a place of healing. Pausanias (III.19,13) reports that the Delphic Pythia
Delphi

'''Delphi''' is an archaeology site and a modern town in Greece on the south-western spur of Mount Parnassus in the valley of Phocis. Delphi was the site of the Pythia, the most important oracle in the classical Greek world, when it was a major site for the worship of the god Apollo after he slew the Python , a deity who lived there and protecte...
sent a lord of Croton to be cured of a chest wound. Ammianus Marcellinus
Ammianus Marcellinus

'''Ammianus Marcellinus''' was a fourth-century Ancient Rome historian. His is the last major historical account of the late Roman empire which survives today....
(XXII.8) attributes the healing to waters (aquae) on the island.

The cult of Achilles in modern times: The Achilleion in Corfu
In the region of Gastouri (Gast????) to the south of the city of Corfu
Corfu

'''Corfu''' is a Greece list of islands of Greece in the Ionian Sea. It is the second largest of the Ionian Islands, and lies off the coast of Sarand?, Albania, from which it is separated by straits varying in breadth from 3 to 23 km , including one near ancient Butrint and a longer one west of Thesprotia....
Greece
Greece

'''Greece''' , officially the '''Hellenic Republic''' , is a country in southeastern Europe, situated on the southern end of the Balkans. It has borders with Albania, Bulgaria and the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia to the north, and Turkey to the east....
, Empress of Austria Elisabeth of Bavaria
Elisabeth of Bavaria

'''Elisabeth of Bavaria''' was Empress consort of Austrian Empire and Queen consort of Kingdom of Hungary, Kingdom of Croatia , and Kingdom of Bohemia as spouse of Emperor Franz Joseph of Austria....
also known as Sissi built in 1890 a summer palace with Achilles as its central theme and it is a monument to platonic
Platonic

Plato's influence on Western culture was so profound that several different concepts are linked by being called "'''platonic'''" or '''Platonist''', for accepting some assumptions of Platonism, but which do not imply acceptance of that philosophy as a whole....
romanticism
Romanticism

'''Romanticism''' is a complex artistic, literary, and intellectual movement that originated in the second half of the 18th century in Western Europe, and gained strength during the Industrial Revolution....
. The palace, naturally, was named after Achilles: Achilleion
Corfu

'''Corfu''' is a Greece list of islands of Greece in the Ionian Sea. It is the second largest of the Ionian Islands, and lies off the coast of Sarand?, Albania, from which it is separated by straits varying in breadth from 3 to 23 km , including one near ancient Butrint and a longer one west of Thesprotia....
(?????e???). This elegant structure abounds with paintings and statues of Achilles both in the main hall and in the lavish gardens depicting the heroic and tragic scenes of the Trojan war
Trojan War

In Greek mythology, the '''Trojan War''' was waged against the city of Troy by the Achaeans after Paris of Troy stole Helen from her husband Menelaus, the king of Sparta....
.

The name of Achilles
Achilles' name can be analyzed as a combination of (akhos) "grief" and (Laos) "a people, tribe, nation, etc." In other words, Achilles is an embodiment of the grief of the people, grief being a theme raised numerous times in the Iliad (frequently by Achilles). Achilles' role as the hero of grief forms an ironic juxtaposition with the conventional view of Achilles as the hero of kleos (glory, usually glory in war).

Laos has been construed by Gregory Nagy
Gregory Nagy

'''Gregory Nagy''' , born in Budapest Hungary, is an United States professor of Classics at Harvard, specializing in Homer and archaic Greek poetry. Nagy is known for extending Milman Parry and Albert Lord's theories about the oral composition-in-performance of the ''Iliad'' and ''Odyssey''....
, following Leonard Palmer, to mean a corps of soldiers. With this derivation, the name would have a double meaning in the poem: When the hero is functioning rightly, his men bring grief to the enemy, but when wrongly, his men get the grief of war. The poem is in part about the misdirection of anger on the part of leadership.

The name Achilleus was a common and attested name among the Greeks early after 7th century BC. It was also turned into the female form of ?????e?a,firstly attested in Attica,4th century BC, (IG II² 1617) and Achillia
Female gladiator

Though rare in the Rome world, '''female gladiators''' or '''gladiatrices''' are attested in archaeology and literature....
, a relief from Halicarnassus as the name of a female gladiator fighting, 'Amazonia'. Roman gladiatorial games often referenced classical mythology and this seems to reference Achilles' fight with Penthesilea, but give it an extra twist of Achilles being 'played' by a woman.

Other stories about Achilles

Some post-Homeric sources claim that in order to keep Achilles safe from the war, Thetis (or, in some versions, Peleus) hides the young man at the court of Lycomedes
Lycomedes

'''Lycomedes''' , in Greek mythology, was the King of Scyros during the Trojan War....
, king of Skyros
Skyros

'''Skyros''' is the southernmost island of the Sporades, a Greece archipelago in the Aegean Sea. Around the 2nd millennium BC and slightly later, the island was known as '''The Island of the Magnetes''' where the Magnetes used to live and later '''Pelasgia''' and '''Dolopia''' and later Skyros....
. There, Achilles is disguised as a girl and lives among Lycomedes' daughters, perhaps under the name "Pyrrha" (the red-haired girl). With Lycomedes' daughter Deidamia, whom in the account of Statius
Statius

'''Publius Papinius Statius''' was a Roman poet of the Silver Age of Latin literature, born in Naples, Italy. Besides his poetry, he is best known for his appearance as a major character in the ''Purgatorio'' section of Dante Alighieri epic poem ''The Divine Comedy''....
he rapes, Achilles there fathers a son, Neoptolemus
Neoptolemus

In Greek mythology, '''Neoptolemus''' was the son of the warrior Achilles and the princess Deidamia . Achilles' mother foretold many years before Achilles birth that there would be a great war....
(also called Pyrrhus, after his father's possible alias). According to this story, Odysseus learns from the prophet Calchas
Calchas

In Greek mythology, '''Calchas''' , son of Thestor, was a Argive seer, with a gift for interpreting the flight of birds that he received of Apollo: "as an augur, Calchas had no rival in the camp"....
that the Achaeans would be unable to capture Troy without Achilles' aid. Odysseus goes to Skyros in the guise of a peddler selling women's clothes and jewelry and places a shield and spear among his goods. When Achilles instantly takes up the spear, Odysseus sees through his disguise and convinces him to join the Greek campaign. In another version of the story, Odysseus arranges for a trumpet alarm to be sounded while he was with Lycomedes' women; while the women flee in panic, Achilles prepares to defend the court, thus giving his identity away.

In book 11 of Homer's Odyssey
Odyssey

The '''Odyssey''' is one of two major ancient Hellenic civilization epic poetrys attributed to Homer. It is, in part, a sequel to the ''Iliad'', the other work traditionally ascribed to Homer....
, Odysseus sails to the underworld and converses with the shades. One of these is Achilles, who when greeted as "blessed in life, blessed in death", responds that he would rather be a slave to the worst of masters than be king of all the dead. But Achilles then asks Odysseus of his son's exploits in the Trojan war, and when Odysseus tells of Neoptolemus' heroic actions, Achilles is filled with satisfaction. This leaves the reader with an ambiguous understanding of how Achilles felt about the heroic life. Achilles was worshipped as a sea-god in many of the Greek colonies on the Black Sea
Black Sea

The '''Black Sea''' is an inland sea sea bounded by southeastern Europe, the Caucasus and the Anatolia and is ultimately connected to the Atlantic Ocean via the Mediterranean Sea and Aegean Seas and various straits....
, the location of the mythical "White Island" which he was said to inhabit after his death, together with many other heroes.

The kings of the Epirus
Despotate of Epirus

The '''Despotate''' or '''Principality of Epirus''' was one of the Byzantine Greeks successor states of the Byzantine Empire that emerged in the aftermath of the Fourth Crusade in 1204....
claimed to be descended from Achilles through his son, Neoptolemus. Alexander the Great
Alexander the Great

'''Alexander the Great''' , also known as '''Alexander III of Macedon''' was an ancient Greeks King of Macedon . He was one of the most successful military commanders of all time and is presumed undefeated in battle....
, son of the Epiran princess Olympias
Olympias

'''Olympias''' , ca. 376–316 BC, was an Epirote princess, the fourth wife of King Philip II of Macedon of Macedon and mother of Alexander the Great....
, could therefore also claim this descent, and in many ways strove to be like his great ancestor; he is said to have visited his tomb while passing Troy.

Achilles fought and killed the Amazon
Amazons

The '''Amazons''' , ) are a nation of all-female warriors in Classical and Greek mythology, who were possibly historical. Herodotus placed them in a region bordering Scythia in Sarmatians....
Helene
Helene (mythology)

In Greek mythology, '''Helene''' may refer to:*Helen of Troy*A friend of Aphrodite's. Helene helped her seduce Adonis.*A daughter of Tityrus and an Amazons. She fought Achilles and died after he seriously wounded her....
. Some also said he married Medea
Medea

'''Medea''' is a woman in Greek mythology. She was the daughter of Aeetes of Colchis, niece of Circe, granddaughter of the sun god Helios, and later wife to the hero Jason, with whom she had two children: Mermeros and Pheres....
, and that after both their deaths they were united in the Elysian Fields of Hades — as Hera promised Thetis in Apollonius' Argonautica. In some versions of the myth, Achilles has a relationship with his captive Briseis
Briseis

'''Hippodameia Brise?s''' is a Troy woman captured by the Greeks in the ''Iliad''. She was first Achilles' prize of the Trojan war; he fell in love with her....
.

Achilles in Greek tragedy
The Greek tragedian
Tragedy

'''Tragedy''' is a form of The arts based on human suffering that offers its audience pleasure. While most cultures have developed forms that provoke this paradoxical response, tragedy refers to a specific Poetic tradition of drama that has played a unique and important role historically in the self-definition of Western culture....
Aeschylus
Aeschylus

'''Aeschylus''' was an Ancient Greece playwright. He is often recognized as the father or the founder of tragedy, and is the earliest of the three Greek tragedy whose Play survive extant, the others being Sophocles and Euripides....
wrote a trilogy of plays about Achilles, given the title Achilleis by modern scholars. The tragedies relate the deeds of Achilles during the Trojan War
Trojan War

In Greek mythology, the '''Trojan War''' was waged against the city of Troy by the Achaeans after Paris of Troy stole Helen from her husband Menelaus, the king of Sparta....
, including his defeat of Hector
Hector

In Greek mythology, '''Hector''' , or '''Hektor''', is a Troy prince and one of the greatest fighters in the Trojan War. He is the son of Priam and Hecuba, descendant of Dardanus, who lived under Mount Ida, and of Tros, the founder of Troy....
and eventual death when an arrow shot by Paris
Paris (mythology)

'''Paris''' , the son of Priam, king of Troy, appears in a number of Greek mythology. Probably the best-known was his elopement with Helen, queen of Sparta, this being one of the immediate causes of the Trojan War....
and guided by Apollo
Apollo

In Greek mythology and Roman mythology, '''Apollo''' , is one of the most important and many-sided of the Twelve Olympians. The ideal of the ''kouros'' , Apollo has been variously recognized as a god of light and the sun; truth and prophecy; archery; medicine and healing; music, poetry, and the arts; and more....
punctures his heel. Extant fragments of the Achilleis and other Aeschylean fragments have been assembled to produce a workable modern play. The first part of the Achilleis trilogy, The Myrmidons, focused on the relationship between Achilles and chorus, who represent the Achaean army and try to convince Achilles to give up his quarrel with Agamemnon; only a few lines survive today.

The tragedian Sophocles
Sophocles

'''Sophocles''' was the second of the three classical Greece tragedy whose work has survived. His first plays were written later than those of Aeschylus and earlier than those of Euripides....
also wrote a play with Achilles as the main character, The Lovers of Achilles. Only a few fragments survive.

Achilles in Greek philosophy
The philosopher Zeno of Elea
Zeno of Elea

'''Zeno of Velia ''' was a pre-Socratic Greek philosopher of southern Italy and a member of the Eleatic School founded by Parmenides. Aristotle called him the inventor of the dialectic....
centered one of his paradoxes
Zeno's paradoxes

'''Zeno's paradoxes''' are a set of problems generally thought to have been devised by Zeno of Elea to support Parmenides's doctrine that "all is one" and that, contrary to the evidence of our senses, the belief in plurality and change is mistaken, and in particular that motion is nothing but an illusion....
on an imaginary footrace between "swift-footed" Achilles and a tortoise
Zeno's paradoxes

'''Zeno's paradoxes''' are a set of problems generally thought to have been devised by Zeno of Elea to support Parmenides's doctrine that "all is one" and that, contrary to the evidence of our senses, the belief in plurality and change is mistaken, and in particular that motion is nothing but an illusion....
, in which he proved that Achilles could not catch up to a tortoise with a head start, and therefore that motion and change were impossible. As a student of the monist Parmenides and a member of the Eleatic school, Zeno believed time and motion to be illusions.

Spoken-word myths (audio)

Achilles myths as told by story tellers
1. Achilles and Patroclus, read by Timothy Carter
Bibliography of reconstruction: Homer
Homer

'''Homer''' is traditionally held to be the author of the ancient Greek language epic poems the ''Iliad'' and the ''Odyssey'', as well as of the ''Homeric Hymns''....
Iliad, 9.308, 16.2, 11.780, 23.54 (700 BC); Pindar
Pindar

'''Pindar''' , was an Ancient Greek Lyric poetry poet.Of the canonical nine lyric poets of ancient Greece, Pindar is the one whose work is by far the best preserved, and critics in antiquity tended to regard him as the greatest....
Olympian Odes, IX (476 BC); Aeschylus
Aeschylus

'''Aeschylus''' was an Ancient Greece playwright. He is often recognized as the father or the founder of tragedy, and is the earliest of the three Greek tragedy whose Play survive extant, the others being Sophocles and Euripides....
Myrmidons, F135-36 (495 BC); Euripides
Euripides

'''Euripides''' was the last of the three great tragedy of classical Athens . Ancient scholars thought that Euripides had written ninety-five plays, although four of those were probably written by Critias....
Iphigenia in Aulis, (405 BC); Plato
Plato

'''Plato''' , was a Classical Greece Greeks philosopher, mathematician, writer of philosophical dialogues, and founder of the Platonic Academy in Ancient Athens, the first institution of higher learning in the western world....
Symposium, 179e (388 BC-367 BC); Statius
Statius

'''Publius Papinius Statius''' was a Roman poet of the Silver Age of Latin literature, born in Naples, Italy. Besides his poetry, he is best known for his appearance as a major character in the ''Purgatorio'' section of Dante Alighieri epic poem ''The Divine Comedy''....
Achilleid, 161, 174, 182 (96 CE)

Achilles in later art

Drama

Achilles is portrayed as a former hero, who has become lazy and devoted to the love of Patroclus, in William Shakespeare
William Shakespeare

'''William Shakespeare''' was an English people poet and playwright, widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's preeminent dramatist....
's Troilus and Cressida
Troilus and Cressida

'''''Troilus and Cressida''''' is a tragedy by William Shakespeare, believed to have been written in 1602. The play is not a conventional tragedy, since its protagonist does not die....
.
Achilles is a major character in Paris, a musical based on the Trojan War written by Jon English and David MacKay which premiered in October 2003 in Australia.

Fiction

W.H. Auden "The Shield of Achilles"
Achilles appears in the novels Ilium
Ilium (novel)

'''''Ilium''''' is a science fiction novel by Dan Simmons, the first part of the ''Ilium/Olympos'' cycle, concerning the re-creation of the events in the ''Iliad'' on Mars ....
and Olympos
Olympos (novel)

'''''Olympos''''', Dan Simmons' novel published in 2005, is the sequel to ''Ilium '' and final part of ''Ilium/Olympus'' duology. Like its predecessor it is a work of science fiction, and contains many literary references: it blends together Homer's epics the ''Iliad'' and the ''Odyssey'', Shakespeare's ''The Tempest'', and has frequent smaller ref...
by science fiction author Dan Simmons
Dan Simmons

'''Dan Simmons''' is an United States author most widely known for his Hugo Award-winning science fiction series, known as the Hyperion Cantos, and for his Locus-winning Ilium/Olympos cycle....
.
Achilles the novel by Elizabeth Cook
Achilles appears in Dante's "The Inferno" and is compared to in "Purgatory."
The Wrath of Achilles is a starship in 'Gene Rodenberry's Andromeda'
Achilles appears in the novel "Inside The Walls of Troy", with emphasis on his relationship to Polyxena
Achilles appears in the book trilogy "Troy" by the late heroic fantasy novelist David Gemmell
Achilles is featured heavily in the novel "The Firebrand" by Marion Zimmer Bradley
The comic book hero Captain Marvel
Captain Marvel (DC Comics)

'''Captain Marvel''' is a Fictional character comic book superhero, originally published by Fawcett Comics and later by DC Comics. Created in 1939 by artist C....
is endowed with the courage of Achilles, as well as other legendary heroes.
Achilles is featured in the 1998 computer game Battlezone
Battlezone

'''''Battlezone''''' is an arcade game from Atari, Inc released in 1980. It displays a Wire frame model view on a horizontal black and white CRT . Due to its novel gameplay and look, this game was very popular for many years....
as a fictional planet orbiting Uranus
Uranus

'''Uranus''' is the seventh planet from the Sun and the third-largest and fourth most massive planet in the Solar System. It is named after the ancient Greek deity of the sky Uranus the father of Kronos and grandfather of Zeus ....
It is destroyed at the end of the game.
Achilles has a supporting role in the Marvel Comics
Marvel Comics

'''Marvel Comics''' is an American comic book and related media company owned by Marvel Publishing, Inc., a subsidiary of Marvel Entertainment, Inc. Marvel counts among as its List of Marvel Comics characters such well-known properties as Captain America, the Fantastic Four, the Hulk , Iron Man, Spider-Man, the X-Men, and many others....
miniseries Ares
Ares (Marvel Comics)

'''Ares''' is a fictional deity in the Marvel Comics Marvel Comics Universe....
as the Greek God Ares' favorite warrior and battlefield commander of Greek soldiers on Mount Olympus.
Achilles is a hero unit in the Real-time Strategy
Real-time strategy

'''Real-time strategy''' games are a genre of computer wargames which do not progress incrementally in turn-based game.Brett Sperry is credited with coining the term to market ''Dune II''....
video game Empire Earth
Empire Earth

'''''Empire Earth''''', also known as '''''EE''''', is a real-time strategy computer game video game developer by Stainless Steel Studios and released on November 23, 2001....
as well as Rise & Fall: Civilizations at War.
The name Achilles is used for the fictional antagonist in the popular sci-fi novel "Ender's Shadow
Ender's Shadow

'''''Ender's Shadow''''' is a parallel novel science fiction novel by Orson Scott Card with a plot covering some of the events in ''Ender's Game'' from the point of view of a supporting character named Bean ....
" written by Orson Scott Card.
Achilles is a major character in the 2008 video game "Rise of the Argonauts
Rise of the Argonauts

'''''Rise of the Argonauts''''' is a 2008 third-person action adventure video-game developed by Liquid Entertainment and published by Codemasters for Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360....
", where he joins the game's main protagonist Jason
Jason

'''Jason ''' was a late ancient Greece Greek mythology figure, famous as the leader of the Argonauts and their quest for the Golden Fleece. He was the son of Aeson, the rightful king of Iolcus....
in his search for the Golden Fleece
Golden Fleece

In Greek mythology, the '''Golden Fleece''' is the fleece of the winged ram '''Chrysomallos''' . It figures in the tale of Jason and his band of Argonauts, who set out on a quest for the fleece in order to place Jason rightfully on the throne of Iolcus in Thessaly....
.

Film
The role of Achilles has been played by:
Gordon Mitchell in "Achilles" (UK) / "Fury of Achilles" (US) (1962)
Piero Lulli in Ulysses (1955)
Riley Ottenhof in Something about Zeus (1958)
Stanley Baker
Stanley Baker

'''Sir William Stanley Baker''' , known as '''Stanley Baker''', was a Wales actor and film producer.Baker was born in Ferndale, Rhondda Cynon Taff, Rhondda Valley, Wales, but moved to London with his parents in the mid-1930s....
in Helen of Troy
Helen of Troy (film)

'''''Helen of Troy''''' is a 1956 in film Warner Bros. epic film, based on Homer's ''Iliad''. It was directed by Robert Wise, from a screenplay by Hugh Gray and John Twist, adapted by Hugh Gray and N....
(1956)
Arturo Dominici
Arturo Dominici

'''Arturo Dominici''' was an Italy actor and dubbing artist.Born in Palermo, Dominici became best known for his many villainous roles in horror film and fantasy films....
in La Guerra di Troia (1962)
Derek Jacobi
Derek Jacobi

'''Sir Derek George Jacobi''' Order of the British Empire is an England actor and film director. Like Laurence Olivier, he bears the distinction of holding two knighthoods, Danish and British....
[voice] in Achilles (Channel Four Television) by Barry Purves
Barry Purves

'''Barry J.C. Purves''' is an England animator, Film director and Screenwriter of Stop motion and also a Scenic design and Theatre director of Play , primarily for the Altrincham Garrick Theater in Manchester....
(1995)
Steve Davislim in La Belle Hélène (TV, 1996)
Richard Trewett in the miniseries The Odyssey
The Odyssey (TV miniseries)

'''''The Odyssey''''' is an Emmy award-winning and Golden Globe-nominated miniseries on NBC from 1997, directed by Andrei Konchalovsky who won the award for "Outstanding Directing for a Miniseries or a Special"....
(TV, 1997)
Joe Montana (actor)
Joe Montana (actor)

'''Joe Montana''' is an actor, probably most well known for his role as Marine in ''The Bourne Identity '' .FilmographyReferences...
in Helen of Troy
Helen of Troy (TV miniseries)

'''''Helen of Troy''''' is a television miniseries based upon Homer's story of the Trojan War, as recounted in the Epic poetry, ''Iliad''. This TV miniseries also shares the name with a 1956 movie staring Stanley Baker....
(TV, 2003)
Brad Pitt
Brad Pitt

'''William Bradley "Brad" Pitt''' is an American actor and film producer. He has been cited as one of the world's most attractive men and his off-screen life is widely reported....
in Troy (2004)

Television

In the animated television series Class of the Titans
Class of the Titans

'''''Class of the Titans''''' is a Canada animation television series created by Studio B Productions and Nelvana. It premiered on December 31, 2005 at 5PM ET/PT on Teletoon with a special 90-minute presentation of the first three episodes....
, the character Archie is descended from Achilles and has inherited both his vulnerable heel and part of his invincibility.

Music
Achilles has frequently been mentioned in music.

"Achilles Last Stand
Achilles Last Stand

"'''Achilles Last Stand'''" is a song by England rock group Led Zeppelin, featured as the opening track on their 1976 album ''Presence''. It was written by Jimmy Page and Robert Plant at Page's house in Malibu, California, California where they stayed for a month while Plant recovered from a serious car accident he had sustained in Greece in 1975....
", by Led Zeppelin
Led Zeppelin

'''Led Zeppelin''' were an English rock music band formed in 1968 by Jimmy Page , Robert Plant , John Paul Jones and John Bonham . With their heavy, guitar-driven sound, Led Zeppelin are regarded as one of the first heavy metal music bands....
; from the album Presence
Presence

'''''Presence''''' is the seventh studio album by England Rock music band Led Zeppelin, released by Swan Song Records on March 31, 1976. The album was written and recorded during a tumultuous time in the band's history, as Robert Plant was recuperating from serious injuries he had sustained in a recent car accident....
, 1976, Atlantic Records.
Achilles is referred to in Bob Dylan's song, "Temporary Like Achilles".
"Achilles' Revenge" is a song by Warlord
Warlord (band)

'''Warlord''' is an 1980s epic metal band from Los Angeles, California. Warlord should not to be confused with Warlord UK. Warlord was mostly active in the 80's, and it is unclear if the remaining members have plans for any future releases....
.
Achilles Heel
Achilles Heel (album)

'''''Achilles Heel''''' is the fourth and final album by indie rock band Pedro the Lion. It was released on May 25, 2004 on Jade Tree Records. The cover artwork was done by Jesse LeDoux....
is an album by the indie rock band Pedro the Lion
Pedro the Lion

'''Pedro the Lion''' was an indie rock band from Seattle, Washington, and, for over a decade, the main creative outlet of singer/songwriter David Bazan....
.
Achilles and his heel are referenced in the song "Special K" by the rock band Placebo
Placebo (band)

'''Placebo''' are an alternative rock musical ensemble formed in London in 1994, consisting of Brian Molko, Stefan Olsdal and Steve Forrest. To date, they have released five studio albums, six Extended plays and twenty-seven singles....
.
"Achilles' Heel" is a song by the UK band Toploader
Toploader

'''Toploader''' was an England alternative rock band from Eastbourne, formed in 1997. They are best known for their cover version of King Harvest's song "Dancing in the Moonlight", which became a global hit for the band....
.
"Achilles" is a song by the Colorado-based power metal band Jag Panzer
Jag Panzer

'''Jag Panzer''' is a heavy metal music band from the United States....
, from the album Casting the Stones.
Achilles is referenced in the Indigo Girls
Indigo Girls

'''Indigo Girls''' are an American folk rock duo, consisting of Amy Ray and Emily Saliers. They got their start in Atlanta, Georgia as a regular act at The Little 5 Points Pub and were tangentially part of the Athens, Georgia college rock scene that included The B-52's, Pylon , R.E.M., The Georgia Satellites, and Love Tractor....
song "Ghost".
Song by Melbourne band Love Outside Andromeda called "Achilles (All 3)".
"Achilles, Agony & Ecstasy In Eight Parts", by Manowar
Manowar (band)

'''Manowar''' is an United States Heavy metal music band from Auburn, New York. Originally formed in 1980, they are known for writing lyrics with an emphasis on the Heavy metal music itself, fantasy fiction , themselves and mythological topics, particularly Norse mythology....
; from the album The Triumph of Steel
The Triumph of Steel

'''''The Triumph of Steel''''' was released in 1992 by Manowar . It is the only Manowar album to feature David Shankle and Rhino. Cover art by Ken Kelly....
, 1992, Atlantic Records
Atlantic Records

'''Atlantic Records''' is an United States record label best known for its many recordings of rhythm & blues, rock and roll, and jazz. Long one of the most important American independent labels, Atlantic now operates as a wholly owned subsidiary of Warner Music Group, which consolidated Atlantic Records and the Elektra Entertainment Group into one...
.
Although not mentioned by name, "Citadel" (about the Siege of Troy) by The Crüxshadows
The Crüxshadows

'''The Cr?xshadows''' is an independent music group from Florida. Their sound is made up of a combination of moody male vocals, electric violin, guitar, and Synthesizer....
mentions Paris' arrow 'landing true'.
"Achilles' Wrath", a concert piece by Sean O'Loughlin
Sean O'Loughlin

'''Sean O'Loughlin''' is an English rugby league player. He is a loose forward and also the current captain of Wigan Warriors.He comes from a well connected rugby league family, His dad is the ex-Great Britain player Keiron O'Loughlin and his brother in law was the former Wigan captain Andy Farrell....
.
Achilles is mentioned in "Little Joanna" by McFly: "Achilles wears a necklace".
Achilles is mentioned in the song "Third Temptation Of Paris" by Alesana
Alesana

'''Alesana''' is a 6-piece United States Post-Hardcore band from Raleigh, North Carolina. Except Shawn Milke who grew up in Prince George, British Columbia, Canada....
.
"Achilles: The Back Breaker" is a song by the band The Showdown.

Namesakes

HMNZS Achilles was a Leander class cruiser
Leander class cruiser (1931)

See Leander class frigate for the later frigate class of the same name.The Leander class was a class of eight light cruisers built for the Royal Navy in the early 1930s that saw service in World War II....
which served with the Royal New Zealand Navy
Royal New Zealand Navy

The '''Royal New Zealand Navy''' is the maritime arm of the New Zealand Defence Force. In April 2006 the fleet consisted of ten ships, with the combat force consisting of two frigates....
in World War II
World War II

'''World War II''', or the '''Second World War''' , was a global military conflict which involved a Participants in World War II, including all of the great powers, organised into two opposing military alliances: the Allies of World War II and the Axis powers....
. She became famous for her part in the Battle of the River Plate
Battle of the River Plate

The '''Battle of the River Plate''' was the first major naval battle in World War II. The Nazi Germany pocket battleship German pocket battleship Admiral Graf Spee had been commerce raiding since the start of the war in September....
, alongside HMS Ajax
HMS Ajax (22)

HMS Ajax was a Leander class cruiser which served with the Royal Navy of the United Kingdom during World War II. She was made famous for her part in the Battle of the River Plate, the Battle of Crete, the Battle of Malta and as a supply escort in the Battle of Tobruk....
and HMS Exeter
HMS Exeter (68)

'''HMS ''Exeter'' ''' was a York class cruiser heavy cruiser of the Royal Navy that served in World War II. She was laid down on 1 August 1928 at the HMNB Devonport Dockyard, Plymouth, Devon....
.
Prince Achileas-Andreas of Greece and Denmark, the grandson of the deposed Greek
Greece

'''Greece''' , officially the '''Hellenic Republic''' , is a country in southeastern Europe, situated on the southern end of the Balkans. It has borders with Albania, Bulgaria and the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia to the north, and Turkey to the east....
king, Constantine II

Quotes

If Achilles was anything, he was a man who believed his own press releases.
—Roger Ebert

Roger Ebert

'''Roger Joseph Ebert''' born June 18, 1942) is an United States film criticism and screenwriter.He is known for his film review column and for two television programs ''Sneak Previews'' and ''At the Movies '', which he co-hosted for a combined 23 years with Gene Siskel....
, commenting on the classical depiction of Achilles's character and personality.

Bibliography

Ileana Chirassi Colombo, “Heroes Achilleus— Theos Apollon.” In Il Mito Greco, ed. Bruno Gentili & Giuseppe Paione, Rome, 1977;
Anthony Edwards:

“Achilles in the Underworld: Iliad, Odyssey, and Æthiopis”, Greek, Roman, and Byzantine Studies, 26 (1985): pp. 215-227 ;
“Achilles in the Odyssey: Ideologies of Heroism in the Homeric Epic”, Beitrage zur klassischen Philologie, 171, Meisenheim, 1985 ;
“Kleos Aphthiton and Oral Theory,” Classical Quarterly, 38 (1988): pp. 25-30 ;*

Hélène Monsacré, Les larmes d'Achille. Le héros, la femme et la souffrance dans la poésie d'Homère, Paris, Albin Michel, 1984;
Gregory Nagy
Gregory Nagy

'''Gregory Nagy''' , born in Budapest Hungary, is an United States professor of Classics at Harvard, specializing in Homer and archaic Greek poetry. Nagy is known for extending Milman Parry and Albert Lord's theories about the oral composition-in-performance of the ''Iliad'' and ''Odyssey''....
:

The Best of The Acheans: Concepts of the Hero in Archaic Greek Poetry, Johns Hopkins University, 1999 (rev. edition);
The Name of Achilles: Questions of Etymology and 'Folk Etymology, Illinois Classical Studies, 19, 1994;

Dale S. Sinos, The Entry of Achilles into Greek Epic, Ph.D. thesis, Johns Hopkins University;
Hamilton, Edith
Edith Hamilton

'''Edith Hamilton''' was an United States educator and author, and was "recognized as the greatest woman classicist." She was 62 when she published her first book, ''The Greek Way'', in 1930....
, Mythology
Mythology (book)

'''''Mythology: Timeless Tales of Gods and Heroes''''' is a 1942 in literature book written by Edith Hamilton. It is an anthology of Greek mythology, Roman mythology, and Norse mythology compiled from classical sources....
, New York: Mentor, 1942

Thomas Bullfinch, Myths of Greek and Rome

External links

An animated short depicting the story of Achilles as told by Homer, by Barry JC Purves

Cult of Achilles: literary references to the island Leucos in Antiquity