Ancient Greek and Roman Myths Notes
Achilles
Achilles,
the Greek hero, son of Peleus, king of Phthia, and the goddess Thetis,
daughter of Oceanus. His legend is among the richest and oldest in Greek
mythology. Achilles was brought up under the guidance of Centaur Chiron,
who was his teacher. Thetis, to make her son indestructible, bathed him
in the Styx, the river of Underworld (Hell), and only the heel, by which
Thetis held the boy, was untouched by the miracle waters and remained vulnerable.
Thetis (or Peleus) learned the prophecy that Achilles would die in battle
for Troy. To prevent his going to war, Thetis hid her son on Scyros, in
the court of the king Lycomedes. She kept him among Lycomedes’ daughters;
disguised as a girl. He lived with them for 9 years.
The disguise, however, did not cheat the Fate. She prompted to Odysseus
Achilles’ whereabouts. As the prophecy said that without Achilles the Greeks
would never conquer Troy, Odysseus immediately hurried to Scyros. The Greeks
brought rich gifts to the daughters of Lycomedes, but among the women’s
garments and accessories they also put a spear and a sword. The girls were
delighted. Then, by Odysseus’s sign, the horn played an alarm signal, the
girls flew away, but Achilles seized the weapons. Thus his identity was
revealed.
See: Nicolas Poussin Achilles
and Daughters of Lycomede, Achilles
with the Daughters of Lacomede.
Achilles participated in Trojan war on the part of Greeks. In a battle,
Hector,
Priam’s son, slew Patroclus, beloved friend of Achilles. Full of rage and
vengeance Achilles met Hector in fight and won. On the point of death Hector
asked Achilles to return his corpse to Priam, but Achilles refused and
dragged the corpse behind his chariot around the Troy. The old Priam came
to Achilles’ camp and begged him to return the son’s body. Touched with
the old man’s grief Achilles ordered the body to be washed, dressed and
returned.
See: Jacques-Louis David.
The
Funeral of Patroclus.
Nikolay Gay Achilles
Lamenting the Death of Patroclus.
Alexander Ivanov Priam
Asking Achilles to Return Hector’s Body.
