Akhilleus (or Achilles) was the best Greek warrior there has ever been. He was the first to bear the gift of the River Styx. Also he was one of the heroes of the Trojan War. Akhilleus is a Greek spelling for Achilles . The only person second to Achilles is Diomedes who had all the qualities of a hero.
Mythology
Before Akhilleus was born, his mother, Thetis, foresaw that he would either have a long and boring life or a short life but he would be remembered for the centuries to come. Of course Thetis preferred the former option and so she decided to dress him as a girl so he wouldn't have to go and fight in the Trojan War. But that day came and Odysseus tricked Akhilleus by laying many gifts in front of the women in the group. Akhilleus was the only one that picked up the sword proving he was male. Akhilleus claimed wouldn't go to war, yet Agamemnon persuaded him to. Upon reaching the battle in Troy, he was one of the best soldiers ever seen.
Several years later Akhilleus got into a fight with Agamemnon and refused to continue fighting. Agamemnon became outraged, and took a woman named Khryseis as his slave. Her father, Khryses, a priest of Apollo, begged him to return his daughter. Agamemnon refused and Apollo sent a plague upon the Greeks. Kalchas, a prophet, who knew what was happening, but he refused to speak unless Akhilleus promised to protect him. Akhilleus promised and he said that Khryseis must be returned to her father. Agamemnon agreed but said that Akhilleus' battle prize, Briseis, must take her place. Akhilleus got angry at Agamemnon and he refused to fight or lead troops with the Greeks again.
Akhilleus prayed to his mother to ask Zeus to shift power to the Trojans and Zeus did as he was asked. Word got around to Agamemnon about this so he sent Odysseus, Ajax, and Phoenix to offer to give Briseis and other gifts back to Akhilleus. Akhilleus refused and told the Greeks to sail home.
The Trojans pushed the Greek army back and attacked the Greek ships on the beaches. Akhilleus' cousin, Patroclus led the Greeks and fought the Trojans back from the beach, but he was killed by Hector in the fight. He was going to commit suicide but his companions stopped him. Thetis then made Hephaistos make him new armor and she sent it down to him. Akhilleus then forgave Agamemnon for everything that he had done.
Akhilleus then led the Greeks full force on the Trojans. He killed many of them and overfilled a river of dead Trojan soldier bodies. Even with all these kills, Akhilleus wanted to kill one more person, Hector. The Trojans ran for the city but Hector stood up to Akhilleus. The two had a great fight but Akhilleus defeated Hector. Akhilleus then tied Hector's body to his chariot and dragged him around the walls of Troy seven times defiling and desecrating the body. Hector's father begged Akhilleus to have his body back for a proper burial. In the end paying Akhilleus a ransom for the body. Aphrodite used her brand of magic to restore the body to the form it was before Akilleus desecrated it
Paris came to the field where Akhilleus was and shot an arrow at him. The arrow was guided by Apollo and it struck him in his one weak place - his heel.
Parents
Children
- Neoptolemus (Son)
- Pyrrhus (Son)
Cousin
- Patroklus (Cousin)
