Questions tagged [achilles]
Questions related to or pertaining to the Greek demigod and hero, Achilles. He is most known for his role in the Trojan War.
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Source for milfoil rising from the filings of Achilles’ spear
The milfoil or yarrow is a plant belonging to the genus Achillea. According to Brewer, the name of the genus comes:
from Achilles, who was taught the uses and virtues of plants by Chiron the centaur. ...
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Why does Achilles sacrifice 12 Trojan men on Patroclus' funeral pyre? Will this benefit Patroclus in the afterlife? (Illiad Book 23)
In the Iliad, Achilles gives his friend Patroclus an elaborate funeral, involving the sacrifice of various animals, including 2 of Patroclus own dogs (presumably so they can be with him in the ...
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How does Glaucus know Patroclus killed Sarpedon?
I'm reading the Loeb Iliad so I have the original Greek text alongside English and am confused when reading verse Il. 16-543:
τὸν δ᾽ ὑπὸ Πατρόκλῳ δάμασ᾽ ἔγχεϊ χάλκεος Ἄρης.
... Him [Sarpedon] has ...
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Why does Achilles put up with Agamemnon's abuse?
Why doesn't Achilles simply kill Agamemnon and his army?
Agamemnon seriously disses him, repeatedly and it's an honor/shame society.
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What is the significance of the two cities on the Shield of Achilles?
In Book 18 of the Iliad, Homer describes the Shield of Achilles. The second layer from the shield's centre features scenes from two cities. In the first city a wedding and a tribunal are taking place:
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Death of Achilles
The Iliad ends with the burial of Hector. There is nothing about the death of Achilles, only predicted by Hector. In Greek Mythology did he really die? Or was it added in Roman Mythology together with ...
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Why does Achilles continue fighting?
Why does Achilles continue fighting after killing Hector?
He only returned to avenge Patroclus and he did that. Didn't he end up feeling empathy for Priam and the Trojans?
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What is the fight between Odysseus and Achilles?
I remember reading in the Odyssey about a bard retelling the story of Odysseus and Achilles having a fight. It had Odysseus put his head down in tears as the bard sang the story. But it didn't say ...
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Why does Hector accept Achilles' challenge?
The first time Hector meets Achilles on the battlefield, in Book IX of the Iliad, he is prudent enough to avoid dueling the Myrmidon superhero. However, in Book XXII Hector decides to face Achilles in ...
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What did Achilles look like?
(So there is this controversy about a black guy playing Achilles in some new show. Which made me wonder...)
What did Achilles look like?
Can we say how Achilles really looked? (From what I remember ...
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Did Achilles suspect he might die by Hector's hands?
In Richmond Lattimore's translation, the following lines (9.410-416) are a part of Achilles' first speech in Book Nine:
For my mother Thetis the goddess of the silver feet tells me
I carry two ...
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Could Achilles have killed Hector at a later time?
Achilles was given two choices by his mother, either stay and die with imperishable fame or leave the war and live a life of peace. When he heard Hector killed Patroclus, to escape his fate and take ...
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Was Achilles really motivated by eternal glory?
I've been reading a lot of interpretations of Achilles' decision to return to battle, and many top scholars seem to think that he sacrificed his life in order to achieve some form of eternal glory. ...
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