The greatest warrior of the Trojan War, nearly invulnerable except for one heel – Achilles is the hero of Homer's Iliad and a timeless symbol of courage, glory and fate. Here is his story.
Who was Achilles?
Achilles was the son of the mortal king Peleus and the sea goddess Thetis, and the greatest of the Greek heroes who fought at Troy. Swift-footed, fearless and proud, he led the Myrmidons, the fiercest warriors of the Greek army. In art he is a young warrior in a crested helmet and bronze armour, carrying a great spear and the magnificent shield forged for him by Hephaestus.
The heel of Achilles
Thetis wanted to make her son immortal. According to a famous later legend, she dipped the baby into the river Styx, whose waters made him invulnerable – everywhere except the heel by which she held him. This is the origin of the expression "Achilles' heel", meaning a single fatal weakness. Achilles was raised and trained by the wise centaur Chiron, who taught him hunting, music and medicine.
A short, glorious life
A prophecy offered Achilles a choice: a long, peaceful life in obscurity, or a short life with eternal glory. Thetis tried to hide him among the daughters of a king, dressed as a girl, but Odysseus discovered him by placing weapons among gifts – Achilles alone reached for the sword. He chose glory and sailed for Troy.
The wrath of Achilles
The Iliad begins with "the wrath of Achilles". After a quarrel with King Agamemnon, Achilles withdrew from the fighting, and the Greeks suffered heavy losses. Only when his beloved companion Patroclus was killed by the Trojan prince Hector did Achilles return to battle in new armour made by Hephaestus. He killed Hector in single combat, but later, moved by the pleas of Hector's father, King Priam, returned the body for burial – one of the most moving scenes in literature.
Death and immortality
Achilles' fate was sealed. The Trojan prince Paris, guided by the god Apollo, shot an arrow that struck him in the heel, and the great hero fell. But he won the glory he had chosen: his name has lived for nearly three thousand years, and his tomb near Troy was visited by Alexander the Great.
Achilles in art and in your home
Achilles represents courage, strength, loyalty and the pursuit of excellence. A statue of Achilles is a powerful piece for a study, office or home gym, and a meaningful gift for athletes, soldiers, coaches and anyone facing a great challenge. Look for him in full armour with spear and shield, or in the heroic pose of the famous Achilles monuments.
Related gods
Read the stories of Hephaestus, who forged his armour, Apollo, who guided the fatal arrow, and Athena, who fought for the Greeks. Browse all the gods and heroes in our Greek Mythology collection.
