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When the tide of the war turned against the Achaeans, Patroclus, disguised as Achilles and defying his orders to retreat in time, led the Myrmidons in battle against the Trojans and was eventually killed by the Trojan prince, Hector. Enraged by Patroclus's death, Achilles ended his refusal to fight, resulting in significant Greek victories.
His passion story is in many parts an adoption of the Passio of Symphorianus of Autun. [2] The "Passio sancti Patrocli Trecensis" attributes Patroclus's death to the Emperor Aurelian. When Patroclus refused to worship the Roman gods, the emperor ordered him taken to water and there beheaded, so that his body might not rest in peace on dry land.
Patroclus's shade is thus unable to pass into the underworld and is bound to the tomb. After the war, Thetis returns and grieves for Achilles. She and Patroclus share memories, and Thetis relents, writing Patroclus's name upon the tomb. Patroclus is now able to pass into the afterlife, where he and Achilles reunite.
Patroclus succeeds in pushing the Trojans back from the beaches, but is killed by Hector before he can lead a proper assault on the city of Troy. After receiving the news of the death of Patroclus from Antilochus, the son of Nestor, Achilles grieves over his beloved companion's death. His mother Thetis comes to comfort the distraught Achilles.
Achilles bandages the arm of Patroclus. The relationship between Achilles and Patroclus is a key element of the stories associated with the Trojan War.In the Iliad, Homer describes a deep and meaningful relationship between Achilles and Patroclus, where Achilles is tender toward Patroclus, but callous and arrogant toward others.
She has said that the scene in the play that shows Patroclus' death sparked her interest in telling his story and pushed her to start writing. [4] Prior to this moment, she already had a deep interest in Greek mythology and classics. Her mother, a librarian, started reading her The Iliad at five years old and she started learning Latin at 11. [4]
Here, Patroclus alludes to his fated death by Hector's hand and to Hector's fated death by Achilles's hand. Each accepts the outcome of his life, yet no one knows if the gods can alter fate. The first instance of this doubt occurs in Book 16. Seeing Patroclus about to kill Sarpedon, his mortal son, Zeus says:
Antilochus was distinguished for his beauty, swiftness of foot, and skill as a charioteer. Though the youngest among the Greek princes, he commanded the Pylians in the war and performed many deeds of valour. He was a favorite of the gods and a friend of Achilles, to whom he was commissioned to announce the death of Patroclus. [4]