| “ | What really killed me was my own arrogance. | ” |
–Achilles, about his death in The Last Olympian. | ||
Achilles was a hero of the Trojan War and the central character of Homer's epic poem, the Iliad. He was the son of the Nereid Thetis and the mortal hero Peleus. Achilles was considered to be one of the greatest Greek warriors who ever lived, sometimes said to be the "shield of an army." He is most famous for being the first child to be dipped in the River Styx by his mother Thetis, making his body invulnerable to any weapon, except for the only part of his body that wasn't dipped into the river - his heel since his mother dipped him into the river by grabbing him by the heel. He was killed in the Trojan War by Paris of Troy, when the latter shot him in the heel with an arrow. As such, the term "Achilles' heel" had come to mean a fatal weakpoint, and the Achilles tendon is a tendon located at the back of the calf, just above the heel.
History
Achilles' mother, Thetis, foresaw his death in Troy, so she disguised Achilles as a girl among the daughters of King Lycomedes of Scyros, so he wouldn't have to battle in the war. He hid as a girl for years until Agamemnon found him. Odysseus devised a trick to procure the identity of Achilles by appearing as a merchant, selling many wares, and of these objects, a sword was included. The daughters of Lycomedes went to see the beautiful clothing and jewelry, but Achilles took up the sword; with this trick, Odysseus uncovered Achilles. Initially he refused to fight in the war, but after a convincing speech, he agreed. When they finally reached Troy, Achilles proved to be, quite possibly, the greatest of all the Achaean warriors, proclaimed aristos Achaion ("best among the Greeks").
In the ninth year of the war, he withdrew from battle after he felt he was dishonored by Agamemnon, the commander of the Greek forces. Agamemnon had taken a woman named Chryseis as his slave. Her father, a priest of Apollo, begged Agamemnon to return her to him. Agamemnon refused and an enranged Apollo shot arrows of plague into the Greek camp. The prophet Calchas knew 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' war prize, Briseis, be brought to replace Chryseis. Angry at the dishonor and at the urging of his mother Thetis, Achilles refused to fight or lead his troops alongside the other Greek forces. At this same time, burning with rage over Agamemnon's theft, Achilles prayed to Thetis to convince Zeus to help the Trojans gain ground in the war, so that he may regain his honor.
As the battle turned against the Greeks, thanks to the influence of Zeus, it was declared that the Trojans were winning because Agamemnon had angered Achilles, and the king was urged to appease the warrior. Agamemnon agreed and sent Odysseus and two other chieftains, Ajax the Greater and Phoenix (one of Achilles' five commanders), to Achilles with the offer of the return of Briseis and other gifts. Achilles rejected all Agamemnon offered him, and simply urged the Greeks to sail home as he was planning to do.
The Trojans, led by Hector, 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, Achilles' comrade, friend and speculated lover, led Achilles men into battle wearing Achilles' armor, 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. In a frenzy of grief, Achilles would have committed suicide, had his faithful companions not held him back from doing so. His mother Thetis then brought him new armor, forged by Hephaestus, and he forgave Agamemnon.
Enraged, Achilles brought down his wrath on the Trojan army, creating carnage among the Trojans. He filled up a river so full of bodies that it overflowed. But Achilles wanted one death - Hector's death. As the Trojans retreated to the safety of their city's walls, Hector bravely stood and fought Achilles. Achilles was victorious and proceeded to tie Hector's body to the back of his chariot and drag it around the city of Troy. Hector's father, King Priam, later makes his way to Achilles' tent as he begs Achilles to give him back Hector's body so he could be given a proper funeral. Though he initially refuses, Achilles eventually relents and grants Priam's request, as he weeps alongside the aging king.
Achilles would not live for much longer, for an oracle had predicted that if he slew Hector, he would die soon after. Paris, the abductor of Helen, came to the field and shot a poisoned arrow at his heel. The arrow was guided by Apollo, and Achilles fell and met his demise.
After his death, Ajax the Greater and Odysseus fought over the armor of Achilles. Odysseus was granted the armor and Ajax became mentally unstable, eventually committing suicide.
He seems to regret his choice when Odysseus meets him in the Underworld saying he would rather choose to live on earth as a servant, and live a long life than be lord over all the dead.
Percy Jackson and the Olympians
The Last Olympian
| “ | I stunk at Greek names, but even I knew the greatest warrior of all time, who had died from a wounded heel. | ” |
–Percy Jackson, thinking about how well he knew Achilles' myth. | ||
Achilles' ghost appears before Percy Jackson to warn him about the dangers of bathing in the River Styx, something he warns all those that attempt the task (including Luke). He explains that if Percy is successful at surviving the bath in the Styx, his prowess in combat would be greater than any other mortal, but his weaknesses would increase as well. Percy at first thinks he is talking about his weak heel which was his only vulnerable spot, but Achilles claims that the heel was only his physical weakness and what really killed him was his own arrogance.
As Percy listens to the warning, he could tell that Achilles was trying to save his life as the curse left him with bitterness and regret. However, Percy explains to the ghost that he has to gain the curse if he has any hope of defeating Kronos. Knowing that he can't stop him, Achilles explains that Percy must think of one vulnerable spot on his body - as no one can be completely invulnerable - and it will tie him to the mortal world. If Percy loses sight of what keeps him in the mortal world, the River Styx will burn him to ashes. Percy wonders if Achilles can inform him of Luke's weak point, but Achilles only scowls at him. Achilles gives Percy one final warning before vanishing.
Appearance
| “ | For a second, I thought he was Ares, because this guy looked exactly like the god of war—tall and buff, with a cruel scarred face and closely shaved black hair. | ” |
–Percy Jackson, describing Achilles' appearance in The Last Olympian | ||
Achilles is described as looking like the god of war, Ares; tall and buff with closely shaved black hair. What sets him apart from Ares was that his eyes looked human, being a shade of pale green, instead of hollow sockets filled with flames.
Abilities and Tools
- Prowess in Battle: Having been trained by the immortal centaur Chiron since childhood, Achilles was an exceptionally formidable and very skillful warrior.
- Curse of Achilles: Due to his' bathing in the River Styx, Achilles was almost completely invulnerable. His only weak point was his heel, which was also the cause of his death.
See also
- Curse of Achilles
- Paris of Troy
- Trojan War
- Patroclus
Trivia
- Achilles was a legacy of Zeus, as his grandfather Aeacus was a son of Zeus.
- Achilles' father, Peleus, was the brother of Telamon, who was the father of Teucer and Ajax the Greater. Achilles, Teucer, and Ajax the Greater were thus cousins.
- After Achilles was slain, and his funeral held, his ashes were placed in a golden urn forged by Hephaestus. Patroclus' ashes had previously been placed in the urn, in accordance with a vow that he and Achilles made.