who was achilles?

Answer 1

You may have heard people saying that somebody has an 'Achilles heel', which means that they have a weak spot somewhere, either in their personality or their body. Where does that expression come from, and who was Achilles?

Achilles was the won of a woman called Thetis, who was told by the Fates, ancient Greek goddesses who controlled people's destiny, that her baby would die young. Thetis took the child and went to the river Styx, where she dipped the young Achilles into the water, which was supposed to make him impossible to wound. When she did this Thetis held her son by his heel, so that this part of his body was not protected as was the rest. Later, Achilles became one of the most famous of the Greek heroes, and was a warrior in the Trojan wars. During these wars, Achilles captured a girl named Briseis, who was taken away from him by the Greek leader Agamemnon. Achilles refused to fight any more for Agamemnon, but he lent his armour to his friend Patroclus, who led the Greek army in his place. The Trojan champion Hector killed Patroclus, and Achilles decided to seek revenge. He killed Hector and dragged his body round the tomb of Patroclus. Achilles was killed when Hector's brother Paris shot a poisoned arrow at him. It struck his heel, the part not protected by the water of the Styx, and Achilles died. The story of Trojan wars was told by a Roman poet called Virgil, in a long poem called the Aeneid, and it makes very good reading if you can find a translation of it

Answer 2

The greatest fighter in all of Greek mythology. Legen d has it that as a baby he was dipped in the river Styx being held up by one ankle. Normally the waters of the Styx would kill a mortal but this child was blessed by the gods. Still if he had not been held up by his ankle he would have surely drowned and nobody could have fished him out of the river. In the Trojan War he was the leader of a best fighters the Spartan's had. On the other side, Troy had Hector a great fighter and prince of Troy. Achilles did not relish this war falling in love with a preistess from Troy. He was ready to quit whrn one day Achilles' cousin dressed up in Achille's armor and lead Achilles' men into battle. Hector thinking Achilles was in the battle killed Achilles' cousin. Achilles angered challenged Hector to a dual and killed him, draging hector's body behind his chariot to insult all that would love Hector. Priam, Hectto's father begged Achilles to let him burn his son's body. Achilles agreed. Meanwhile, Agmemnon came up with an idea to pull back the Spartans and leave a gift for the Trojans, a giant Wooden Horse dedicated to the gods. After the funeral pyre, the Trojans spotted the Spartans were gone and the Horse was a gift and took the gift into the city walls. Achilles and other Spartans were in the horse. They attack the city opening the city gates and allowing in the returning Spartans that had laid just off the coast of the Island. A battle ensued and in that battle Achilles went to find his preistess and was shot in the ankle by Hector's brother killing Achilles. Earlier in his battles Achilles had killed another man blesed by the gods Memnon who was turned into a great bird of fire, like a phoenix by Jove. Achilles' ghost requested a sacrifice be made at his tomb to protect him for such a bird. It is said that no bird can fly therefore over Achilles's tomb. The term achilles heel refers to the weak point in anything.

Answer 3

In Greek mythology, Achilles, also Akhilleus or Achilleus (Ancient Greek Ἀχιλλεύς) was a hero of the Trojan War, the central character and greatest warrior of Homer's Iliad, which takes for its theme, not the War of Troy in its entirety, but specifically the Wrath of Achilles.

He is known for being the most handsome of the heroes assembled at Troy,[1] as well as the fleetest. Central to his myth is his love for his friend, Patroclus. For the relationship between the two, see Achilles and Patroclus

Answer 4

A Trojan soldier who was once loyal to the Roman Empire but later fought against them.

He got shot in the back of the ankle with an arrow (the achilles heel).

He fought for years to revenge Troy's persecution by the Romans. He did not succeed.


The movie Troy with Brad Pitt describes almost everything that the others described if you don't want to read a long novel.

His life was like a soap opera and a reality show combined in one. That's why it is called an epic.

Answer 5

In Greek mythology, Achilles, was a hero of the Trojan War, the central character and greatest warrior of Homer's Iliad, which takes for its theme, not the War of Troy in its entirety, but specifically the Wrath of Achilles.

He is known for being the most handsome of the heroes assembled at Troy,as well as the fleetest. Central to his myth is his love for his friend, Patroclus. in a nutshell he is character that cannot control his temper but was noble in other respects.

Answer 6

What was his last name man, there were too many Achilles in the world.

Answer 7

He was a real heel. Greek Legend: His mother was a goddess and she dipped him in a sacred stream to make him invincible. Only, where she held him by the back of his ankle, his body did not come in contact with the water. So, this part was vulnerable, hence the phrase "Achilles' Heel." It refers to our weakest point, whether physically or emotionally.

Answer 8

In Grek myth, Achilles was dipped by his mother in the river Styx, the river of the Underworld. This mad him invulnerable, except on his heel, where his mother held him. He was killed by an arrow shot into his heel.

Answer 9

Brad Pitt

Answer 10

Some believe he was half god and half human. He was a great fighter, didn't you see TROY?