{"id":345,"date":"2016-11-22T22:46:35","date_gmt":"2016-11-22T22:46:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/greekgodsandgoddesses.net\/?post_type=heroes&p=345"},"modified":"2024-02-05T15:29:46","modified_gmt":"2024-02-05T15:29:46","slug":"achilles","status":"publish","type":"heroes","link":"https:\/\/greekgodsandgoddesses.net\/heroes\/achilles\/","title":{"rendered":"Achilles"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Achilles was a Greek hero, most famous for his part in the Trojan War<\/a>. He was the son of Thetis and Peleus<\/a>, the king of Myrmidons.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Poseidon<\/a> and Zeus<\/a> were in love with Thetis<\/a>, but Prometheus<\/a> warned them of a prophecy that said that the son of Thetis would become greater than his father. This led to the Olympian gods leaving, and Thetis went on to marry Peleus.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When he was born, Thetis dipped him in the river Styx to make him immortal. She held him by the heel as she dipped him in, and because his heel did not touch the water, it was the only part of him that could be harmed. In some versions of that story, she covered Achilles in ambrosia<\/a> – the food of the gods – and put him on top of a fire in order to burn away his immortality.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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In The Trojan War<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Achilles commanded fifty ships which contained fifty Myrmidons each during the start of the Trojan war. However, at first because of a mistake they landed in Mysia which was then ruled by Telephus who was wounded by Achilles. He was told that only Achilles could heal him, and in return, Telephus guided them to Troy<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When Agamemnon, the leader of the Achaeans, enslaved a woman called Chryseis, her father – who was a priest of Apollo<\/a> – begged the god to help him. Apollo sent a plague down to the Greeks. Agamemnon agreed to return the girl, but only in exchange for Achilles by handing over his prize – a woman named Briseis. Achilles was furious at this dishonour and retreated from battle. His friend Patroclus<\/a> went on his stead.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Hector then killed Patroclus in a battle which enraged Achilles. Killing Hector was not enough for Achilles so he dragged the dead body of Hector with his chariot during the funeral games held for Patroclus.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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How Did Achilles Die?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

According to the myth, Achilles was killed towards the end of the Trojan War. Hector\u2019s brother Paris, the Trojan prince, shot an arrow (said to be guided by Apollo) into his heel instantly killing him. Despite being a skilled warrior, Achilles had one vulnerable spot: his heel, where his mother, Thetis, had held him when she dipped him in the River Styx as a baby to make him invulnerable. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

This is where the term “Achille’s heel” comes from today.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Was Achilles a real person?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Some historians and archaeologists suggest that characters like Achilles may have been based on real people who lived during the late Bronze Age. However, the exact details of their lives would have been greatly exaggerated and altered before being written down.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The truth is, we do not know if Achilles was a real man or purely a myth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It is not known if there was a great Warrior called Achilles or if he is based upon a group of ancient greek warriors and leaders. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

While there’s a possibility that Achilles was based on a real person, the Achilles as known from mythology and “The Iliad” is generally considered a fictional character. The blending of myth and history in ancient texts makes it challenging to definitively prove the existence of specific individuals like Achilles.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Roles and Responsibilities of Achilles<\/h3>\n\n\n\n