Disclaimer: I am not an ancient Greek scholar. For the full disclaimer, read here.
“Idiot,” said [Achilles], “talk not to me of ransom. Until Patroclus fell I preferred to give the Trojans quarter, and sold beyond the sea many of those whom I had taken alive; but now not a man shall live of those whom heaven delivers into my hands before the city of Ilius—and of all Trojans it shall fare hardest with the sons of Priam. Therefore, my friend, you too shall die.”
Iliad, Book 21; Samuel Butler translation
Book 21 Summary
The Trojan army is divided in two before Achilles’ assault. One half flees toward Troy while the other half runs into the Xanthus river. Achilles pursues the half that flees into the river and kills so many their corpses begin to clog the river, much to the river god’s anger. The god confronts Achilles and tells him to stop killing Trojans in the river and Achilles concedes. However, when Achilles goes to cross the river to continue his pursuit the god attempts to drown him. Poseidon and Athena keep Achilles from drowning, but the river god is still preventing Achilles from pursuing the Trojans. Hera then sends Hephaestus over to the river where he uses his fire to burn everything in and around the river. The river god pleads with Hera and Hephaestus to stop and promises not to interfere in the war anymore. Hephaestus stops his fire and the river calms down.
Other gods come to blows with each other, but their squabbles amount to nothing significant in the war effort. With most of the gods returned to Olympus, only Apollo is left to hold back Achilles’ assault.
Achilles goes to kill another Trojan, but Apollo whisks the Trojan away, takes his place in his likeness, and runs away from Troy with Achilles in pursuit. This gives the half of the Trojan army that fled toward Troy enough time to get within its walls.
For a list of the major characters, with Greek and Latin names, go here.
The Battle Of The Ages
What happens when the mighty, supreme gods of Olympus clash in combat?
Ares throws a spear at Athena. It bounces off her shield.
Athena hits Ares in the head with a giant rock and sends him tumbling over a hundred feet. He gets dirt stuck in his hair.
When Aphrodite goes to help the dazed Ares off the battlefield, Athena punches her in the boobs. Aphrodite and Ares are left sprawled out on the ground.
Poseidon challenges Apollo to fight. Apollo basically says, “Whatever, it’s not worth it.”
Artemis makes fun of her brother Apollo for backing out.
Hera boxes Artemis in the ears with Artemis’ own bow, spilling her arrows everywhere. Artemis runs off the battlefield crying into the arms of her daddy, Zeus.
Before any fighting can occur, Hermes tells Leto she wins. Leto gathers her daughter Artemis’ bow and arrows and runs after her.
All of the Olympians except Apollo go back to Olympus and sit down in their seats, watching the war.
Tremble before the gods, puny mortals!
Sarcasm aside, the “fights” between the gods are pure comedy. There is no doubt this scene serves as a means to lighten the mood in an otherwise dramatic and heart-wrenching story of war and revenge.
This is probably the least flattering the gods are presented in the Iliad. Before, they came off as aloof. The war and their favorite sides are kind of a concern, but kind of not a concern, but kind of are a concern. They want their side to win, but back off the moment it becomes a pain for them. Then, they will jump back in later like they forgot their previous “whatever” attitude. They are solely focused on themselves, their wants, their grudges, and their need for recognition.
Combine that with what we witnessed in Book 21, and these gods seem to be nothing more than children or teenagers with cosmic powers and big egos.
Or, perhaps, it would be more appropriate to view them more as chaotic, unpredictable forces, that nonetheless seem to be following some sort of script only they know about.
The Dehumanizing Effect Of Revenge
Back in Book 1, Achilles said he held no grudge against the Trojans. In Book 9, he sort of reiterated the point when he questioned why they were fighting the Trojans to begin with when it’s really just between Menelaus (and Agamemnon) and Paris.
However, now that the Trojans killed Patroclus, it’s another matter entirely. Achilles went against the Trojans before because that’s just how war works. Now, he’s out for blood. In particular, Hector and anyone related to him.
This includes the man Achilles is talking to in the quote I highlighted at the top of this post. Lycaon is one of Priam’s sons. He had been captured by Achilles before and sold into slavery. A family friend purchased and freed him. He had only been with his family and friends for twelve days before he found himself before Achilles again. Only now, Achilles will spare no one, especially a relative of Hector.
However, Achilles also shows a sort of resignation. He’s angry and out for revenge, but he’s accepted that soon he will die.
Remember, that in Book 9, we learned that if Achilles stays to fight in the Trojan War, he is fated to die. As we saw in Book 18, he accepted that fate.
This is probably why he finds Lycaon pleading for his life so absurd. Achilles accepts his fate. Lycaon needs to accept his. And ultimately, Lycaon does. He lets go of Achilles and Achilles runs him through with a sword.
On the one hand, Achilles is furious and he’s out for revenge and he’ll take it out on the Trojans until either Hector is dead or he is. On the other hand, he is resigned to his fate and will fight to the bitter end.
We’ve seen this strange mix in countless revenge stories before. It’s what makes revenge terrifying. Revenge is about the past and the present at the cost of the future—not just for the person getting revenge, but for everyone who suffers that revenge. It’s why revenge strips people of their humanity and the ability to view others as human.
Will Achilles get any of his humanity back after this?
That’s all for Book 21 of the Iliad.
May your days be filled with grace.
-Andronikos
The booklist I am going through can be found here.
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Thumbnail: Achilles and the River Scamander by Alexander Runciman (1736-1785). Taken from National Galleries Scotland. Image is Creative Commons.