Zeus knows that the death of patroclus will force achilles to fight for the greeks achaeansdanaansargives. He was praying for his own death, his dreadful fate. There is no dramatic character development, but one does see patroklos as a character perpetrates dramatic events and. Patroclus, with achilles permission, then dons achilles armor and leads. What was achilless reaction to patrocluss death in the iliad. The sixth battle, the acts and death of patroclus patroclus asks a favor of achilles, who is still absent from the battle. When he discovers he has killed the wrong man, hector seems to glory over achilles, suggesting that achilles was not powerful enough to protect patroclus book 16. Achilleus makes fun of him for crying, but patroklos defends himself. Summary of iliad book xvi this is a crucial book and a turning point because in it zeus sits idly by knowing his son sarpedon will be killed, and achilles friend patroclus is also killed. In the 16th book of homers iliad, zeus seems destined to fulfill his promise to achilles mother, thetis, to give glory to achilles. He utters a terrible, wrenching cry so profound that thetis hears him and comes with her waternymph sisters from the ocean to learn what troubles. When antilochus brings word to achilles of patrocluss death, achilles loses control of himself.
So they fought to the death around that benched beaked ship as patroclus reached achilles, his great commander, and wept warm tears like a dark spring running down some desolate rock face, its shaded currents flowing. Achilles follows the trojans into the river, hacking them to pieces with his sword. He agrees to it, hut at the same time charges him to content himself with rescuing the fleet, without farther pursuit of the enemy. In fact, one rarely sees patroklos as an individual. The seventh battle, for the body of patroclus the acts of menelaus the trojans and greeks fight over patroclus body. So they fought to the death around that benched beaked ship as patroclus reached achilles, his great commander. He weeps and beats the ground with his fists and covers his face with dirt. The god apollo sides with the trojans, like zeus, and steps in to stop patroclus, who is wounded. Character profile for patroclus from the iliad page 1.
In book 16 of the iliad, patroclus asks achilles if he can borrow his armor to join in the fighting and drive the trojans away from the greek ships. Read book 16 death of patroclus of the iliad by homer. Patroclus, wherefore dost thou prophesy for me sheer destruction. Read about how death is described in the iliad, plus the names of the combatants and types of death described in homers great epic of the trojan war. The death of patroclus in the iliad full free lesson. Hector sees this move, advances, and putting a spear through patroclus belly, kills him. Revisiting the apostrophes to patroclus in iliad 16 chs. Patroclus simple english wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. Achilles declines to fight but agrees to the exchange of armor, with the understanding that patroclus will fight only long enough to save the ships. Patroclus was enraged by the death of his comrade, and sped through the front ranks as swiftly as a hawk that swoops down on a flock of daws or starlings. Read powerpoints on achilles in books 118 and the homeric gods.
May 11, 2019 no two death scenes are exactly alike in the iliad, but a pattern is apparent. Patroclus faces sarpedon, a trojan ally and a son of zeus, and eventually kills him. Apr 30, 2016 patroclus in pursuance of the request of nestor in the eleventh book entreats achilles to suffer him to go to the assistance of the greeks with achilles troops and armour. He tells off achilleus for being a jerk, and asks for permission to lead the myrmidons into battleas nestor suggested back in book 11. Murray 1 and the son of atreus, menelaus, dear to ares, failed not to mark that patroclus had been slain in battle by the trojans, but fared amid the foremost fighters, harnessed in flaming bronze, and bestrode the dead, as over a calf standeth lowing plaintively its mother, that hath brought forth her firstborn, ere then knowing naught of. Zeus considers saving sarpedon from patroclus, but hera scolds him, telling zeus not to interfere in sarpedons mortal destiny.
Murray 1 and the son of atreus, menelaus, dear to ares, failed not to mark that patroclus had been slain in battle by the trojans, but fared amid the foremost fighters, harnessed in flaming bronze, and bestrode the dead, as over a calf standeth lowing plaintively its mother, that hath brought forth her firstborn, ere then knowing naught of motherhood. Tragically, patroclus is begging for his own death. This lesson will summarize the events surrounding the heros end, and explain its significance for the epic as a whole. Thoughout the whole book, zeus outlines the rest of the iliad and beyond, predicting even the eventual fall of troy, which occurs after the end of the poem. As the fight continues, patroclus come to achilles in tears.
Achilles asks him about everything apart from the battle. Even so swiftly, o noble knight patroclus, did you make straight for the lycians and trojans to avenge your comrade. This made achilles so angry, that he refused to rest until he had killed hector, and honored his friends death by solemn burial rites. How well does patroclus s rampage in book 16 of the iliad fit the typical pattern of an aristeia. Achilles singlehandedly splits the trojan forces, driving one half towards the city and one half into the river. Patroclus, wherefore dost thou prophesy for me sheer.
Diomed, ulysses, agamemnon, eurypylus are all injured. Patroklos glory of the father, was the son of menoetius, grandson of actor, king of opus, and was achilles beloved cousin. Homer, iliad book 17 theoi classical texts library. Sep 18, 2011 hector taunts the fallen man, but with his dying words patroclus foretells hectors own death. Litcharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in the iliad, which you can use to track the themes throughout the work. That by your spear this town of the gifted trojans. Euphorbus attempts to strip patroclus armor, but menelaus kills him. Patroclus is slain, but not before telling hector of his own dire fate. The iliad summary in the tenth year of the trojan war, tensions are running high among the achaians a superancient name for the ancient greeks.
As they fought on around the benched ship, patroclus, hot tears pouring down his face like a stream of dark water flowing in dusky streaks down the face of a sheer cliff, returned to achilles, leader of men. Learn vocabulary, terms, and more with flashcards, games, and other study tools. Thus disguised, he encourages the two aeantes great ajax and little ajax, when they are named as a pair and gives them new strength before he flies away. The sixth battle, the acts and death of patroclus the iliad. Hera sends a mist to confuse and slow the retreat of the men going back towards the city.
So patroclus made his request, fool that he was, for his own doom and an evil death were the. Hector taunts the fallen man, but with his dying words patroclus foretells hectors own death. Now save the ships, the rising fires restrain, and give the greeks to visit greece again. Meanwhile, patroclus goes to achilles tent and begs to be allowed to wear achilles armor if achilles still refuses to rejoin the battle himself. Throughout the iliad, gods and goddesses intervene in the action, and this scene is no exception. This description of ajaxs incredible defense makes for one of the iliads most memorable images. When sending patroclus off to battle, achilles makes the shocking statement that he would be happy if. In the tenth year of the trojan war, tensions are running high among the achaians a superancient name for the ancient greeks.
At the end of book 16, hector kills patroclus, fulfilling zeus prophecy. This is a crucial book and a turning point because in it zeus sits idly by knowing his son sarpedon will be killed, and achilles friend patroclus is also killed. First, the priest chryses comes to ask their leader, king agamemnon, to release his daughter, whom agamemnon was holding captive. The iliad of homer popebook 16 wikisource, the free. Homer, iliad book 16 theoi classical texts library. Poseidon comes down to the battlefield and takes the form of calchas the seer. Furthermore, in odyssey xi 465470, when the ghost of achilles draws near to odysseus, 1112 it is accompanied by the shades both of patroclus. The most common elements are 1 the attack when a weapon strikes a victim causing a fatal injury, 2 a description of the victim, and 3 a description of the death. As a compromise, zeus decides to send his body home intact after patroclus kills.
An example can be derived from a passage in book xvi from apollo to patroclus, fall back zeus descended patroclus. The acts and death of patroclus patroclus in pursuance of the request of nestor in the eleventh book entreats achilles to suffer him to go to the assistance of the greeks with achilles troops and armour. When antilochus brings word to achilles of patroclus s death, achilles loses control of himself. The death of patroclus is a pivotal moment in homers iliad. Finally, because of patroclus inferiority to achilles in battle, he was responsible for his own death.
After leading the greeks in battle against the trojans, disguised in the armor of the great greek hero achilles, patroclus is killed by the warrior hector, fulfilling a prophecy made by the god zeus. For a description of the chimera and the story of its death at the hands of bellerophon, see iliad, book 6. Sent tumbling, patroclus is speared by the young trojan euphorbus. Revisiting the apostrophes to patroclus in iliad 16. Battles over fallen comrades become more significant in book 16. Patroclus s aristeia, or best work, in battle contains most of the typical features of the form. The iliad by homer book 16 knowitall to knownothing. Menelaus, fighting nearby, watches the death of patroclus. Murray 1 thus then they were warring around the wellbenched ship, but patroclus drew nigh to achilles, shepherd of the host, shedding hot tears, even as a fountain of dark water that down over the face of a beetling cliff poureth its dusky stream. Quotes about the death of patroclus from the iliad. The iliad book 16 death of patroclus american literature. Books 1516 book 15 marks the beginning of the end for hector and the trojans, who have reached the height of their power and now face a downhill slope. The sixth battle, the acts and death of patroclus, the iliad, lit2go edition, 1899, accessed april 28, 2020.
The desire to protect sarpedons body motivates hector to return to battle where hector and patroclus face off in a literal tugofwar over the body of hectors driver. Patroclus adds that achilles will soon kill hector. This is one of the few times when this happens, and it is interesting that hektor says it out of excitement wanting the moment to last forever instead of despair at a moment passing. The death of patroclus is one of the most powerful scenes in homers iliad. Euphorbus, the trojan who first speared him, tries to strip him of achilles armor but is killed by menelaus. And the brilliant runner achilles saw him coming, filled with pity and spoke out winging words. Achilles agrees but tells patroclus he should only drive the trojans back from the ships, not follow them to troy. He tells patroclus that achilles cannot save him now. He was the son of menoetius, and is most famous as being the dear companion of achilles during the trojan war, achilles refuses to fight after a quarrel with agamemnon, leader of the greek forces. Dec 31, 2018 throughout the iliad, gods and goddesses intervene in the action, and this scene is no exception. He agrees to it, hut at the same time charges him to content. And to him even in his death spake glorious hector. Patroclus eventually wins these faceoffs and gains the glory of stripping the bodies of armor. Achilleus agrees, and tells patroklos to take his armor.
Book 16 meanwhile, patroclus goes to achilles tent and begs to be allowed to wear achilles armor if achilles still refuses to rejoin the battle himself. True, he avenges his death by precipitating patroclus, death. He predicts that his death will mean the destruction of troy. Zeuss speech makes it clear to the reader that a predestined. The fate of patroclus in the iliad of homer schoolworkhelper. With patroclus in the lead, the achaeans slaughter the trojans in the trench.
Fighting for the body, patroclus charges the trojans force repeatedly and kills many men, but on his fourth charge apollo knocks patroclus over from behind. Even though patroklos is an important character in the iliad, homer gives little attention to him until the ninth book, and even then, the focus is not on patroklos himself, but on his relationship to achilles. Mueller convincingly demonstrated that the poet makes us view the scene of patroclus terrifying death. Summary and analysis of book 16 of homers iliad, with a focus on patroclus pride, lust for glory, and death. Pitted against fate, even the king of gods appears impotent. It is a curious fact about the iliad that, for all its focus on the theme of death, it rarely shows characters longing for immortality. Antilochus can hardly be a homeric invention based on patroclus if the tradition of his own death is presupposed by iliad viii. The iliad cliffsnotes study guides book summaries, test. Patroclus killed many trojans and trojan allies, including a son of zeus, sarpedon. Jul, 2016 summary and analysis of book 16 of homers iliad, with a focus on patroclus pride, lust for glory, and death. Noble achilles, the fleet of foot, saw and pitied him, and spoke to him with winged words. Hector, spurred on by apollo, sees euphorbuss fall and comes to help.
1017 793 874 375 310 276 924 1009 419 1414 769 818 1234 772 187 144 910 24 896 161 1271 1337 925 1250 120 1142 66 762 481 709 706 1176 515 618 130 1131 1134 1071 298 1235 264