The Rousing of Achilles
Patroclus borrowed the armor of Achilles so that he might go
and raise moral and help push back the Trojans. In the battle Patroclus fell
and lay dead between the Trojans and the Greeks. The Greeks and Trojans fought
over the body. When the man who killed Patroclus to take his arms he was killed.
In his place Hector came and took the arms from Patroclus and started dragging
the body to the Trojans side. The Greater Ajax stepped forth and put his shield
between the body and Hector not allowing Patroclus to be taken. Hector put on
Achilles armor that Patroclus was wearing in retaliation to some things that Glaucus
said to him. He showed that he was not afraid but acknowledged that Zeus kept
flipping the side of victory from one people to the next. The battle raged on
for the body and Ajax sent a man to tell Achilles of Patroclus demise, and how
they were fighting for the body.
Still fighting for the body of Patroclus the man sent has
told Achilles of the news and Achilles is distraught. He is crying and weeping
the loss of his friend he considered a brother. His mother comes and asks what the
matter is, and he tells her that the man he loved as a brother was killed.
Achilles feels he should have been the one to go since he is more skilled. He
was so saddened he wanted to go to fight but had no arms for battle. His mother
told him that she would go to Hephaestus and get arms for him to wear into
battle. Achilles was told by Iris to go to the trench and show his presence to
make the Trojans fall back. He shouted from the trench with Athene’s shield and
a circle of gold that shown brightly above his head. The Trojans were so filled
with fear they all fell back. Later they laid Patroclus body to rest. The Trojans were so afraid they wished to hide behind their walls and wait. Hector
said why hide? I will meet Achilles on the battlefield, because the gods switch
whom they give victory to.
Bibliography: The Iliad, retold by Alfred J. Church
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