Akhilleus

Akhilleus is a central figure in Greek mythology, primarily known as the greatest warrior of the Achaeans in the Trojan War. His story is most famously told in Homer's Iliad, though his life and death are recounted in various other ancient texts.

According to legend, Akhilleus was the son of Peleus, a mortal king, and Thetis, a sea nymph. His mother, in an effort to make him immortal, is said to have dipped him in the River Styx. However, she held him by his heel, and this part of his body remained vulnerable. This "Achilles' heel" would later prove to be his undoing.

Akhilleus possessed exceptional strength, speed, and martial skill. He was a formidable force on the battlefield, inspiring awe in his allies and terror in his enemies. Throughout the Trojan War, he played a crucial role in many of the Achaeans' victories.

His wrath is a dominant theme in the Iliad. Early in the war, he withdraws from combat due to a dispute with Agamemnon, the Achaean commander, over a war prize named Briseis. His absence from the battlefield leads to significant losses for the Achaeans. It is only after the death of his beloved companion, Patroclus, at the hands of the Trojan prince Hector, that Akhilleus returns to the fight, driven by grief and a desire for revenge.

Akhilleus ultimately kills Hector in a climactic duel. However, his own end comes shortly thereafter. Various accounts describe his death, most commonly by an arrow shot by Paris, guided by the god Apollo, striking him in his vulnerable heel. His death marks a turning point in the Trojan War, with the eventual Achaean victory occurring after his demise.