The Song of Achilles — Miller, Madeline

Characters

• Aphrodite: The goddess of love and beauty, mother of Aeneas, and a champion of the Trojans. Particularly favored Paris and saved him from Menelaus in Book 3 of the Iliad.
• Apollo: The god of light and music, a champion of the Trojans. Responsible for the plague on the Greek army in Book 1 of the Iliad and instrumental in the deaths of Achilles and Patroclus.
• Artemis: Twin sister of Apollo, goddess of the hunt, the moon, and virginity. Stopped the winds from blowing to protest the impending bloodshed of the Trojan War.
• Athena: The goddess of wisdom, weaving, and war arts. A fierce supporter of the Greeks against the Trojans and guardian of Odysseus.
• Chiron: The only “good” centaur, teacher of heroes Jason, Aesculapius, and Achilles, and the inventor of medicine and surgery.
• Hera: Queen of the gods and sister-wife of Zeus. Championed the Greeks and hated the Trojans. The principal antagonist in Vergil’s Aeneid.
• Scamander: The god of the river Scamander near Troy and another champion of the Trojans. His battle with Achilles is told in Book 22 of the Iliad.
• Thetis: A sea-nymph and shape-changer, and the mother of Achilles. Known for attempting to make Achilles immortal.
• Zeus: The king of the gods and father of many famous heroes, including Heracles and Perseus.
• Achilles: Son of the king Peleus and the sea-nymph Thetis, the greatest warrior of his generation and most beautiful. Known for his singing voice and being raised by the kindly centaur Chiron.
• Aeneas: The son of Aphrodite and Anchises, renowned for his piety. Fought bravely in the Trojan War but is best known for his adventures afterwards.
• Agamemnon: The brother of Menelaus, ruled Mycenae, the largest kingdom in Greece, and served as the over-general of the Greek expedition to Troy.
• Ajax: King of Salamis and a descendent of Zeus. Known for his size, strength, and for standing against the Trojans’ attack on the Greek camp when Achilles refused to fight.
• Andromache: Born a princess of Cilicia, near Troy, she became the loyal and loving wife of Hector. Known for hating Achilles, who killed her family in a raid.
• Automendon: Achilles’ charioteer, skilled at handling his divine, headstrong horses. Served Achilles' son Pyrrhus after Achilles' death.
• Briseis: Taken captive by the Greeks, was given as a war-prize to Achilles. Confiscated by Agamemnon as a punishment for Achilles' defiance.
• Calchas: A priest who advised the Greeks, encouraging Agamemnon to sacrifice his daughter Iphigenia and to return the captive slave-girl Chryseis to her father.
• Chryses and Chryseis: Chryses was an Anatolian priest of Apollo. His daughter, Chryseis, was taken as a slave by Agamemnon. When Chryses tried to retrieve her, Agamemnon refused and insulted him.
• Deidameia: The daughter of King Lycomedes and princess of the island kingdom of Scyros. She secretly married Achilles and conceived the child Pyrrhus.
• Diomedes: The king of Argos. Known for his guile and strength, one of the most valued warriors in the Greek army.
• Hector: The oldest son of Priam and the crown prince of Troy, known for his strength, nobility, and love of family.
• Helen: The most beautiful woman in the world, a princess of Sparta, and the daughter of Zeus and Leda. Her abduction by Paris sparked the Trojan War.
• Idomeneus: King of Crete and a Greek commander. Known for his skill and bravery in battle, particularly against the Trojans.
• Menelaus: King of Sparta, brother of Agamemnon, and the wronged husband of Helen. His demand to recover Helen was the initial cause of the Trojan War.
• Nestor: King of Pylos in southwestern Greece and the oldest of the Greek commanders. Known for his wise counsel and eloquent speeches.
• Odysseus: King of Ithaca, a small island in western Greece, and the most cunning of the Greek heroes. Known for his strategic advice and storytelling abilities.
• Paris: A prince of Troy and the youngest son of Priam and Hecuba. Known for abducting Helen and starting the Trojan War.
• Patroclus: The best friend and closest companion of Achilles, who died at the hands of Hector, triggering Achilles' return to the war.
• Priam: The elderly king of Troy and father of fifty sons, including Hector, Paris, and Troilus. Known for his dignity, piety, and care for his people.
• Theseus: The legendary founder-king of Athens. He died long before the Trojan War began, but his legacy was invoked by several characters, including Diomedes and Idomeneus, who were proud to be his descendants.
• Teucer: The illegitimate half-brother of Ajax, he was known for his skill with a bow.
• Tyndareus: The king of Sparta and the stepfather of Helen and Clytemnestra, after whom the “Tyndareids” Menelaus and Agamemnon are named.

Summary

The Song of Achilles narrates the story of Patroclus, a Greek prince, who becomes a close companion and lover to Achilles, the son of King Peleus. After accidentally killing a boy, Patroclus is exiled to Phthia where his bond with Achilles solidifies. The pair train under the centaur Chiron on Mount Pelion and eventually share an intimate moment.

Upon hearing about Helen's abduction by Paris of Troy, they are drawn into the ensuing war, despite a prophecy foretelling Achilles' death post-Hector's demise. Achilles hides in Scyros, disguised as a girl, marrying King Lycomedes’ daughter Deidameia and fathering a child, Pyrrhus. When his true identity is revealed by Odysseus and Diomedes, Achilles is convinced to fight in the war, with Patroclus following him.

At war, Achilles exhibits his strength as a warrior. He saves Briseis from Agamemnon, leading to a strong bond between her and Patroclus. When Agamemnon angers the gods, a plague befalls the Greeks. The conflict escalates as Agamemnon dishonors Achilles, leading him to withdraw from the war. Patroclus, wearing Achilles' armor, fights in his stead but is killed by Hector. Achilles, overcome with grief, avenges Patroclus by killing Hector.

Achilles continues his war efforts, killing numerous Trojans until he is slain by Paris. Achilles' son, Pyrrhus, enters the war post his death. Despite Pyrrhus's resistance, Thetis arranges for the joint burial of Achilles and Patroclus. The story concludes with Patroclus describing their shared grave and reunion in the underworld.