Achillies Lamenting the Death of Patroclus

Gavin Hamilton (1723-1798) - Oil on Canvas - c. 1760 Achilles and Pactroclus' Story was first written in c. 800 BCE, by the poet Homer. The story describes the journey of Patroclus who fought for the Greeks in the Trojan War. Patroclus wore the armour of Achilles to aid in the war, which eventually succeeded in the effort to push the Trojan army back to the gates of Troy. In this battle, Patroclus killed Sarpedon, a son of Zeus. Before the Greek army could return home, Patroclus was killed by Hector, a Trojan soldier, who believed that Patroclus was Achilles because of his armour. When the news of Patroclus' death reached Achilles, Homer wrote that Achilles' lamenting was so gut-wrenching, that people were on watch, with fear that he would take his own life. Achilles then set out to kill Homer himself to avenge Patroclus, and was killed by Homer's brother, Paris, via an arrow in his heel, hence the phrase 'Achilles' Heel'. There are many people and pieces of media that believe that the two men were in a romantic relationship, including Plato, one of the most well known philosophers of all time, and all the way up to the 2022 book 'The Song of Achilles' which is a retelling of the Trojan war in which Patroclus and Achilles are in a relationship.