Introduction
Achilles enjoys a legendary status in Greek mythology due to his bravery on the battlefield. His ancestry played a significant role in his development into one of the most powerful soldiers of the Trojan War. He possessed extra toughness and invulnerability alongside his demigod status since his parents were related to Greek gods. Beyond Achilles’s fierce personality and formidable abilities, he was an obedient son and a compassionate friend who went to great lengths to protect those he loved from harm.
Discussion
Many people know Achilles as the warrior who successfully led Greek soldiers to conquer the city of Troy. However, not many are aware of his background before he became a warrior. Achilles was the son of Thetis, a sea spirit, and Peleus, the king of the Myrmidons (Cartwright 1). When Achilles was born, his mother held him by the heels and dipped him in River Styx to make him immortal (Cartwright 1). This left his heels the only part of his body that could be harmed.
When Achilles reached nine years old, a soothsayer presented terrible news to his parents. The news was that Achilles would lead the Greeks to a triumphant battle against the Trojans, where he would also lose his life (Cartwright 1). To prevent him from succumbing to fate, Thetis concealed him as a girl and dispatched him to a faraway island called Skyros (Cartwright 1). However, Achilles was destined to be a brave soldier; thus, he abandoned Skyros to enlist in the Greek military. Hephaestus, the god of blacksmiths, was summoned by Thetis in a desperate attempt to save Achilles’ life (Cartwright 1). She requested the god to forge a sword and armor to protect Achilles. This sword became known as the sword of Achilles and saw him through many battles. Consequently, Achilles’ mother challenged him to fight in the Trojan War to build his legacy and be remembered by generations to come. Though Achilles was driven by self-love and honor to fight in the Trojan War, the battle also revealed his love for his family and friends.
Whether sullen or murderous, Achilles’ rage is central to his character as a Greek warrior. Fundamentally, he transformed into a warrior faster than his peers because he listened to his superiors. Phoenix, an older warrior who raised Achilles, reminded him to protect the ships of the Achaeans and warned him against taking too long to fight the Trojans (Justice 6). Like a loyal son, Achilles heeded this call and opted not to return home but fight alongside Greek soldiers. Achilles also expressed obedience when Priam sneaked to his tent to implore him to surrender his son’s (Hector) body for necessary burial rites (Pollard 16). Priam reasoned that heroes must learn to control their anger because they are also human. Priam’s fatherly advice to Achilles encouraged him to outgrow his callous attitude towards other people’s suffering (Pollard 16). In turn, Achilles surrendered Hector’s body even though he had sworn he would never. In this way, it can be seen that Achilles acted as a son not only to his parents but also to other older adults.
Achilles was also a great friend and companion, apart from being a son. His friendship with Patroclus is a classic example of deep friendship comparable to individuals connected by blood. Achilles loved Patroclus more than any of his fellow soldiers. He taught him soldiery skills before going to the Trojan War, and their bond became even stronger during War. However, Agamemnon, one of the Greek kings, angered Achilles, and he thus refused to participate in the battle with other men. As a result, he ordered the Myrmidon warriors to set their ship to leave at dawn. However, he agrees with Patroclus to wear his armor and lead the Greeks against the Trojan who would be scared to see Achilles. If Patroclus matched successfully, Achilles instructed him to return home and not to reach the gates of Troy.
Patroclus defied Achilles’s order and lost his life at the hands of the Trojan prince Hector (Cartwright 1). Furious, Achilles vowed to avenge his friend’s death irrespective of the costs. Patroclus’s death threw him into mourning and grief as he found it unbearable. Achilles’ unbreakable and strong spirit was taken over by agony and self-pity. Undoubtedly, his reaction to Patroclus’s death signified the brotherly love he had for him. His friend’s demise instilled in him the urge to go back to the battlefield ignited him to seek vengeance. Thus, he relentlessly pursued Hector back to Troy, where he slaughtered all of the Trojans he encountered.
Eventually, Achilles killed Hector by stabbing him in the throat (Cartwright 2). On defeating Hector, Achilles tied his body and dragged the corpse by the heels at the back of his chariot. Although inhumane, Achilles’s actions were driven by the killing of a friend he cherished, like a brother. The nature of the friendship between Achilles and Patroclus can be confusing. Indeed, Achilles’ state of mind, when he learned of Patroclus’s death and the steps he took to avenge his death, shows his profound affection for Patroclus. Some people may question whether theirs was merely a friendship or a bond between lovers in this context.
Similarly, another noteworthy friendship is that between Antilochus and Achilles. Antilochus was the son of Nestor, king of Pylos (March). Like, Patroclus he was a significant figure in Achilles’s life. Antilochus fought alongside Achilles in the Mymirodian army and became one of his most trusted men. It was also Antilochus who brought the news of the death of Patroclus to Achilles (Baumer 21). Nestor preserved his life by offering Antilochus when Memnon ambushed him. Some sources claim Achilles avenged Antilochus’s death, but this is disputable given the existence of many versions describing the incident. Nevertheless, by fighting alongside him in battle and delivering the sad news about Patroclus’s demise, Antilochus was without a doubt Achilles’ close confidant.
The relationship between Achilles and Briseis was also so significant. Achilles had a soft spot for Briseis, which is demonstrated by the fact that he welcomed her into his closed quarters. Their friendship culminated into a relationship between two people from two different worlds. She may have been captured as a slave and brought to his chamber, but Achilles did not treat her as so. Instead, he saved her from Agamnenon’s men and took her to his chambers, where she lay beside him (Briseis 50). His love for Briseis may not entirely be deep, but it brought out the caring value Achilles had for women.
Towards his end, it becomes increasingly clear to Achilles that both the concept of a family and home are critical to community and a hero. The Iliad is full of references to individual honor. Reputation or honor was vital to everyone in Homeric society (Kundmueller 49). However, as depicted by the character of Achilles, the hero’s honor was especially significant. This concept of social position is consistent with Achilles’ heroic ideal. However, in his loneliness, he begins to challenge the notion of battling for purely honor since “a man dies still if he has done nothing” (Kundmueller 68). The Iliad shows that the hero’s social obligation was crucial to maintaining his position through Achilles.
On the contrary, the only means to affirm his legacy was his fighting prowess on the battlefield. Aside from these requirements for self-awareness and adherence to norms, he had to revere his superiors and be faithful to his peers, and he must not humiliate himself, his loved ones, or the community in which he lived (Kundmueller 179). Achilles lived by these principles and was sought and loved by many. He lived in a difficult time full of War and death, but he never lost his sense of humanity.
Conclusion
Achilles was a warrior whose physical attributes and battle prowess made him formidable. He helped the Greeks win the famous Trojan War and earned his place as the greatest Greek warrior of all time. While his legacy as a warrior remains what he is popularly known for, this essay has shown that Achilles reached those heights as any human would by navigating life as a son and friend to many. Thus, this journey was aided by his parents, friends, and warrior character, without which there would be no Achilles today.
Works Cited
Baumer, Erin. Sing, Muses, of the Grief of Achilles: An Analysis of the Grief of Achilles in the Iliad Using Coping Theory and Grief Psychology. 2021. University of Minnesota, Master’s Thesis.
Cartwright, Mark. “Ancient Greek Society.” Ancient History Encyclopedia, World History Encyclopaedia, 2018, Web.
Justice, Kati M., “Phoenix in the Iliad”. Student Research Submissions, 2017, 152. Web.
Kundmueller, Michelle M. Homer’s Hero: Human Excellence in the Iliad and the Odyssey. SUNY Press, 2019.
March, Jenny. “Nestor (1), mythical Greek hero.” Oxford Research Encyclopedia of Classics. 2016.
Pollard, Tanya. “Other Epic Afterlives: Genealogies of Achilles’ Female Counterparts.” MLN, vol. 135 no. 5, 2020, pp. 1051-1061.