Achilles
heroThe greatest warrior in the Greek army at Troy, nearly invulnerable thanks to being dipped in the River Styx as an infant — except for the heel by which his mother held him.
The Myth
Born to Peleus and the sea-goddess Thetis, Achilles was raised by the centaur Chiron on Mount Pelion before joining Agamemnon's expedition against Troy. Odysseus discovered him hidden among women on Scyros, and Athena favoured him in battle alongside Ajax and Diomedes. His mother dipped him in the river Styx to make him invulnerable, but the heel she held remained mortal. When Agamemnon seized his war-prize Briseis, Achilles withdrew from combat, and the Greeks suffered until Patroclus donned his armour and fell to Hector. Achilles slew Hector in revenge, dragged his body around Troy, then relented at aged Priam's plea. Apollo guided Paris's arrow to his heel, fulfilling the prophecy.
Children
Symbols
Fun Fact
The Achilles tendon, connecting the calf muscle to the heel bone, is named after the hero's only vulnerability.
Words We Inherited
English words and phrases that trace back to this myth:
Explore Further
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