Hector kills patroclus in book xv of guido and achilles withdraws from the fighting in book xxv, having killed hector in book xxii. Hes already dead by the time the odyssey begins, so we only see him in the underworld. Read book 16 death of patroclus of the iliad by homer. He is crying name three famous greek warriors that have been wounded in the fight with the trojans at the start of book 16. Summary while the battle around the ships continues, patroklos pleads with achilles to be allowed to wear achilles armor and to lead the myrmidons, his troops. After killing patroclus, the trojan hero hector takes achilles armor and wears it.
In the book 16 of homers odyssey, the title character has returned to his native land of ithaca after 20 years of warfare and wandering. Achilles asked zeus for patroclus to return safe and successful. In the last book of the odyssey, after odysseus reaches ithaca and slaughters the suitors, hermes takes their ghosts to the land of the dead. The death of patroclus underpins a great deal of achilles actions and emotions toward the trojan war for the rest of the poem. Achilles in the iliad character analysis 798 words cram. Achilles attachment to patroclus is an archetypal male bond that occurs elsewhere in greek culture. Sep 29, 2019 samuel butlers translation of the iliad and odyssey. As they fought on around the benched ship, patroclus, hot tears pouring down his face like a stream of dark water flowing in dusky streaks down the face of a sheer cliff, returned to achilles, leader of men. Patroclus borrows achilles armor, enters battle, kills sarpedon and then is killed by hector book 17. Achilles consented, giving patroclus the armor achilles had received from his father, in order for patroclus to impersonate achilles.
I am not sure if the actual death of patroclus takes place in book 16 or 17, but i know that the conversation between achilles and patroclus happens in boo. In book 16 of the odyssey, what simile does homer use to. The celebrated friend of achilles, was a son of menoetius of opus, 1 and a grandson of actor and aegina, whence he is called actorides. Alexander the great and hephaestion who made symbolic public references to achilles and patroclus, damon and pythias, orestes and pylades, harmodius and aristogeiton are pairs of comrades who gladly face danger and death for and beside each other. Achilles agrees and lets patroclus use his armor, but he cautions. Litcharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in the iliad, which you can use to track the themes throughout the work. Achilleus or achilles is a big greek hero who fought against the trojans. The essential pattern of the iliad is the same as that of the odyssey. In the iliad, homer describes a deep and meaningful relationship between achilles and patroclus, where achilles is tender toward patroclus but callous and arrogant toward others. There they encounter achilles talking with king agamemnon. Achilles sends him off with a stern warning of not to pursue the trojans.
Antilochus races to achilles camp to tell him of patroclus death. The answer is to be found in book 16 of the iliad, so theres no need for anyone to make guesses. At once a scholars homage to the iliad and startlingly original work of art by an incredibly talented new novelist. Iliad book 16 achilles and patroclus conversation act. Achilles, sitting by ships, realizes the achaeans are routed and fears the worst.
In book 16, achilles allows patroclus to borrow his armor in order to help in the effort to drive the trojans away from the greek ships, which they have begun to attack. Achilles retrieved his body, which had been stripped of armor by hector and protected on the battlefield by menelaus and ajax. Homer, iliad book 17 theoi classical texts library. Both tales involve the loss of someone near and dear to the hero patroclus and odysseus companions. The armies fight over the body and armor of patroclus book 18. Zachary mason, author of the lost books of the odyssey. But patroclus called to his comrades with a loud shout.
With patroclus leading them, the myrmidons swarm into battle, and are described as being like wasps that a boy has angered. Achilles remarks that patroclus should not pursue the trojans because any glory patroclus receives beyond the ships might diminish achilles own glory. Homer, iliad book 16 theoi classical texts library. He weeps and beats the ground with his fists and covers his face with dirt.
Meanwhile, patroclus goes to achilles tent and begs to be allowed to wear achilles armor if achilles still refuses to rejoin the battle himself. Dec 26, 2010 in book 16 of the iliad, by homer, what advice does achilles give patroclus and why doesnt patroclus follow this advice. Achilles reconciles with agamemnon and enters battle. When antilochus brings word to achilles of patrocluss death, achilles loses control of himself. The trojans, seeing the fresh reinforcements and thinking that achilles has returned, immediately begin to fear for their lives. Achilles asks patroclus to try to kill agamemnon and make it look like an accident. From homers iliad book 16 patroclus convinces achilles to give him his armor to fight. As with human characters, the lineage of the horses is given.
It was at this time that patroclus seeks the aid of his dear friend achilles. Priam wept freely for man killing hector, throbbing, crouching before achilles feet as achilles wept himself, now for his father, now for patroclus once again and their sobbing rose and fell throughout the house. There is no dramatic character development, but one does see patroklos as a character perpetrates dramatic events and provides a. Achilles learns of the death of patroclus and receives a new suit of armor book 19. Achilles declines to fight but agrees to the exchange of armor, with the understanding that patroclus will fight only long enough to save the ships. Patroclus begs achilles to defend the ships and achilles, relenting, lends patroclus his armour. If only you had died on trojan soil, achilles tells agamemnon, you would have won great fame. Patroclus approaches achilles and asks to join the fight in defense of the ships.
Whether in the context of a tender friendship or military excellence, homer makes their strong connection clear. Murray 1 and the son of atreus, menelaus, dear to ares, failed not to mark that patroclus had been slain in battle by the trojans, but fared amid the foremost fighters, harnessed in flaming bronze, and bestrode the dead, as over a calf standeth lowing plaintively its mother, that hath brought forth her firstborn, ere then knowing naught of motherhood. Achilles did not allow the burial of patroclus body until the ghost of patroclus appeared and demanded his burial in order to pass into hades. Even though patroklos is an important character in the iliad, homer gives little attention to him until the ninth book, and even then, the focus is not on patroklos himself, but on his relationship to achilles.
It only existed as a vehicle for achilles to avenge the death of patroclus. Im putting my tumblr handle so you guys can go request prompts. In the iliad, to what extent are people aware that. In fact, one rarely sees patroklos as an individual. In book 16, patroclus takes the field dressed in achilles armor in order to give the trojans a scare. The novel, which won the 2012 womens prize for fiction, draws on the iliad as well as the works of other classical authors such as statius, ovid, and virgil 70. And overpowered by memory both men gave way to grief. Jul 17, 2010 the friendship of achilles and patroclus is mentioned explicitly in the iliad. Achilles let patroclus join the fight not out of love for his fellow achaean, but for his own self gain.
Created for greek civilization at university of pittsburgh, summer 2020. So they fought to the death around that benched beaked ship as patroclus reached achilles, his great commander, and wept warm tears like a dark. A retelling of patroklus death from book xvi of the iliad, heavily inspired by the song of achilles by madeline miller. Patroclus leads an army into battle and comes back as soon as the trojans begin to set the ships on fire. Sep, 2008 another part from the directors cut version of troy. Noble achilles, the fleet of foot, saw and pitied him, and spoke to him with winged words. During book 16 of the iliad the achaeans are pushed dangerously close to the coast by the trojan army. An example of this occurs in book 16 where achilles says win me my honor, my glory and my honor from all the greeks, and, as their restitution, the girl briseis, and many other gifts.
Patroclus begins killing trojans, and the achaeans drive the trojans back from the warships. Why does achilles feel sorry for patroclus at the start of book 16. Achilles actually only wanted patroclus to survive and come back and now patroclus will never see achilles again what does patroclus say in his death speech he says how hector didnt really kill him the others did and though hes dying he can see beyond the veil, is in world between living and dead and tells hector of his fate to fall to the. For this technique of comparison of patterns see claude levistrauss, the structural study of myth, journal of american folklore, 68. While patroclus was donning achilles armor save the spear, which was too heavy for him to handle, achilles himself gathered the myrmidons around h. By all rights their paths should never cross, but achilles takes the shamed prince as his friend, and as they grow into young men skilled in the arts of war and medicine their bond blossoms into something deeper despite the displeasur.
What instructions did achilles give to patroclus before. Achilles then told patroclus to return after beating the trojans back from their ships. The iliad cliffsnotes study guides book summaries, test. Patroclus explains to achilles the carnage that surrounds him and begs his comrade to rejoin the fight. Patroklos cliffsnotes study guides book summaries, test. Achilles horses, roan beauty and dapple, are introduced, emphasizing the importance of horses in ancient warfare.
Achilles takes his wine cup kalyx to make a special prayer to zeus. The relationship between achilles and patroclus is a key element of the stories associated with the trojan war. He knows the chosen one and hes a boy just like himselfexcept hes golden and perfect, hes the star quidditch player and. Themes in the book 15 of homers the iliad 725 words. The mutual devotion of patroclus and achilles is at the heart of a world so richly imagined that we. Achilles and patroclus are so emotionally close that patroclus. The iliad tells us that after trojan warrior hektor killed patroklos, achilleus swore revengekilling hektor, and thereby sealing his own doom. Eumaeus recounts odysseuss story and suggests that the stranger stay with telemachus at the palace. Homers epic poem the iliad tells the story of the trojan war and the epic heroes and gods, including achilles, hector, odysseus, athena, ares. Murray 1 thus then they were warring around the wellbenched ship, but patroclus drew nigh to achilles, shepherd of the host, shedding hot tears, even as a fountain of dark water that down over the face of a beetling cliff poureth its dusky stream. Like his shield and spear, the wine cup is an object that only achilles uses. Its exact nature has been a subject of dispute in both the classical period and modern times. I know it says in lines 85100, somewhere around that, but i cant exactly figure out what the advice is.
Madeline miller takes the ancient art of the rhapsode, the singer of homeric tales, and makes it sing again. In the iliad, to what extent are people aware that patroclus. Madeline millers 2011 debut novel the song of achilles tells the story of achilles and patroclus life together as children, lovers, and soldiers. It works for a while, but hes no achilles, and the trojans slay him. He utters a terrible, wrenching cry so profound that thetis hears him and comes with her waternymph sisters from the ocean to learn what troubles. Patroclus adresses achilles at the start of book 16 described as flesheating wolves, hearts filled with boundles son of zeus, leader of the lycians, killed by patroclus.
Achilles lets his friend patroclus use his armor during a battle, where his is mistaken for achilles. What instructions did achilles give to patroclus before the. Quotes about achilles desire for glory from the iliad. What does achilles ask patroclus to do as he leaves to defend the ships in book 16 of the iliad.
This is a crucial book and a turning point because in it zeus sits idly by knowing his son sarpedon will be killed, and achilles friend patroclus is also killed. Book 16 when telemachus reaches eumaeuss hut, he finds the swineherd talking with a stranger odysseus in disguise. That patroclus should thrust back the war and battle from the ships he granted. Zeus knows that the death of patroclus will force achilles to fight for the greeks achaeansdanaansargives. Myrmidons, ye comrades of achilles, son of peleus, 270 be men, my friends, and bethink you of furious valour, to the end that we may win honour for the son of peleus, that is far the best of the argives by the ships, himself and his squires that fight in close combat. In the 16th book of homers iliad, zeus seems destined to fulfill his promise to achilles mother, thetis, to give glory to achilles. Patroclus, an awkward young prince, has been exiled to the court of king peleus and his perfect son achilles. To learn more about this, check out our guide to the iliad. I have this part on here twice, but this one is a bit longer. Scary times i know this isnt a story but it will be soon. In the iliad, patroclus is a close friend and confidant of achilles, who leads the greeks in war against the trojans.
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