The Love of Achilles Charla Johnson Grand Valley State University
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Amaranthus Volume 1976 | Issue 2 Article 15 2-12-2013 The Love of Achilles Charla Johnson Grand Valley State University Follow this and additional works at: http://scholarworks.gvsu.edu/amaranthus Recommended Citation Johnson, Charla (1976) "The Love of Achilles," Amaranthus: Vol. 1976: Iss. 2, Article 15. Available at: http://scholarworks.gvsu.edu/amaranthus/vol1976/iss2/15 This Article is brought to you for free and open access by ScholarWorks@GVSU. It has been accepted for inclusion in Amaranthus by an authorized administrator of ScholarWorks@GVSU. For more information, please contact [email protected]. THE LOVE OF ACHILLES** in his handling of Patroclus' is a polar opposite from anoth It is not surpr1S1ng, since we find women madly raging into battles and consistently regarded throughout the Iliad as little second thought. His love for more than property, that men turn to other men for deep basic portraits of Achilles--t friendship, intellectual stimulation, and even sexual the second, more important one gratification. A practiced custom in those heroic days friend. The gesture which I t was one of a nobleman taking in a less noble youth as concept of opposites is Achill a companion for his son. The two grew up together and, hands on Patroclus' breast wit although the less noble youth was in many ways treated His friend's death causes the as a servant, he accompanied the noble everywhere--even, "lie stretched on the earth in once they had grown up, into war. Such is Patroclus' and to mocrn like a woman. Fr lot. Patroclus and Achilles, however, had developed Achilles constantly referring a relationship far beyond simple companionship; they forget hi= -..'hile I live on and grew to love each other with a frightening level of (22, 181 ; he eagerly awaits d intensity. Thus, as we implied in class, Homer's Iliad quickly no~ I come after you u is not the story of Achilles' anger, but rather an Achilles' ceath comes before t attempt to portray the love that Patroclus and Achilles to his ankle; it comes symboli share and the role this love has in the outcome of the of his anger. But in a much m epic. It is this love, not Achilles' wrath, which ends comes with the news of Patrocl the stalemated condition of the war and which overcomes, "honored as no other, even as through Patroclus' death, the haughty pride and honor Patroclus' death is the C which Achilles possesses, while at the same time showing sudden b~rst of activity--but us the tender and vulnerable side of this demi-god. affected Patroclus to such This vulnerability brings to light an interesting was The evidence of t idea: perhaps the real "heel" of Achilles is not the Patroclcs' death is found in 0 physical 1 at all, but rather his weakness for phrases. The most important 0 Patroclus. Patroclus alone has the power to wound stateme:.1t: "I have no time, s Achilles with harsh words and Patroclus, in a symbolic man he is, and how ready he is way, ends Achilles' zest for living when he dies on the is no caluse" (11, 113). Apar battlefield. Achilles mourns him by saying "my own referenCes to Achilles' temper heart will not let me live on among men" (18, 151). knows on too well, we find i All Achilles does after patroclus' death is done for that Actilles does indeed trea the memory of Patroclus--not for the glory of Achilles. he is jealous of his friend. In his "black cloud of sorrow" (18, 149) he storms attacks Achilles with the heat across the batt ield, he avenges Patroclus by slaying anger as this grow in me, 0 yo Hector, then, in a very dishonorable act to those still wounding of others" (11, 138). living, he pays tribute to the dead Patroclus by luke-war= defense of his actio dragging Hector's body around the funeral pyre of his moved" (11, 138). What is ast friend. Achilles shows a special care and consideration that Achilles doesn't vehement 22 2 I .-l , LOVE OF ACHILLES** in his handling of Patroclus' body. Such tenderness is a polar opposite from another image of Achilles :pr1S1ng, since we find women madly raging into battles and killing men without a :ded throughout the Iliad as little second thought. His love for Patroclus gives us two basic portraits of Achil1es--the first as a warrior and 7, that men turn to other men for deep the second, more important one, as a devoted lover and Lectual stimulation, and even sexual practiced custom in those heroic days friend. The gesture which I think best describes this concept of opposites is Achilles putting "his man-killing ~man taking in a less noble youth as s son. The two grew up together and, hands on Patroclus' breast with many moans" (18, 154). noble youth was in many ways treated His friend's death causes the great hero to weep, to ccompanied the noble everywhere--even, "lie stretched on the earth in his sorrow" (18, 157), n up, into war. Such is Patroclus' and to mocrn like a woman. From this point on, we find ld Achilles, however, had developed Achilles constantly referring to Patroc1us: "How can I beyond simple companionship; they forget hi= -,,'hile I live on and my knees are quick~" other with a frightening level of (22, 181 \; he eagerly awaits death : "but seeing that quickly no~ I come after you under earth" (18, 155). as we implied in class, Homer's -""-.;;;;;..... f Achilles' anger, but rather an Achilles' ceath comes before the touch of Paris' arrow the love that Patroc1us and Achilles to his ankle; it comes symbolically with the "death" this love has in the outcome of the of his anger. But in a much more realistic sense, it love, not Achilles' wrath, which ends comes with the news of Patroclus' death, whom Achilles dition of the war and which overcomes, "honored as no other, even as my own self" (18, 150). death, the haughty pride and honor Patroclus' death is the catalyst for Achilles' sesses, while at the same time showing sudden burst of activity--but were Achilles' decisions vulnerable side of this demi-god. affected Patroclus to such an extreme while Patroclus ility brings to light an interesting was livins" The evidence of their relationship before real "heel" of Achilles is not the Patrocl~s' death is found in only a few scattered 11, but rather his weakness for phrases. The most important of these is Patroc1us' 1us alone has the power to wound statement: "I have no time, sir..•you know what a hard h words and Patroclus, in a symbolic man he is, and how ready he is to blame even when there is no caluse" (11, 113). Apart from the obvious I zest for living when he dies on the 'lles mourns him by saying "my own references to Achilles' temperament, which Patroclus me live on among men" (18, 151). knows only too well, we find in this quotation proof afterPatroclus' death is done for that Actilles does indeed treasure and cherish Patroclus- oclus--not for the glory of Achilles. he is je~lous of his friend. In another scene, Patroclus attacks Achilles with the heated words "never may such d of sorrowll (18, 149) he storms field, he avenges Patroclus by slaying anger as this grow in me, 0 you only good for the a very dishonorable act to those still wounding of others" (11, 138). Achilles responds in a ribute to the dead Patroc1us by luke-war= defense of his actions, "his heart deeply body around the funeral pyre of his moved" (11, 138). What is astonishing in this scene is that Achilles doesn't vehemently defend himself against shows a special care and consideration 22 23 STARMAN Patroclus' slanderous words. Yes, Patroclus is very important during his life, but it is only through death You burst under spotligl that he becomes the unsung hero of the poem. By dying Outshining the uncommon he changes the epic, in death he reminds Achilles--almost With Your thunderous en! to a point of insanity--what it's like to lose the love None match Your violent and friend he had valued more highly than anything else. Your static orange strar It is the love and devotion Patroclus freely gives Your powdered orb and dE and exchanges with Achilles that defeats, in the end, You shriek Achilles' blind pride and anger, and brutally shakes And we know you're real. Achilles out of his state of self-absorption, into the Ten thousand decibels savage action which turns the tide of the war. Achilles' Succumb to high heels. anger did nothing for the Greeks--although it did greatly You rip us apart. aid the Trojans--but Patroclus' death, that death which caused their love to live, seems to release Achilles. Shriller echoes His purpose becomes no longer self-directed; he fights Escape pulsar-red lips. for the memory of Patroclus, because of his love for that We fall to the floor comrade above all other comrades. And fornicate Your pres While You fling back Yo And laugh. --Charla Johnson One final clash of riff Melts us And we're gone- A half-million souls Fearing the brittle sil Lifted, Crushed, We scatter like ants in **This essay won first prize in the 1976 English Writing Contest (Freshman English Category). --S 25 24 .