Achilles & Patroclus
The love at the heart of the "Iliad"
The warrior Achilles and his companion Patroclus, whose bond — read as love since antiquity — drives the "Iliad": when Patroclus dies, Achilles's grief-fury unleashes the end of the Trojan War.
01Why it matters
It is one of the great loves between men in Western culture, reclaimed today as a founding queer story.
02The conflict
The Trojan War and Patroclus's death at Hector's hands.
03The iconic moment
Achilles cradling Patroclus's body and avenging him.
04What survived
The "Iliad"; the novel "The Song of Achilles."
05Frequently asked questions
Why is the story of Achilles & Patroclus famous?
It is one of the great loves between men in Western culture, reclaimed today as a founding queer story.
How does the story of Achilles & Patroclus end?
Achilles cradling Patroclus's body and avenging him. The "Iliad"; the novel "The Song of Achilles."
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