Character analysis
Achilles
in The Iliad by Homer
Achilles stands as the greatest Greek warrior and the main character of the Iliad, with his wrath (mēnis) fueling the entire narrative. The poem begins with his furious dispute with Agamemnon over Briseis, a captive woman. When Agamemnon takes her as compensation for returning Chryseis, Achilles decides to withdraw from battle completely, a choice that leads to devastating consequences for the Greeks. His pride is immense—he prefers to die young with lasting glory rather than live a long life in obscurity—but this same pride makes him inflexible.
The turning point in his story comes with the death of Patroclus, his dearest friend. Patroclus borrows Achilles' armor and is killed by Hector. This grief and guilt shatter Achilles' withdrawal; he reenters the fight, now fueled by an outward rage. He slaughters Trojans without mercy, kills Hector in a duel, and then drags Hector's body around Patroclus' funeral pyre—actions that violate even the standards of heroism.
The epic reaches its moral high point when the elderly Priam visits Achilles' tent to plead for Hector's body. Touched by Priam's bravery and reminded of his own father Peleus, Achilles weeps with him, returns the body, and agrees to a truce—a moment of shared humanity that redeems his earlier brutality. Thus, Achilles embodies both the ideal warrior and a cautionary tale about uncontrolled pride: brilliant, deadly, compassionate, and self-destructive, fully aware of his impending death yet unable to choose a different path.
Connected characters
- Agamemnon
Their quarrel in Book 1—over Briseis and questions of honor (timē)—ignites the entire plot. Agamemnon's arrogance and Achilles' pride clash irreconcilably; Achilles' withdrawal is a direct act of defiance against Agamemnon's authority as commander-in-chief, and their eventual, tense reconciliation in Book 19 comes too late to undo the devastation caused.
- Patroclus
Patroclus is Achilles' dearest companion and the emotional core of his humanity. Achilles permits Patroclus to fight in his armor to save the Greeks, but Patroclus is killed by Hector. This loss transforms Achilles' inward wrath into outward, grief-fueled vengeance and propels the final third of the epic.
- Hector
Achilles' great antagonist and mirror. Both are supreme warriors devoted to glory and family, yet they fight on opposite sides. Achilles pursues and kills Hector in Book 22 to avenge Patroclus, then dishonors the corpse—an act that defines the limits of heroic conduct and is ultimately corrected in Book 24.
- Priam
In Book 24, Priam's nocturnal visit to ransom Hector's body produces the epic's most humanizing scene. Priam invokes Achilles' own father Peleus; Achilles weeps, returns the body, and grants a truce. This encounter marks Achilles' moral transformation from savage avenger to a man capable of compassion.
- Zeus
At Achilles' request, his divine mother Thetis petitions Zeus to punish the Greeks for Agamemnon's insult. Zeus agrees, setting the plot in motion. Achilles thus operates partly as an instrument of divine will, his fate—early death, eternal glory—sealed by the gods' design.
- Odysseus
Odysseus leads the embassy in Book 9 that attempts to lure Achilles back with lavish gifts. Achilles famously rejects the offer with a speech questioning the entire heroic value system, revealing his deep disillusionment. Their contrasting heroic styles—Achilles' absolute valor vs. Odysseus' cunning pragmatism—highlight each man's character.
- Helen
Helen is the war's root cause, making her indirectly responsible for the conflict in which Achilles will die. Though they share no direct scenes, her presence frames the entire war's purpose and underscores the tragic cost of the Greek expedition that claims Achilles' life.
- Paris
Paris's abduction of Helen initiated the war that will kill Achilles. Though they do not meet prominently in the surviving text, tradition—referenced obliquely in the Iliad—holds that Paris's arrow, guided by Apollo, will deliver Achilles' death, making Paris the instrument of his fated end.
Key quotes
“Always be the best, my boy, the bravest, and hold your head up high above the others.”
Peleus (recalled by Achilles)Book 11 (also echoed in Book 6)
Analysis
This line is spoken by Peleus, Achilles' father, as recalled by Achilles during a heated moment in Book 11 of Homer's Iliad. He reflects on the parting advice his father gave him when he headed to Troy — a summary of the Greek heroic code (aristeia): always aim to be the best (aristeuein) and outshine all rivals in bravery and glory (kleos). This advice highlights a key tension throughout the epic: Achilles is compelled by the need to excel, but the poem questions the price of that ambition. His quest for ultimate honor results in his withdrawal from battle, the death of Patroclus, and ultimately, his own tragic fate. By presenting this maxim as a father's guidance to his son, Homer connects the heroic ideal to family responsibilities and societal expectations, making it both personal and culturally significant. The quote is crucial thematically because it positions aristeia — individual excellence in combat — as the highest value in the Homeric world, while the story simultaneously shows how this very value can lead to the downfall of those who embody it most fully.
“Whoever obeys the gods, to him they particularly listen.”
AchillesBook 1
Analysis
This line is spoken by Achilles in Book 1 of Homer's Iliad, during a heated clash with Agamemnon over the captive Briseis. When Agamemnon threatens to take away Achilles' war prize, Achilles almost draws his sword, but the goddess Athena — unseen by everyone else — intervenes and holds him back. After taking her divine advice to heart, Achilles reflects on the bond between mortals and gods. This quote captures one of the Iliad's key themes: the gods do care about human actions, and showing piety — through obedience and respect — brings divine attention and favor. It also hints at the larger struggle in the epic between human pride (hubris) and divine authority. Achilles himself represents this contradiction: a hero of remarkable strength who is still bound by fate and the decisions of Olympus. The line acts as a moral guideline early in the poem, reminding both the characters and the audience that surrendering to divine order, no matter how challenging, holds its own form of strength and reciprocity.
“Hateful to me as the gates of Hades is that man who hides one thing in his heart and speaks another.”
AchillesBook 9
Analysis
This line is spoken by Achilles in Book 9 of Homer's Iliad, during the Embassy scene when Odysseus, Ajax, and Phoenix come to his tent to convince him to return to battle. Achilles directs these words towards Odysseus, known for his persuasive skills, but the statement also serves as a broad moral declaration. After Agamemnon dishonored him, Achilles has stepped back from the war and embraced a fierce honesty. He rejects the gifts and flattery offered by the delegation, insisting he will speak plainly and expects the same honesty in return. Thematically, this quote highlights a key tension in the Iliad: the clash between heroic forthrightness and political manipulation. Achilles embodies a strict warrior code where words align with actions and personal truth, while Odysseus represents strategic communication and persuasion. Additionally, this line hints at Achilles' tragic isolation—his unwillingness to engage in the social compromises of war ultimately leads to Patroclus' death. It stands as one of the most powerful statements from antiquity on integrity and the moral implications of language.
“We men are wretched things, and the gods, who have no cares themselves, have woven sorrow into the very pattern of our lives.”
AchillesBook 24
Analysis
This line is spoken by Achilles to Priam in Book 24 of Homer's Iliad, marking one of the most emotionally intense moments in the entire epic. Priam, under divine protection, has entered the Greek camp to plead for the return of his son Hector's body. In this moment, both enemies — each overwhelmed by grief — experience a profound sense of human connection. Achilles, who has just lost his dear friend Patroclus and knows that his own death is imminent, reflects on the shared fate of all mortals. This statement captures one of the Iliad's core themes: the vast, indifferent divide between gods and humans. The gods in Homer's world are immortal, carefree, and often cruel, while humans are marked by suffering, loss, and mortality. By recognizing their shared anguish, Achilles moves beyond his rage (menis) — the very force that started the epic — and finds compassion. The image of sorrow being "woven into the pattern" of human life also calls to mind the Fates and their loom, emphasizing that suffering is not random but an inherent part of mortal existence. This line stands as one of literature's earliest and most powerful reflections on the human condition.