Achille

Achille is the French and Italian form of Achilles, the central hero of Greek mythology and the Trojan War. The name derives from the Greek Akhilleus, though the exact etymology is debated and various interpretations exist.

In myth, Achilles is the son of Peleus, a mortal king, and Thetis, a sea-nymph. To render him invulnerable, Thetis dipped him in the River Styx, but she held him by the heel, leaving that spot vulnerable. He grows into the Greeks’ greatest warrior, leading the Myrmidons and renowned for speed, skill, and strength. His early story includes a dispute with Agamemnon that leads him to withdraw from battle, a decision whose consequences the Greeks feel until the death of Patroclus compels him to return to combat. Achilles then kills many Trojans, including Hector, becoming the war’s premier champion.

Achilles’ death occurs during the Trojan War when he is struck in the heel by an arrow—commonly said to be guided by the gods, often attributed to Paris. In some versions the arrow’s origin or guidance varies, but the heel remains his one fatal vulnerability. His death alters the war’s course, and his funeral rites are described in later traditions; his armor is sometimes said to be awarded to Odysseus.

Achilles has left a lasting imprint on culture as a symbol of extraordinary prowess paired with a single point of weakness. The name Achille continues to be used as a given name in French and Italian contexts, and the figure remains a frequent subject of literature, art, and scholarship.