Table of Contents
What is Patroclus known for?
He was the son of Menoetius, and is most famous as being the lover of Achilles. During the Trojan War, Achilles refuses to fight after a quarrel with Agamemnon, leader of the Greek forces, over a woman, Briseis. Patroclus, with Achilles’ permission, then dons Achilles’ armor and leads the Myrmidons into battle.
Why did Patroclus enter the war?
Patroclus wanted to wear Achilles’ armor to intimidate the Trojans and lead the Greeks to victory, but Achilles had his mom ask Zeus to support the Trojans since he was shamed and wanted the Greeks to lose. He even thought Patroclus sounded whiny when asking to wear his armor.
What did Patroclus do for Achilles?
In the Iliad As the tide of the war turns against the Achaeans, Patroclus convinces Achilles to let him lead the Myrmidon army into battle wearing Achilles’ armor. Patroclus succeeds in beating back the Trojan forces, but is killed in battle by Hector.
Was Patroclus a good fighter?
As a warrior, Patroclus was not considered one of the greats like his best friend Achilles, but Patroclus played a major role in the Greek victory over the Trojan host. Patroclus was his best friend and companion. Achilles fought fearlessly. When Achilles led the Greek army into battle, the Greeks prevailed.
Did Achilles sleep with Patroclus?
Robin Lane Fox, another one of the most influential and knowledgeable historians of ancient Greece, sums it up by saying, “There is certainly no evidence in the text of the Iliad that Achilles and Patroclus were lovers” (The Tribal Imagination: Civilization and the Savage Mind, pg. 223).
Did Patroclus go to the underworld?
Achilles would refuse to allow the body of Patroclus to be buried, and Thetis, the mother of Achilles, anointed the body with ambrosia to prevent it from decomposing. Eventually the ghost of Patroclus came to Achilles, to ask for proper funeral rites so that he might continue his journey in the Underworld.
Is Patroclus a boy?
Patroclus acted as a male role model for Achilles, as he was both older than Achilles and wise regarding counsel.
How is Patroclus related to the Trojan War?
To understand how Patroclus fits into the Iliad, it is important first to have some context for the Trojan War. In Greek mythology, the Trojan War was fought outside of the walls of the city of Troy between the Trojans and the Greeks.
What did Patroclus do with achilles’army?
So, Patroclus wore Achilles’ army and led the soldiers to battle successfully. However, he did not listen to Achilles’ advice to fall back once the Trojan army had been repelled; instead, he pursued them, killing many heroes that fought on the side of Troy.
Who was the Greek warrior who killed Patroclus?
And at Troy, Patroclus was killed by Hector, the greatest warrior on the Trojan side. Upon word of the death of Patroclus, Achilles finally agreed to fight with the Greeks.
Why was Patroclus important in Homer’s Iliad?
According to Ledbetter (1993), there is a train of thought that Patroclus could have been a representation of the compassionate side of Achilles, who was known for his rage, mentioned in the first line of Homer’s Iliad. Ledbetter connects the way that Achilles and his mother Thetis communicate to the communication between Achilles and Patroclus.