All Questions
8 questions
2
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0
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521
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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 ...
- 648
3
votes
1
answer
119
views
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 ...
- 133
0
votes
1
answer
216
views
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.
- 14.2k
3
votes
1
answer
4k
views
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 ...
- 6,755
5
votes
1
answer
2k
views
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 ...
- 1,410
7
votes
1
answer
642
views
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 ...
- 173
8
votes
1
answer
259
views
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 ...
- 83
13
votes
2
answers
1k
views
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. ...
- 131