Achilles, son of Peleus and Thetis, is a hero and demigod of Greek mythology. He was very handsome, strong and brave.
Considered one of the greatest mythological warriors of Ancient Greece, Achilles participated in several battles, however, the most important was the Trojan War.
Achilles story
His mother was a nymph and his father a mortal. While still young, his father dies and his mother leaves him in the care of Chiron, a centaur. With him, Achilles learns to fight.
With the arrival of the Trojan War, the Greeks decided to consult an oracle. He informs them that the war will only be won if Achilles fights them.
When Achilles' mother learns of the oracle's prediction, she decides to send Achilles to live in Cyrus. There he remains disguised as a woman among the daughters of King Lycomede.
However, the Greeks know that Achilles is in Cyrus and decide to go and get him. Since he was disguised as a woman, they decide to fake an attack.
So, while the king's daughters flee, Achilles, who already knew how to fight, soon takes the sword. Therefore, even knowing the Oracle's prediction, the hero decides to fight for his people.
When he was betrayed by Agamemnon, the supreme leader of the Greeks, Achilles decided to abandon the war.
Even at the disadvantage of the Greek people, his great friend Patroclus went in his place to command the army. However, he was eventually killed by Hector, son of the King of Troy, Priam.
This fact made Achilles furious and, in order to avenge his friend's death, he decides to return to the siege of Troy. Finally, he manages to kill Hector, who is responsible for his friend's death.
Later, his friend Antelope is killed by Ethiopia's king, Memnon. Furious, he decides to return to battle and avenge his friend's death. But this time, Achilles is hit.
Learn more about Trojan War.
the Achilles Heel
Legend has it that Achilles' mother plunged the child into the river Styx, one of those who bathe hell, so that he would be immortal. At the moment of immersion she held his heel and, for that reason, he was vulnerable there.
When he's fighting in the Trojan War, Achilles dies hit in the heel by a poisoned arrow, his only weak point. It was Pariah, the son of the king of Ethiopia, who hit him.
Achilles statue
At work "Iliad” by the Greek poet Homer, he narrates the Trojan War where one of the main figures is the warrior Achilles. Besides her, Achilles is also part of the work “Odyssey”.
Until the present day, the expression “Achilles' heel” is used to indicate someone's weakness. In biology, the Achilles tendon (Achilles tendon) is located in the heels. He is the toughest and most vulnerable in our body.
Learn more about the topic by reading the articles:
- Greek mythology
- Greek gods
