How did Patroclus die in the Trojan War?
Trojan War. Patroclus killed many Trojans and Trojan allies, including a son of Zeus, Sarpedon. While fighting, Patroclus' wits were removed by Apollo, after which Patroclus was hit with the spear of Euphorbos. Hector then killed Patroclus by stabbing him in the stomach with a spear.
What happens to Patroclus’s body the next day?
The next day, he burns Patroclus ’s body, and he tells the Greeks to mix his own ashes with Patroclus ’s ashes after... (full context) ...to do with the ashes. Someone mixes their ashes, and from wherever his soul is, Patroclus can tell that it’s happened.
What did Patroclus do wrong as a child?
As a child, Patroclus accidentally killed a young boy whose father demanded that Patroclus be exiled. Patroclus was sent to Achilles’s kingdom, where he and Achilles first fell in love. He and Achilles train for war together on Mount Pelion, and Patroclus eventually follows Achilles to fight in Troy. Patroclus dislikes bloodshed.
Did Achilles kill Patroclus or let him go?
She blames Achilles for letting him go, and accuses him of caring more about Patroclus now that he’s dead. Patroclus was worth “ten of” Achilles, she claims, and Achilles indirectly killed him.
Who did Patroclus accidentally kill?
ClysonymusPatroclus' Early days When he was young, Patroclus had an argument with one of his friends, Clysonymus, while playing dice; in the heated argument that followed, Patroclus accidentally killed him.
Who does Patroclus kill in The Song of Achilles?
Chapter Six. A year after Patroclus' exile, Patroclus tells Achilles the story of how he killed Clysonymus.
What demigod did Patroclus kill?
Patroclus defied Achilles' order and pursued the Trojans back to the gates of Troy. Patroclus killed many Trojans and Trojan allies, including a son of Zeus, Sarpedon.
Why did Apollo kill Patroclus?
Apollo also plays a direct role in both Patroclus's and Achilles's deaths. When Patroclus is dressed as Achilles, he attempts to scale Troy's walls, and Apollo pushes him down twice. He eventually knocks off Patroclus's helmet so that everyone can see his true identity, which is what leads Hector to kill Patroclus.
Is Song of Achilles LGBT?
It serves as a great example of LGBTQ+ representation in that it approaches and treats gay romance the same way straight romance would be written about. There is so much more besides their sexuality that makes this book great.
Does Song of Achilles have a happy ending?
It's not really a happy ending. But what Madeline Miller does so well here is that despite the ending looming in the back of your mind you can still lose yourself in the story and the characters.
Did Achilles have a male lover?
Did Achilles have a male lover? As a boy, Achilles develops a close relationship with another boy named Patroclus, who joins Achilles' household as an exile, having accidentally killed another child.
What did Achilles say when Patroclus died?
For now you shall have grief infinite by reason of the death of that son whom you can never welcome home—nay, I will not live nor go about among mankind unless Hector fall by my spear, and thus pay me for having slain Patroclus son of Menœtius.”
What did Achilles call Patroclus?
Achilles says that he had forgotten to say that he wishes for Patroclus as his companion, or therapon. Therapon was the word he used. A brother-in-arms sworn to a prince by blood oaths and love.
How many men did Patroclus kill?
27 menPatroclus kills 27 men, and then Apollo strikes him so that he grows dizzy, knocks the helmet from his head, breaks his spear, and makes his shield fall off.
Why is Zeus responsible for Patroclus death?
Instead, it puts much of the blame on Zeus: “Zeus in his wisdom heard Achilles' prayer/And granted half of it. Yes, Patroclus/Would drive the Trojans back from the ships,/But he would not return from battle unharmed” (XVI. 258-61).
Who killed Achilles best friend?
Trojan Prince HectorTrojan Prince Hector – Paris' brother – killed Achilles' closest friend Patroclus. Achilles enacted his revenge on Hector, first by brutally murdering him, and then by ruthlessly dragging Hector's body around Patroclus' grave three times.
How does Patroclus kill the boy?
His first kill was a nobleman's son named Clysonymus. After demanding Patroclus hand over his dice (given to him by guards in Sparta), Patroclus refuses, and shoves him away when Clysonymus approaches.
Who dies in Song of Achilles?
PatroclusPatroclus is killed by Hector and his body is brought to Achilles. Achilles grieves along with Briseis and demands Patroclus' ashes be mixed with his own when he dies. Having lost his will to live, Achilles returns to battle and kills Hector to avenge Patroclus.
Why did Patroclus betray Achilles?
Patroclus's tolerance of Achilles's warrior mentality does have limits: when Achilles attempts to allow Agamemnon to assault Patroclus's closest friend, Briseis, Patroclus betrays Achilles in order to stop it.
How many Trojans did Patroclus kill?
27 menPatroclus kills 27 men, and then Apollo strikes him so that he grows dizzy, knocks the helmet from his head, breaks his spear, and makes his shield fall off.
Why did Patroclus exhort his followers to fight well to bring glory to Achilles?
Patroclus exhorts his followers to fight well to bring glory to Achilles so that Agamemnon will learn the error of not respecting the bravest of the Greeks. The Trojans assume that Achilles is leading the men and is now reconciled with Agamemnon, and since Achilles is fighting again, they are afraid.
What does Patroclus say to Hector?
Patroclus dying says to Hector that Zeus and Apollo have made Hector the victor, although he shares the mortal share of death with Euphorbus. Patroclus adds that Achilles will soon kill Hector. Next: Major Characters in Book XVI. Patroclus - loyal friend and companion of Achilles in the Trojan War.
What does Patroclus tell Meriones to do?
The two taunt each other. Patroclus tells Meriones to fight and shut up. Zeus decided the Greeks should get the body of Sarpedon, so he makes Hector fearful, recognizing the gods have turned against him, so he flees on his chariot with the Trojans following. The Greeks strip the armor from Sarpedon.
What does Glaucus tell Hector about Sarpedon?
Glaucus tells Hector that Sarpedon has been killed and that Ares has done it using the spear of Patroclus. He asks Hector to help prevent the Myrmidons from stripping Sarpedon's armor. Hector leads the Trojans to the body of Sarpedon and Patroclus cheers on the Greeks to strip and dishonor the body.
What does Achilles tell Patroclus to do?
Achilles sees the burning and tells Patroclus to put on his armor while he gathers the Myrmidons. Achilles tells the men that now is the chance to let loose their pent-up rage against the Trojans. Leading them are Patroclus and Automedon. Achilles then uses a special cup to make an offering to Zeus.
What does Achilles do to Zeus?
Achilles then uses a special cup to make an offering to Zeus. He asks Zeus to grant victory to Patroclus and let him return unharmed with his comrades. Zeus grants the part that makes Patroclus succeed in his mission of driving back the Trojans, but not the rest.
Who did the Trojans kill?
The Trojans kill one of the Myrmidons, which enrages Patroclus. He kills Sthenelaus the son of Ithaemenes and the Trojans retreat, but then Glaucus recovers and kills the richest Myrmidon. Meriones kills a Trojan, priest of Zeus of Mt. Ida. Aeneas misses Meriones. The two taunt each other.
Who killed Patroclus?
Patroclus was confronted by the Trojan hero Hector, who believed him to be Achilles. The two fought, and Hector killed Patroclus, whom he had realized was in disguise as Achilles. This act prompted Patroclus' best friend Achilles to challenge the Trojan hero Hector to single combat. Achilles killed the Trojan hero Hector, which led to the downfall of the city of Troy.
What did Achilles do to avenge the death of Patroclus?
Achilles was distraught about the death of his friend. He vowed to avenge the death of Patroclus and re-entered the battle by challenging Hector to single combat.
What was the Trojan War?
Homer's epic poem the Iliad records the events of the Trojan War. The war lasted ten years with the Greek army laying siege to the city of Troy. As a warrior, Patroclus was not considered one of the greats like his best friend Achilles, but Patroclus played a major role in the Greek victory over the Trojan host. The death of Patroclus was one of the major turning points in the ten-year siege, and it prompted the hero Achilles to challenge the Trojan hero Hector to single combat.
How did Agamemnon try to entice Achilles to fight again?
Agamemnon tried to entice Achilles to fight again by sending three of the Greek heroes to return Briseis and offer other incentives for Achilles to enter the battle. Achilles refused to fight for the Greeks.
Why did Patroclus ask Achilles to borrow armor?
As the Trojans pushed toward the Greek ships, Patroclus tried another tactic. He asked to borrow Achilles armor so he could enter the battle looking like Achilles. He said that the Achilles' helmet would hide his face and no one would realize it was not Achilles. His goal was to inspire the Greek army and turn the tide of battle. Achilles reluctantly agreed and loaned Patroclus his armor, but he also asked Patroclus to be careful. He warned Patroclus to only push the Trojan army away from the ships and not get carried away with the battle.
What was the turning point in the Trojan War?
The death of Patroclus, friend to the famed hero Achilles, was a major turning point in the Trojan War. Explore an overview of the mythology of the Trojan War and discover the relationship between Patroclus and Achilles, the importance of Agamemnon and Briseis, and how Patroclus' death spurred Achilles's vengeance. Updated: 09/14/2021
Why did the Greek army conduct funeral games?
One of these rites included competitive games. The purpose of the games was to bring together enemies in a common celebration. The funeral games for Patroclus served as a healing opportunity for the Greek army.
Who killed Patroclus?
Patroclus' Death. At that point, though, the god Apollo stunned Patroclus and was eventually killed by Hector, son of the Trojan king, Priam, and brother of Paris. Once Patroclus ' body had been retrieved by the Greeks, Achilles attacked the Trojans in fury and managed to kill Hector.
What did Patroclus do during the Trojan War?
So, Patroclus wore Achilles ' army and led the soldiers to battle successfully. However, he did not listen to Achilles ' advice to fall back once the Trojan army had been repelled; instead, he pursued them, killing many heroes that fought on the side of Troy.
Who was Patroclus?
Patroclus was the son of Menoetius in Greek mythology, and best friend of the hero Achilles. His father was one of the Argonauts, while many different women have been mentioned as Patroclus ' mother.
Who killed Clysonymus?
To evade the wrath of Clysonymus' family, Menoetius took Patroclus and they both fled to Phthia, where King Peleus reigned. There, Patroclus met Achilles with whom they formed a deep friendship, and Peleus sent both of them to be tutored by the Centaur Chiron.
Who is Patroclus' mother?
Patroclus was the son of Menoetius in Greek mythology, and best friend of the hero Achilles. His father was one of the Argonauts, while many different women have been mentioned as Patroclus ' mother; Polymele, Sthenele, and Periopis.
Who was the prince of Troy when Helen eloped?
When Helen eloped with Paris, prince of Troy, Menelaus, who had married Helen, invoked the Oath of Tyndareus, thus getting the support of all previous suitors, including Patroclus and Achilles. This was the start of the Trojan War.
Did Patroclus follow Achilles' advice?
So, Patroclus wore Achilles ' army and led the soldiers to battle successfully. However, he did not listen to Achilles ' advice to fall back once the Trojan army had been repelled; instead, he pursued them, killing many heroes that fought on the side of Troy.
Where did Patroclus go to fight?
Patroclus was sent to Achilles’s kingdom, where he and Achilles first fell in love. He and Achilles train for war together on Mount Pelion, and Patroclus eventually follows Achilles to fight in Troy. Patroclus dislikes bloodshed. His goal in Troy is not to fight nor to bring peace, but to prevent Achilles’s fated death.
Why did Patroclus want to save the Greeks?
This is because Patroclus wants to save the Greeks, but it’s mainly because he wants Achilles to be remembered kindly. Achilles’s death has been prophesied, but—without Achilles or Patroclus knowing—Patroclus’s death is also foretold. The gods say that the “best of the Myrmidons” (Achilles’s kinsmen) will die soon, ...
What is the purpose of Achilles and Patroclus?
In this, Patroclus and Achilles have opposing purposes: Achilles is destined to end lives, while Patroclus wants to save them, eventually working as a medic in the army hospital and encouraging Achilles to “claim” Trojan women as war spoils in order to free them.
Why does Patroclus want to protect Achilles?
But even in his betrayal, Patroclus is trying to protect Achilles from committing a dishonorable act. Similarly, after Achilles refuses to fight for the Greek army, Patroclus dons Achilles’s armor and enters battle. This is because Patroclus wants to save the Greeks, but it’s mainly because he wants Achilles to be remembered kindly.
What is Patroclus' tolerance of Achilles's warrior mentality?
Patroclus’s tolerance of Achilles’s warrior mentality does have limits: when Achilles attempts to allow Agamemnon to assault Patroclus’s closest friend, Briseis, Patroclus betrays Achilles in order to stop it. But even in his betrayal, Patroclus is trying to protect Achilles from committing a dishonorable act.
What was the last thing Peleus gave to Achilles?
Finally, last of all: a long spear, ash sapling peeled of bark and polished until it glowed like gray flame. From Chiron, Peleus said, handing it to his son. We bent over it, our fingers trailing its surface as if to catch the centaur's lingering presence. Such a fine gift would have taken weeks of Chiron's deft shaping; he must have begun it almost the day that we left. Did he know, or only guess at Achilles' destiny? As he lay alone in his rose-colored cave, had some glimmer of prophecy come to him? Perhaps he simply assumed: a bitterness of habit, of boy after boy trained for music and medicine, and unleashed for murder.
What did Patroclus' father believe about his mother?
Patroclus’s mother was intellectually disabled, and his father believes that both Patroclus and his mother were weak. As a child, Patroclus accidentally killed a young boy whose father demanded that Patroclus be exiled. Patroclus was sent to Achilles’s kingdom, where he and Achilles first fell in love.
Who comes to clean the corpse of Achilles?
Briseis comes to clean the corpse. Achilles yells at her to leave, but she insists that she loved Patroclus, too. She blames Achilles for letting him go, and accuses him of caring more about Patroclus now that he’s dead. Patroclus was worth “ten of” Achilles, she claims, and Achilles indirectly killed him. Achilles screams that he never wanted Patroclus to fight, but Briseis presses on: Achilles never deserved Patroclus, and Achilles was the one who gave him no choice but to go. Patroclus wanted to save Achilles’s reputation, but Achilles doesn’t care about anyone but himself. She says that she hopes Hector kills him. Achilles responds that he hopes that happens, too.
Why did Achilles refuse to treat Hector's body?
Achilles refusal to treat Hector’s dead body with respect is an even more fundamental refusal of basic Greek and Trojan propriety and religious practice. Achilles’s last words to Hector recall his earlier declaration to Patroclus that he would be the first hero to be happy, and that he could “eat the world raw.”.
What does Briseis say about Achilles?
Briseis forces Achilles to confront that he put his honor over everything else before Patroclus’s death, and that he should have prioritized his love for Patroclus. Briseis’s claim that Patroclus was better than Achilles again implies that Patroclus was the “best of the Myrmidons,” and that he was the “best” not because of his fighting skills but because of his kindness. Achilles seems unwilling to take responsibility for his actions even now—although he did love Patroclus, Briseis is right that he also indirectly caused Patroclus’s death. Achilles’s comment that he hopes Hector kills him indicates that he feels that, with Patroclus dead, he has nothing to live for. This is an expression of love, but also of continued self-centeredness: Achilles focuses only on his own pain.
What does it mean when someone dies in the Greeks?
The ancient Greeks believed that when someone died, their body needed to be burned, ashes buried, and grave marked before they’d be able to go to the underworld and be at rest. This is why Patroclus is still present and narrating the novel’s events—no one has buried his body yet, so his soul is remains present. Achilles was tempting fate every time he said that Hector had done nothing to him and when he told Patroclus that he’d be angry if someone took something from him. Hector ended up taking the only thing Achilles cares about, and Achilles is clearly going to kill him at the earliest possible opportunity, which will lead to his own death eventually. Further, it was Achilles’s own pride that led to Patroclus’s death. Thetis’s statement that Patroclus doomed himself is, at best, incomplete. But Thetis has often pushed Achilles to set aside his human half in her desire to have him ascend to godhood, and this may just be another part of that effort. Regardless, now Patroclus’s death will drive Achilles to kill Hector—love driving violence.
Where does Achilles find Hector?
Achilles finds Hector in a grove below Troy’s walls. Eyes wide, Hector asks Achilles to return his body to his family after he dies. Achilles refuses to make a bargain with Hector; instead, he says that he’ll “eat [him] raw.” Achille’s ash spear strikes Hector’s throat. Covered in blood, Achilles drags Hector’s body back to the Greek camp, refusing the feast Agamemnon offers. Thetis encourages him to return Hector’s body to the Trojans, but Achilles won’t.
What does Achilles want in the book?
That it looks as if Achilles is chasing himself symbolically captures the idea that Achilles anger is not just at Hector, but also at himself. He wants vengeance on Hector, but he also knows that the only way he himself can die is if he kills Hector. Achilles’s despair at losing Patroclus drives him to vengeance, but also suicide. Throughout the novel Patroclus has imagined Achilles as having too selves—an innocent, human true self and an inhuman murderous “other” self. Yet in this scene both selves are warriors, both are killers—the idea that Achilles ever had two selves is shown to be false; he only ever had one complicated self, capable of beauty and innocence, and also dreadful violence.
