Lesson 18:The Fate of Achilles

HOUGHTON MIFFLIN

y Edwin Hernandez
Illustrated by Arvis Stewart
ILLUSTRATION CREDITS: 5 Joe LeMonnier / Melissa Turk
PHOTOGRAPHY CREDIT: Bkgrnd 2, 5, 11, 17 © Bob Ainsworth
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Long ago, ancient Greeks told stories of
gods and goddesses who were forever
meddling in the lives of mortals. One
such myth is The Iliad, a tale of love,
friendship, death, and glory. The Iliad
remains one of the most famous Greek
myths retold today. In it, the epic poet
Homer describes the events of the Trojan
War. This war lasted for ten years. A
warrior named Achilles (uh KIL eez)
played a key role in its outcome.
2

The Prophecy of Achilles
When Achilles was born, his mother, a sea nymph, was
told of a prophecy. The prophecy said that Achilles would be
able to choose his own fate, or destiny. He could choose to live
a long life and die an old man, surrounded by his family. If he
chose this fate, however, he would live without achieving fame.
Or, Achilles could win great glory on the battlefield. His name
would go down in history as one of the greatest warriors ever to
have lived. But if he chose this fate, he would die young.
When Achilles’ mother heard this prophecy, she feared
for her son’s safety. She carried baby Achilles to the river
Styx. The water of this river was said to have magical powers.
Holding Achilles by the heel, she immersed her son in the
river’s waters. Now, he would be protected.
3

The only place of weakness on his body was the heel by
which she held him — because it had remained dry. She hoped
that there would not be war. But war did come. One rash act by
a handsome young prince set the wheels of fate in motion. The
story begins with a woman named Helen.
Helen’s Suitors Swear an Oath
Helen was a woman of exceptional beauty. She was
the daughter of Zeus, the most powerful ancient Greek god.
The kings of Greece would do anything to win Helen’s hand in
marriage. But before making his decision, Helen’s father asked
that all the suitors swear an oath to protect Helen. The kings all
agreed. Helen wed Menelaus (men uh LAY uhs), king of Sparta.
Menelaus was a good, kind man. Helen soon grew to love him.
In the kingdom of Troy, a handsome young man named
Paris had heard of Helen’s beauty. He was the son of the
king, but he was not in a position powerful enough to pursue
Helen. However, Paris struck a deal with the Greek goddess
Aphrodite (AF row dy tee). In this deal, Aphrodite promised to
make Helen Paris’ wife. Paris sailed immediately for Sparta to
collect his bride. When Helen saw Paris, Aphrodite put her in
a trance. That night while her family lay sleeping, Paris stole
Helen and set sail toward the walled city of Troy.
4

Ancient Greece
Menelaus Calls for Help
The next day, Menelaus learned that Paris had kidnapped
Helen. Overcome with fury, he reminded the Greek kings of
their oath. “You swore an oath to defend Helen’s honor. The
time has come to fulfill your promise,” he declared.
True to their word, each king contributed a massive fleet
of ships. Each ship carried soldiers, weapons, and supplies. The
warrior Achilles led the largest group of ships. He had not taken
the oath to defend Helen, but Achilles loved to fight. In all, 1,000
ships set sail for Troy. Menelaus made his brother, Agamemnon,
commander-in-chief of this mighty armada. Their mission was to
take back Helen and destroy the city of Troy.
5

The War Begins
The king of Troy looked toward the sea and saw a
labyrinth of warships sailing swiftly toward his city. The king’s
oldest son, Hector, led the Trojan army. Brave and strong,
Hector was the Trojan’s fiercest warrior.
The two armies fought hard, but neither side could defeat
the other. Year after year the fighting went on.
In the tenth year of bloodshed, the Greeks attacked
and plundered several smaller cities not far from Troy. They
returned to their ships with stolen gold, weapons, and captives.
One of the captives was Chryseis (kry SEE ihs), the daughter of
a priest of Apollo. Another was the servant of a rich merchant.
Her name was Briseis (bry SEE ihs). Many claimed she was
nearly as beautiful as Helen of Troy.
6

Achilles fell in love with Briseis immediately. He loved her
as fiercely as he loved to fight. Agamemnon took the priest’s
daughter Chryseis as his personal servant.
One night, the father of Chryseis found his way to
Agamemnon’s tent. Before he could be dragged away, the priest
cried out, “Agamemnon, release my daughter! You have no right
to keep her!” But Agamemnon was not moved by the old man’s
plea. “Get him out of here,” he ordered.
On his way home, the old priest prayed to the god Apollo.
“I call upon you to punish Agamemnon for dishonoring me
and holding my daughter Chryseis against her will.” Apollo
heard the priest’s prayer and decided to grant it.
A Quarrel Among the Greeks
The next day, Apollo sent a terrible plague upon the
Greeks. Illness swept through their camp leaving the soldiers
too weak to fight. But their enemy, the Trojans, did not get
sick. The war began to turn in Troy’s favor. Achilles feared
defeat. Desperate, he called a council of the Greek warlords.
In this meeting, the leaders debated what to do next. Then a
blind prophet spoke up. Turning toward Agamemnon, he said,
“You must return Chryseis to her father if you wish to end this
plague.” Achilles and the others agreed.
“Very well,” said Agamemnon. “I will let her go on one
condition — that Achilles pays the same price. He must give up
Briseis.” Achilles clasped his sword. “If you take her away from
me, I’ll kill you myself!” Achilles threatened.
7

The next day, Chryseis was sent home to her father on
Agamemnon’s orders. Then Agamemnon sent three servants
to Achilles’ tent to take Briseis. Seeing the fear on the servants’
faces, Achilles allowed Briseis to be taken without a fight.
“I don’t blame you. I blame your master,” he told them. After
she was gone, Achilles wept.
When Apollo saw that Chryseis had been returned to her
father, he ended the plague. The Greek soldiers recovered their
strength and once more ripped through the Trojans’ lines.
But the Trojans had more to lose than the Greeks and so
fought harder. To make matters worse, Achilles now
refused to fight.
The Pride of Achilles
During the years that the Trojan
War was being fought, another prophecy
about Achilles became known. It said that
the Greeks would not defeat the Trojans
without Achilles. Indeed, Achilles was the
one Greek soldier who brought terror to
the Trojan army. Even Hector
feared Achilles.
Because his mother was a sea
nymph, Achilles was born with some
godlike qualities. He was the
strongest, the bravest, and the
most handsome of all the Greeks.
8

He was also the most proud. Achilles could not forget that
Agamemnon took Briseis away from him. Agamemnon had
treated him like a lesser man in public. Achilles would not
quickly forgive that. And so, his pride wounded, Achilles
abandoned his Greek comrades and dropped out of the war.
Sulking in his tent, Achilles called upon his mother. “Go to
Mount Olympus,” he said to her. “Ask Zeus to make sure the
Greeks keep losing the war. I want them to realize how much
they need me. I want them to feel how much I have lost because
of Agamemnon’s selfishness,” he added bitterly.
9

Thanks to Zeus’ interference, the Greeks continued to
suffer great losses. Hector’s Trojan army succeeded in pushing
the Greeks back toward the harbor where their ships lay at
anchor. To protect the ships, the Greeks hastily built a rampart,
or barricade, around the harbor. But the Trojans threatened to
break through and burn the ships.
Agamemnon Sends a Message to Achilles
Agamemnon knew the Greeks needed Achilles in order to
win the war. Agamemnon sent three chiefs to Achilles’ camp
with a message. One of the chiefs was Odysseus (oh DIS ee uhs),
king of Ithaca. Odysseus was a trusted friend of Achilles. “If
you join us,” Odysseus said to a somber Achilles, “Agamemnon
will reward you with horses, gold, and servants.” Seeing no
response from Achilles, Odysseus added, “He will also return
your precious Briseis to you.”
Achilles listened to the commanders, but he stood steadfast
in his decision. He said, “Tell Agamemnon I do not accept his
bribes. Tell him if he wants me to fight, he should come here
in person and offer a sincere apology.” Odysseus and the other
chiefs left Achilles’ tent.
“The pride of Achilles may prove to be the Greeks’ downfall,”
Odysseus said to Agamemnon upon their return.
10

A Greek poet named Homer was the
first to record the story of The Iliad. Homer
also recorded a companion piece called
The Odyssey. This epic poem tells the story
of Odysseus after the Trojan War. For ten
long years, Odysseus wandered from island
to island before he finally reached his
homeland of Ithaca.
Patroclus Fights for Achilles
Achilles’ best friend, Patroclus (puh TROH klus), came to
see him. They had fought side by side in many wars. “The battle
is not going well,” said Patroclus. “Agamemnon, Odysseus,
and Ajax have been wounded. Hector’s men have breached the
rampart and are setting fire to the ships. Since you refuse to
fight, let me wear your armor and fight in your place.”
Washed in the river Styx, Achilles’ armor would repel
any blow. So Achilles agreed. “Push back the Trojans,” he said.
“But don’t try to kill Hector. One day the two of us will do that
together, and the glory will be ours.”
11

Patroclus put on the armor. Thinking Achilles had finally
emerged to fight, 10,000 men cheered when they saw Patroclus
emerge from Achilles’ tent. He stepped inside Achilles’ chariot
and raised his hand. The Greek army fell into formation and
roared as one furious beast. Under the command of Patroclus,
the Greeks waged a fierce counter-attack against the Trojans.
By late afternoon, they had driven the Trojans back toward
the wall surrounding the city of Troy. Patroclus led another
charge. Waves of Trojans fell like stalks of wheat. The Greeks
gloried in the slaughter and advanced. The enemy’s line had
finally begun to unravel.
12

As the sun touched the water’s edge, Patroclus spotted
Hector, the Trojan commander. Forgetting his promise to
Achilles, Patroclus pursued Hector. The two warriors lifted
their spears and raced toward each other. Their chariots stirred
up a cloud of dust that surrounded them. A great clash rang out
when they met in the middle of the battlefield. After the dust
settled, Patroclus lay dead.
Achilles Accepts His Fate
Later that night, Achilles was resting in his tent when
a messenger came to him. “What is it” Achilles asked.
“Patroclus is dead.” The blood drained from Achilles’ face.
The messenger continued, “Hector slew him in battle.”
“But . . . how” Achilles finally asked. “He was wearing
my armor.”
“Hector’s spear struck Patroclus on the hip where your
armor didn’t cover him. He died instantly. Then Hector
unfastened the armor and put it on himself.”
Even the loss of Briseis had not brought Achilles so much
sorrow. Achilles wept so deeply that his mother, from miles
away, rushed to Troy to comfort him.
“Only one thing will lift this grief,” Achilles said to his
mother. “I will make Hector pay for what he has done.”
Achilles’ mother tried to reason with him, “The gods have
decreed that after Hector is dead, your death will follow. If you
leave now and return home, you can still die an old man. The
choice is yours, my son.”
13

Rage over the death of Patroclus burned inside of Achilles.
“I will do what must be done,” Achilles answered.
At dawn the next day, Achilles saw a flash of light in the
sky. His mother appeared, holding a new suit of armor fashioned
by the gods. The armor shone brightly in the sun, and
brought joy to Achilles’ heart.
Achilles’ mother spoke. “Before you put this on, I want
you to listen to me. Thousands of Greek soldiers have fought
and died while you sat here in your tent and sulked.” Knowing
which fate her son had chosen, she continued, “Swallow your
pride and embrace your fate on the battlefield. Fame and glory
await you.” Achilles knew that she was right. He hugged his
mother in a warm embrace. The time to fight had come.
14

Achilles summoned a council of Greek kings. There,
Achilles forgave Agamemnon. “What is past is past,” he said.
“It’s time to finish what we started ten long years ago.”
Achilles put on his new armor and climbed aboard his
chariot. He led the final charge against the Trojans. At the mere
sight of Achilles in his gleaming armor, the Trojan army fled in
terror. The king of Troy ordered the city gates to be opened, and
the Trojan soldiers scrambled to safety inside its walls. When
the gates closed, only one man stood brave enough to face
Achilles — Hector.
The people of Troy stood on top of the city walls to watch
the two great warriors go head-to-head.
15

Hector and Achilles faced one another. Each man was
determined to win glory for himself and victory for his army.
Greeks and Trojans alike watched as Achilles and Hector
displayed magnificent strength and skill. Hector’s aim was
true as he forcefully threw his spear at Achilles. The spear
struck Achilles’ shield. The armor of the gods was strong.
16

Although Hector was a fierce warrior, he was no match
for Achilles. With a loud cry, Achilles let loose his spear. It went
straight into the soft spot near Hector’s collarbone, killing him.
The Fate of Achilles
Upon Hector’s death, the tide of the war finally turned in
the Greeks’ favor. Meanwhile, Achilles awaited the rest of his
fate. He had earned his glory on the battlefield. He knew that
his death would soon follow Hector’s.
The Trojan soldiers armed themselves with bows and
arrows. They stood atop the city walls shooting arrows at the
Greek soldiers below. Paris, the younger brother of Hector,
aimed a poisoned arrow at Achilles. The god Apollo guided
the arrow, and it struck Achilles in the heel — the only area of
weakness on his body.
The term “Achilles’ heel” is commonly
used today. It indicates an area of weakness
in a person who is otherwise very strong.
For example, suppose a student gets good
grades in every subject but math. Math
would be that person’s “Achilles’ heel.”
17

Surprised, Achilles looked up to see who had shot him
in such a cowardly fashion. Reaching down, he pulled the
arrow out. Blood gushed from the wound. The mighty warrior
Achilles stumbled, then fell to his death.
The prophecy had come true. Achilles died in great glory
on the battlefield. His part in the war allowed the Greek army
to eventually defeat the Trojans. Helen returned to her rightful
husband. Achilles’ name went down in history.
Thousands of years later, his story is still being told.
Despite having great strength, skill, and divine protection,
Achilles had a weakness. Even he, a mighty warrior, could not
escape his fate.
18

Responding
TARGET SKILL Story Structure What is
the setting of The Fate of Achilles What major
characters are involved What resolution is
there to the story’s conflict Copy and complete
the chart below.
Characters:
Setting:
Conflict: Achilles could win glory and die
young or live a long life without fame.
Resolution:
Write About It
Text to Self Write a paragraph summarizing why
the Greeks went to war against Troy. Remember
to only include major characters and events in
the summary.
19

TARGET VOCABULARY
abandon
bitterly
embrace
fury
labyrinth
massive
rash
somber
steadfast
unravels
TARGET SKILL Story Structure Examine details
about characters, setting, and plot.
TARGET STRATEGY Infer/Predict Use text clues
to figure out what the author means or what might
happen in the future.
GENRE A myth is a story that tells what a group of
people believes about the world.
Write About It
In a famous quotation, Aung San Suu Kyi said,
“Please use your freedom to promote ours.”
What freedoms do you value most Why Write
a letter to the editor of a Burmese newspaper
explaining the freedoms you have and why they
are important to you.
20

Level: W
DRA: 60
Genre:
Myth
Strategy:
Infer/Predict
Skill:
Story Structure
Word Count: 1,891
6.4.18
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