All's well...

The wrath of Achilles was finally ended. He could, alas, not escape fate. Hektor's brother Paris, the one who started this whole mess in the first place, sought revenge for the destruction of his city. With the aid of Apollo, Paris was able to slay the hero of the Greeks.

I'm just going to leave this here. --H.

Iliad 22-24

While the rest of the Trojans cower inside the walls of Troy, Hektor must face what the Fates have decreed for him. Though his parents beg him to run from the fight, Hektor's pride will not allow him to stand down from the great Achilles.

The battle begins, but Hektor's nerves get the better of him for a moment, and he races around the walls of his city. But one cannot outrun Fate, and eventually he must face Achilles. Finally, Zeus' scales settle, and Hektor's is lower. The fated time of his death has arrived.

Both men throw spears, but neither one hits its mark. Achilles straight flying spear is no match for his own, stolen armor, which cannot be pierced. Still, as talented as My son is, there is a flaw in his armor. Thus Achilles exploited the same flaw that lead the the death of his beloved Patroclus. His spear drove into the weak spot 'where the collar-bones hold the neck from the soldiers, the throat, where death of the soul comes most swiftly." (22:324-325) Hektor's dying words are a request for Achilles to allow him a proper burial, but Achilles wrath has not yet abated and he swears to let the dogs feast on his body. The desecration is witnessed by all of Troy, by his parents and by his wife.

The silly mortals have left out all references to Us, but Brad Pitt sure is pretty.

While the Trojans mourn their prince, the Achaians gather to mourn their losses. Achilles continues to refuse to eat, until the ghost of gentle Patroclus returns to beg for a proper funeral so that he might move on to the Elysian Fields. This visit finally breaks Achilles from his black mood, and he gifts Patroclus with a beautiful funeral, burning his body, burying his bones, and offering 12 captured Trojans as a sacrifice. The next day, the victorious Greeks hold day of games in his honor.

The wrath of Achilles has not fully abated, and he continues to taunt the Trojans with the broken body of Hektor. Poseidon, Athene and I delight in this, Paris deserves to witness the downfall of the greatest of his city. But the other Gods  have tired of Achilles mocking, and send Thetis to finally recover Hektor's body. Priam goes to the Greek camp with a wagon of treasure for ransom. Achilles still hesitates. Priam asks him to remember his father. This is the convincing that Achilles needs, and he returns the corpse of the prince of Troy to his father.

The wrath of Achilles has finally abated.

H.

Iliad 19-21

Thetis, mother of the great Achilles, brings him the armor made by my son, Hephaistos, and promises to watch over the body of gentle Patroclus while Achilles avenges the death of his friend. Achilles and Agamemnon reconcile, and Agamemnon gifts Achilles with the boons he promised earlier. He also returns the wife of Achilles, Briseis, to him.

Painter, Brygos. Briseis and Phoenix. ca. 490 BCE. Musee du Louvre, Paris.

Achilles is itching to go to battle to avenge his friend. Odysseus insists that the troops be allowed to rest and nourish themselves, but Achilles is too overwrought to eat. He instead continues to mourn gentle Patroclus. Zeus himself was struck by the sadness of Achilles, and entreated Athene to provide him with nourishment of the gods, ambrosia and nectar. As he arms for battle, I lent My voice to his great warhorse, Xanthos, and reminded him that "We shall still keep you safe for this time, O hard Achilleus. And yet the day of your death is near, but it is now We who are to blame but a great god and powerful Destiny". (19: 407-410)

Still Achilles was insistent on riding out against the Trojans. While previously Zeus had warned Us about interfering, now he was worried that the menis of Achilles would prove too great and bring the fall of Troy before its preordained time. We were again allowed to enter the fray; Athene, Poseidon, Hermes, My son Hephaistos, and I for the Greeks; Ares, Artemis, that ninny Aphrodite and Leto for the Trojans.

And so Gods fought Gods while Greeks fought Trojans. And fought well the mortals did, so much so that We decided to sit and watch the carnage and only involve ourselves if the other side interferes. 

Achilles and Aineias begin to fight, and Achilles is clearly winning the battle. Then Poseidon, the Earth Shaker, silly old cod feels sorry for the death of the clearly inferior Trojan and interferes, saving him. Seriously, I thought He was on Our side?

Hektor approached, meaning to confront Achilles who is slaughtering Trojan troops. Apollo, knowing the strength of Achilles in his rage convinced Hektor to stand down awhile. However, when Hektor witnessed Polydoros slain at the hands of vengeful Achilles, he is unable to stay his fury and confronts him.  He throws his spear at Achilles, but Athene changes it flight and the spear drops harmlessly to the ground. Achilles charges, but Apollo changed Hektor to mist which Achilles spear passed harmlessly through. Trojans attacked, but Achilles thwarted all of their advances, thrusting his spear until the ground ran black with spilled blood. Achilles will have his revenge, will win the glory that is owed to him.

In his anger, he slaughters any Trojan that he comes across. He then throws their bodies into the river, upsetting the river god Skamandros, whose water cannot flow to the sea. Achilles agrees to stop tossing the bodies into the river, but not to cease his onslaught of the Trojans. This is not enough to abate the anger of the river god, and Hephaistos and I intervene. Hephaistos sets fire to the corpses that clog the river, and the fire spread to the trees and plants that grew along its banks. Skamandros called for a cease-fire, saying "Brilliant Achilles can capture the city of the Trojans, now, for me. What have I do with this quarrel?" (21:159-160)

But the anger of the rest of the gods is not as easily quenched as his. Ares confronts Athene, reminding Her of Her folly in aiding Diomedes against Him. He is no match for Pallas, the goddess of warfare and wisdom, and She defeats Him handily. Aphrodite leads him away, and I goad Athene into attacking Her, whose gift to Paris caused this mess in the first place. Of course the fertility goddess falls to Her quickly. Artemis the huntress runs Her mouth to me, then goes running off to Zeus to tattle. 

Still, though, the Trojans are on the retreat with Achilles closely at their heels. It is not until a duel between Achillies and the Trojan prince Agenor (with help from Apollo) distracts the mighty Greek that the Trojans are able to escape to their walled city.