The Iliad/Book 18: Difference between revisions

Antilochus, a messenger, rushes to tell Achilles that Patroclus has died. Upon noticing that Hector is wearing Patroclus' armor he breaks down with grief. Antilochus joins him and Achilles lets out a "wrenching cry". Thetis and a group of immortal sea-nymphs join Achilles in mourning and she (Thetis) proclaims that eventhough her son was born flawless, there is nothing she can to do ease the pain of a lost friend. Then Thetis and Achilles have a conversation where she tells him not to hold his anguish inside and she also informs him that "...hard on the heels of Hector's death your death must come...". Achilles regains his rage and asks his mother not to restrain him from fighting. She suggests that he not fight until she comes back the next day.  

With Patroclus' body laying on the fron lines, Hector and the Trojans fight to capture the corpse and get pushed back three times. Seeing this Hera sends her messenger Iris to tell Achilles to go fight. At first he was concerned that he didn't have any armor until Iris re-assures him that just the sight of Achilles will scare the Trojans off of the corpse. Then Achilles gives three war cries that caused twelve of the finest Trojan fighters to die due to chariots whirling around in panic. Achilles retreived the body and they mourned for him while the sun went down.