Achilles et Briseis

Achilles: Parvus puer

• Achilles was the son of Peleus, king of the Myridimons, and Thetis, a sea nymph. Thetis dipped Achilles in the river Styx so that he would become immortal, but no water touched his heel.

• [There are, however, other theories of his nearly complete immortality.]

The Fate of Achilles

• When Achilles was only nine years old, Calchas, an oracle, foresaw that Troy could not be conquered without the help of Achilles.

Calchas

Worries of Thetis

• Thetis knew that if her son went to war he would be killed. She tried to disguise him, and dressed him as a girl and sent him to Lycomedes. Achilles only went along with this because he wanted to get closer to Deidamia, Lycomedes’ daughter.

Achilles and the Trojan War

• Odysseus revealed Achilles’ true identity, and Achilles was sent to war despite his mother’s efforts. He left his new, pregnant, wife, Deidamia,

at home.

Briseis: Parva Puella

• Briseis was the daughter of Briseus. She grew up in Lyrnessus, which is in Asia Minor. Eventually she

married Mynes.

Achilles Meets Briseis

• Achilles killed Mynes and Briseis’ brothers, and won Briseis for a war prize. In spite of killing her kin, Achilles and Briseis fell in love.

Agamemnon vs. Achilles

• Agamemnon and Achilles harbored animosity for each other after Achilles commented on a threat Agamemnon gave. (for more information see http://homepage.mac.com/cparada/GML/Achilles.html)

• At this Agamemnon told Achilles that he would take Briseis.

Achilles and Athena

• Furious, Achilles contemplated killing Agamemnon, but Athena arrived and interrupted his thoughts. She grabbed his hair and assuaged his anger.

Agamemnon takes Briseis

• Agamemnon sent servants to bring Briseis back to him, just as he said. Achilles could not help but be enraged.

Thetis Prays to Zeus

• Thetis, knowing her son’s torture, prayed to Zeus asking for compensation.

• "Avenge my son, Olympian Zeus, lord of counsel; and give might to the Trojans, until the Achaeans

pay him due respect, and magnify him with recompense." (Thetis to Zeus. Homer, Iliad 1.507).

Agamemnon “Apologizing”

• Agamemnon, due to the increasingly threatening Trojans, decided to try to pacify Achilles by offering various things, including Briseis, whom he said he had not touched.

Achilles Refuses

• Achilles didn’t accept anything Agamemnon offered, including Briseis, because he decided nothing he could offer would be sufficient.

Achilles and Patroclus

• Achilles agreed to send his good friend, Patroclus, to defend in the battle, during which, Patroclus was killed by Hector. Achilles decided that his friends death must be avenged.

Achilles in Preparation

• Achilles informs his mother of his plan and she decides to get him armour from Hephaestus, aware of his upcoming demise.

• While his mother is getting his armour, Achilles reconciles with Agamemnon, but again accepts no gifts, including Briseis.

Achilles vs. Hector

• Achilles receives the armour his mother got him and immediately found and killed Hector.

Achilles’ Death

• Shortly after Hector’s death came that of Achilles. Some people say both Paris and Apollo killed Achilles, and others say it was only Apollo. Cause of death: an arrow to his heel.

Sources:

• http://farm1.static.flickr.com/25/90210624_1f1222b00f_o.jpg

• http://homepage.mac.com/cparada/GML/Achilles.html

• http://homepage.mac.com/cparada/GML/Briseis.html

• http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/90/Carracci_Achille_et_Briseis.jpg

• &c.