Achilles

Also known as: Aeacas' son / Aeacus' seed / Aeacus' son / Peleus' aweless son / Peleus' son / Peleus's son / dead Aeacas' son / the son of Aeacus / the son of Peleus · Family: The Greeks · Role: warrior · First appears: Book I · Part 1

At Troy, Achilles slew Hector and dragged his corpse around the city. When Penthesileia came promising to defeat him and burn the Argive ships, he killed her after her javelin failed to wound Ajax son of Telamon, and killed Antandre, Polemusa, Antibrote, Hippothoe and Harmothoe. He also struck Thersites dead; after nearly fighting over the killing, he and Diomedes were reconciled by their comrades. In battle with the Trojans, he slew Thalius and Mentes, then turned to face Memnon when Nestor asked him to help recover the body of his son Antilochus. Memnon wounded Achilles in the arm, but Achilles killed him; recalling his friend Patroclus, he said, “Patroclus' death I avenged On Hector”.

Wroth for Antilochus, Achilles armed for vengeance against the Trojans. Apollo shot him in the ankle, leaving him stricken with mortal sickness, though he killed Hipponous and Alcathous before he fell dead in battle. Ajax son of Telamon and the other kings carried his body to his tent; Athena anointed it with ambrosia, and Briseis laid her shorn tresses on it as her final gift. After the pyre burned, his companions placed his bones in a silver casket, and the Argives raised a barrow beside the Hellespont.

After his death, Thetis laid his arms before the Argives and offered them to whoever had rescued his body from the enemy. His son Neoptolemus came to Troy, put on Achilles’ armor and spear, and sacrificed Polyxeina at his father’s tomb to fulfill Achilles’ demand. Poseidon stilled the sea after the sacrifice.