Mythweb home
Book Sixteen
Now Patroclus (pa-TRAH-klus) begs Achilles (a-KIL-eez) to lend him his armor so that he can rally the Greeks and rout the Trojans, who will panic believing that Achilles himself has entered the fray. Although he remains fixed in his resolve not to intervene personally until the battle reaches his own ships, Achilles accedes to this plan. But he makes Patroclus promise to return just as soon as he has driven the Trojans from the Greek camp and not pursue them to Troy. On the one hand, Achilles does not want Patroclus to detract from his own glory; on the other, he fears for his friend's life. He would not care if the Greeks and Trojans slashed each other to death on the plain before Troy. In fact he would prefer it if he and Patroclus were to conquer Troy together alone.
Meanwhile even Ajax is wearying in defense of the ships, and Hector's sword chops his pike down to a stub. Ajax is forced to retreat, and now a Greek ship is set ablaze. At this Achilles urges Patroclus to arm himself. Donning the great hero's greaves and breastplate, Patroclus takes up sword and shield and spears — all of Achilles' weapons except the huge spear that only Achilles can wield. Patroclus orders the charioteer Automedon (aw-TAH-meh-don) to see to the team, two immortal stallions born of the West Wind and a purebred trace horse that Achilles had taken as loot.
Achilles addresses his fifty shiploads of troops, the Myrmidons (MUR-mih-donz), who have been chafing to fight the Trojans. "I know you've been cursing me for holding you back," he says. "Well, now's your chance." As they fall in line behind Patroclus and Automedon, he offers up two prayers to Zeus. Grant glory to Patroclus, he prays, and bring him back safely. Zeus will grant the first prayer but not the second.
The desired effect is achieved, as the Trojans at first believe that Achilles has joined the battle. But they do not cut and run — not yet. Patroclus has to fight his way to the burning ships in order to quench the fire. But fight he does, and the unrelenting toll of his bronze blade begins to turn the tide of battle. Finally, as Menelaus (meh-neh-LAY-us), Nestor's sons, Little Ajax, and Idomeneus (eye-DOM-en-yoos) add their support, even Hector takes to his chariot in retreat. The Greeks follow, with Patroclus in the lead, and scores of Trojans are cut down on the plain before they can attain the safety of Troy's walls.
It seems that most of the killing is done by Patroclus himself, and the stalwart Trojan ally Sarpedon (sar-PEE-don) takes it upon himself to face down this murderous mayhem. Looking down from his perch on Mount Ida, Sarpedon's father Zeus (zyoos) is torn. Should he snatch Sarpedon from the jaws of death and carry him to safety in his homeland? Or should he stick to his own plan and let his beloved son die at the hands of Patroclus? He asks Hera (HEER-uh), and she tells him to do as he pleases but cautions that the other gods will be equally quick to rescue their mortal offspring. Best let him die, counsels Hera, but then carry him home for a decent funeral. And so the combat proceeds unhindered.
Patroclus is first to strike with his spear, downing Sarpedon's charioteer. Sarpedon aims for Patroclus but hits his chariot's trace horse instead. The stallion falls, tangling the reins and spooking the other two horses. Sarpedon hurls a second spear but this too misses its mark. Not so Patroclus' second cast. The spear strikes Sarpedon directly in the heart and down he falls in a clatter of armor. His dying words are to Glaucus (GLAW-kus), his second in command, imploring him to fight for his body so that the Greeks can't strip his armor for a prize. Patroclus plants a heel on his chest and yanks out his spear, and with it his adversary's final breath. He calls out to Great and Little Ajax to help him mutilate and dishonor Sarpedon.
But Glaucus has called upon Apollo (uh-POL-oh) to heal the wound that inhibits him from complying with his comrade's last request, and Apollo responds instantly. Glaucus enlists the aid of his own men and Hector and other Trojan champions as well. And so a great battle ensues over the corpse of Sarpedon. Before it is over the corpse itself will be totally obscured by dust, blood, dead bodies, slashing weapons, and parrying shields. Zeus is once more of two minds — kill Patrocus right now or first accord him the further glory of driving the Trojans back to Troy? Deciding on the latter course, he quenches the bravery of Hector and causes him to order a retreat. At which the Greeks are quick to strip the armor of Sarpedon. But before they can desecrate the body, Zeus tells Apollo to snatch it away and send it safely to Sarpedon's homeland escorted by Sleep and Death.
And Patroclus continues his killing spree, dropping nine Trojan champions in short order. He might even have gone on to storm Troy had not Apollo himself beat him back from the walls. Then Apollo takes a mortal form and talks Hector into rejoining the battle. What's more, Hector charges straight at Patroclus, but Patroclus responds by braining Hector's charioteer with a rock. Now they set to fighting over the body, Patroclus to despoil it and Hector to preserve it from dishonor. And the entire armies throw their might into the protracted fight, until finally the Greeks prevail and strip the corpse.
And now Patroclus launches three man-killing assaults — three times nine men slain. But on the fourth charge, Apollo comes up behind him and strikes his back with the flat of a god's superhuman hand. The hero's eyes are set spinning in their sockets, his helmet is sent flying — spear, shield, breastplate are torn away and hurled to the dust. A Trojan named Euphorbus (yoo-FOR-bus) runs up and spears Patroclus in the back, then blends back into the throng. The hero staggers towards the safety of the Greek lines, but now Hector advances and drives his spear right through Patroclus' guts and out his back. The hero crashes to the earth, to the consternation of his comrades.
Hector issues the usual boasting speech of exultation, to which Patroclus replies with this last breath, "It was a god who killed me, Hector, and the moral Euphorbus who struck next, leaving you to finish the job. But your day will come, all too soon, to die at the hands of Achilles."







Book Sixteen
Now Patroclus (pa-TRAH-klus) begs Achilles (a-KIL-eez) to lend him his armor so that he can rally the Greeks and rout the Trojans, who will panic believing that Achilles himself has entered the fray. Although he remains fixed in his resolve not to intervene personally until the battle reaches his own ships, Achilles accedes to this plan. But he makes Patroclus promise to return just as soon as he has driven the Trojans from the Greek camp and not pursue them to Troy. On the one hand, Achilles does not want Patroclus to detract from his own glory; on the other, he fears for his friend's life. He would not care if the Greeks and Trojans slashed each other to death on the plain before Troy. In fact he would prefer it if he and Patroclus were to conquer Troy together alone.
Meanwhile even Ajax is wearying in defense of the ships, and Hector's sword chops his pike down to a stub. Ajax is forced to retreat, and now a Greek ship is set ablaze. At this Achilles urges Patroclus to arm himself. Donning the great hero's greaves and breastplate, Patroclus takes up sword and shield and spears — all of Achilles' weapons except the huge spear that only Achilles can wield. Patroclus orders the charioteer Automedon (aw-TAH-meh-don) to see to the team, two immortal stallions born of the West Wind and a purebred trace horse that Achilles had taken as loot.
Achilles addresses his fifty shiploads of troops, the Myrmidons (MUR-mih-donz), who have been chafing to fight the Trojans. "I know you've been cursing me for holding you back," he says. "Well, now's your chance." As they fall in line behind Patroclus and Automedon, he offers up two prayers to Zeus. Grant glory to Patroclus, he prays, and bring him back safely. Zeus will grant the first prayer but not the second.
The desired effect is achieved, as the Trojans at first believe that Achilles has joined the battle. But they do not cut and run — not yet. Patroclus has to fight his way to the burning ships in order to quench the fire. But fight he does, and the unrelenting toll of his bronze blade begins to turn the tide of battle. Finally, as Menelaus (meh-neh-LAY-us), Nestor's sons, Little Ajax, and Idomeneus (eye-DOM-en-yoos) add their support, even Hector takes to his chariot in retreat. The Greeks follow, with Patroclus in the lead, and scores of Trojans are cut down on the plain before they can attain the safety of Troy's walls.
It seems that most of the killing is done by Patroclus himself, and the stalwart Trojan ally Sarpedon (sar-PEE-don) takes it upon himself to face down this murderous mayhem. Looking down from his perch on Mount Ida, Sarpedon's father Zeus (zyoos) is torn. Should he snatch Sarpedon from the jaws of death and carry him to safety in his homeland? Or should he stick to his own plan and let his beloved son die at the hands of Patroclus? He asks Hera (HEER-uh), and she tells him to do as he pleases but cautions that the other gods will be equally quick to rescue their mortal offspring. Best let him die, counsels Hera, but then carry him home for a decent funeral. And so the combat proceeds unhindered.
Patroclus is first to strike with his spear, downing Sarpedon's charioteer. Sarpedon aims for Patroclus but hits his chariot's trace horse instead. The stallion falls, tangling the reins and spooking the other two horses. Sarpedon hurls a second spear but this too misses its mark. Not so Patroclus' second cast. The spear strikes Sarpedon directly in the heart and down he falls in a clatter of armor. His dying words are to Glaucus (GLAW-kus), his second in command, imploring him to fight for his body so that the Greeks can't strip his armor for a prize. Patroclus plants a heel on his chest and yanks out his spear, and with it his adversary's final breath. He calls out to Great and Little Ajax to help him mutilate and dishonor Sarpedon.
But Glaucus has called upon Apollo (uh-POL-oh) to heal the wound that inhibits him from complying with his comrade's last request, and Apollo responds instantly. Glaucus enlists the aid of his own men and Hector and other Trojan champions as well. And so a great battle ensues over the corpse of Sarpedon. Before it is over the corpse itself will be totally obscured by dust, blood, dead bodies, slashing weapons, and parrying shields. Zeus is once more of two minds — kill Patrocus right now or first accord him the further glory of driving the Trojans back to Troy? Deciding on the latter course, he quenches the bravery of Hector and causes him to order a retreat. At which the Greeks are quick to strip the armor of Sarpedon. But before they can desecrate the body, Zeus tells Apollo to snatch it away and send it safely to Sarpedon's homeland escorted by Sleep and Death.
And Patroclus continues his killing spree, dropping nine Trojan champions in short order. He might even have gone on to storm Troy had not Apollo himself beat him back from the walls. Then Apollo takes a mortal form and talks Hector into rejoining the battle. What's more, Hector charges straight at Patroclus, but Patroclus responds by braining Hector's charioteer with a rock. Now they set to fighting over the body, Patroclus to despoil it and Hector to preserve it from dishonor. And the entire armies throw their might into the protracted fight, until finally the Greeks prevail and strip the corpse.
And now Patroclus launches three man-killing assaults — three times nine men slain. But on the fourth charge, Apollo comes up behind him and strikes his back with the flat of a god's superhuman hand. The hero's eyes are set spinning in their sockets, his helmet is sent flying — spear, shield, breastplate are torn away and hurled to the dust. A Trojan named Euphorbus (yoo-FOR-bus) runs up and spears Patroclus in the back, then blends back into the throng. The hero staggers towards the safety of the Greek lines, but now Hector advances and drives his spear right through Patroclus' guts and out his back. The hero crashes to the earth, to the consternation of his comrades.
Hector issues the usual boasting speech of exultation, to which Patroclus replies with this last breath, "It was a god who killed me, Hector, and the moral Euphorbus who struck next, leaving you to finish the job. But your day will come, all too soon, to die at the hands of Achilles."