Character profile for patroclus from the iliad page 1. This is a crucial book and a turning point because in it zeus sits idly by knowing his son sarpedon will be killed, and achilles friend patroclus is also killed. Achilles declines to fight but agrees to the exchange of armor, with the understanding that patroclus will fight only long enough to save the ships. Hector throws his spear, futilely, and asks deiphobus for another. Patrocl us killed many trojans and trojan allies, including a son of zeus, sarpedon. These words echo the words spoken about patroclus in book 16. Patroclus death in book 16 of the iliad vations in pursuit of his. Achilles best warrior and most heroic of the greeks, although he is sitting out the war. With his last breath, patroclus predicts to hector that achilles will kill him.
Even though patroklos is an important character in the iliad, homer gives little attention to him until the ninth book, and even then, the focus is not on patroklos himself, but on his relationship to achilles. This passage in book xvi foreshadowed how this grave mistake would lead to patroclus death. Telemachos arrives to find eumaios chatting with a beggar. Menelaus intends to strip him of his armor but apollo inspires hector in the shape of a trojan to stop. Murray 1 and the son of atreus, menelaus, dear to ares, failed not to mark that patroclus had been slain in battle by the trojans, but fared amid the foremost fighters, harnessed in flaming bronze, and bestrode the dead, as over a calf standeth lowing plaintively its mother, that hath brought forth her firstborn, ere then knowing naught of motherhood. Here, patroclus alludes to fated death by hectors hand, and hectors fated death by achilless hand. The iliad, a major founding work of european literature, is usually dated to around the 8th century bc, and attributed to homer. Murray 1 thus then they were warring around the wellbenched ship, but patroclus drew nigh to achilles, shepherd of the host, shedding hot tears, even as a fountain of dark water that down over the face of a beetling cliff poureth its dusky stream. Patroclus faces sarpedon, a trojan ally and a son of zeus, and eventually kills him. Patroclus clung to a foot and other fighters clashed, trojans, argives, all in a grueling, maiming onset. This lesson will summarize the events surrounding the heros end, and explain its significance for the epic as a whole.
Book 17, line 5 the trojan euphorbus comes to take the body but king menelaus will not yield. After agamemnon stole his war prize, briseis, achilles sat out the war until his beloved comrade patroclus was killed. Homer, iliad book 16 theoi classical texts library. Antilochus, whom you, achilles, honored above all your. Sent tumbling, patroclus is speared by the young trojan euphorbus. The armies fight over the body and armor of patroclus book 18. Great alexander loved hephaestion, the conquering hercules for hylas wept. And odyssey xxiv 7879 explicitly draws attention to antilochus status as closest friend to achilles after patroclus. Patroclus has just killed cebriones, the driver of hectors chariot. Hector, his attention focused on the fleeing horses of achilles, is made to look at the scene by apollo. Because of his overwhelming desire to take revenge for the many achaeans defeated in battle, patroclus failed to realize the accompanying consequences to. When antilochus brings word to achilles of patrocluss death, achilles loses control of himself. Do you think the simile homer uses for nestors state of mind is a good one.
During book 16 of the iliad the achaeans are pushed dangerously close to the coast by the trojan army. In the 16th book of homers iliad, zeus seems destined to fulfill his. This is when patroclus and hector are fighting over the corpse of cebriones. Summary and analysis of book 16 of homers iliad, with a focus on patroclus pride, lust for glory, and death. Furthermore, in odyssey xi 465470, when the ghost of achilles draws near to odysseus, 1112 it is accompanied by the shades both of patroclus and of antilochus. Noble achilles, the fleet of foot, saw and pitied him, and spoke to him with winged words. Patroclus in pursuance of the request of nestor in the eleventh book entreats achilles to suffer him to go to the assistance of the greeks with achilles troops and armour. Zeus knows that the death of patroclus will force achilles to fight for the greeks achaeansdanaansargives. So they fought to the death around that benched beaked ship as patroclus reached achilles, his great commander, and wept warm tears like a dark spring running down some desolate rock face, its shaded currents flowing.
Both tales involve the loss of someone near and dear to the hero patroclus and odysseus companions. Patroclus explains to achilles the carnage that surrounds him and begs his comrade to rejoin the fight. Read book 16 death of patroclus of the iliad by homer. And the brilliant runner achilles saw him coming, filled with pity and spoke out winging words. Achilles learns of the death of patroclus and receives a new suit of armor book 19. The iliad tells us that after trojan warrior hektor killed patroklos, achilleus swore revengekilling hektor, and thereby sealing his own doom. When telemachus reaches eumaeuss hut, he finds the swineherd talking with a stranger odysseus in disguise. It was at this time that patroclus seeks the aid of his dear friend achilles. Although he knows his death is imminent, achilles is determined to kill as many trojans as possible, including hector whom he blames for patroclus death. The essential pattern of the iliad is the same as that of the odyssey. This made achilles so angry, that he refused to rest until he had killed hector, and honored his friends death by solemn burial rites. Patroklos glory of the father, was the son of menoetius, grandson of actor, king of opus, and was achilles beloved cousin. But telemachus is afraid of what the suitors might do to them. Zeus knows that the death of patroclus will force achilles to fight for.
The fate of patroclus in the iliad of homer schoolworkhelper. He utters a terrible, wrenching cry so profound that thetis hears him and comes with her waternymph sisters from the ocean to learn what troubles. Achilles and patroclus are so emotionally close that patroclus. Eumaeus recounts odysseus s story and suggests that the stranger stay with telemachus at the palace. Hector is bold, telling patroclus as he kills him that here the vultures shall eat you. Hector taunts the fallen man, but with his dying words patroclus foretells hectors own death. Homer describes the heroic deeds of patroclus in book xviof the iliad, which is named patrokleia.
He weeps and beats the ground with his fists and covers his face with dirt. Well let me dienot without gloryin some great clash of arms that even men to come will hear of down the years. The death of patroclus is one of the most powerful scenes in homers iliad. As they fought on around the benched ship, patroclus, hot tears pouring down his face like a stream of dark water flowing in dusky streaks down the face of a sheer cliff, returned to achilles, leader of men. He and euphorbus trade insults, and menelaus reminds him that he killed euphorbus brother hyperenor. Patroclus loyal friend and companion of achilles in the trojan war. To learn more about this, check out our guide to the iliad. What happens in the sixteenth book of homers iliad. Achilles is vengeful when hearing about the death of patroclus and swears revenge on hector. Wyatt 1982, 260 suggests that ate is achilles throughout, because patroclus acts as an agent or surrogate of achilles ate. Patroclus borrows achilles armor, enters battle, kills sarpedon and then is killed by hector book 17. Books 1516 cliffsnotes study guides book summaries.
Each accepts the outcome of his life, yet, noone knows if the gods can alter fate. Samuel butlers translation of the iliad and odyssey. Homer, iliad book 17 theoi classical texts library. Learn vocabulary, terms, and more with flashcards, games, and other study tools. Patroclus is fought by apollo and a soldierhe is finally killed by hector. Meanwhile, patroclus goes to achilles tent and begs to be allowed to wear achilles armor if achilles still refuses to rejoin the battle himself. The first instance of this doubt occurs in book xvi. At that moment hector realizes his fate when he no longer sees deiphobus 350. The iliad book 16 death of patroclus american literature. Or do you weep for the argives, dying by the hollow ships, because of their.
Meanwhile, back in ithaka, penelopes suitors plot to ambush and kill telemachos when he returns home. Menelaus observes the death of patroclus and runs to guard his body like a mother cow lowing over a calf. He tells patroclus that achilles cannot save him now. Priam wept freely for man killing hector, throbbing, crouching before achilles feet as achilles wept himself, now for his father, now for patroclus once again and their sobbing rose and fell throughout the house. How can odysseus get away with speaking to agamemnon as he does. There is no dramatic character development, but one does see patroklos as a character perpetrates dramatic events and provides a. Here is alexander popes 16881744 translation from book xvi. Seeing patroclus about to kill sarpedon, his mortal son, zeus says. And overpowered by memory both men gave way to grief. It is an epic poem, written in ancient greek but assumed to be derived from earlier oral sources, and tells much of the story of the legendary trojan war between mainland greece and the city of troy in asia minor. Menelaus sees the death of patroclus, and he goes to defend the body.
Book 1 book 2 book 3 book 4 book 5 book 6 book 7 book 8 book 9 book 10 book 11 book 12 book book 14 book 15 book 16 book 17 book 18 book 19 book 20 book 21 book 22 book 23 book 24 themes all themes fate, the gods, and free will piety, customs, and justice cunning, disguise, and selfrestraint memory and grief glory and honor. So they fought to the death around that benched beaked ship as patroclus reached achilles, his great commander, and wept warm tears like a dark. The odyssey book 6 and the iliad book 16 were it not for. Zeus considers saving sarpedon from patroclus, but hera scolds him, telling zeus not to interfere in sarpedons mortal destiny. Euphorbus strikes at him and misses only to be killed by menelaus. He knows the chosen one and hes a boy just like himselfexcept hes golden and perfect, hes the star quidditch player and hes the most powerful and gifted wizard in history. Hector steals achilles armour from patroclus dead body and fighting develops around the corpse. Patroclus begs achilles to send him back to the war to help the achaeans. In fact, one rarely sees patroklos as an individual.