DEATH OF ACHILLES

**Death of Achilles – Summary**

In this chapter of “Tales of Troy,” the narrative unfolds with Ulysses reminiscing about Helen’s role in the Trojan War. Her beauty remains unmatched, yet her sorrow grows, knowing she’s the cause of such strife. Ulysses stays silent about an ominous prophecy involving the Amazons, a fierce race of warrior women. Their queen, Penthesilea, driven by both ambition and grief over her sister’s accidental death, leads twelve Amazons to Troy, hoping to achieve glory or a noble death.

Penthesilea’s arrival stirs a mix of awe and hope in Troy, her formidable presence likened to mythological figures of beauty and power. The Trojans embrace her, hoping she can tilt the war in their favor. Meanwhile, the Greeks are puzzled and intimidated by this new adversary leading the Trojan forces. In the ensuing battle, Penthesilea and her maidens cause significant casualties among the Greeks, embodying the ferocity of their mythical lineage.

However, the tide turns when Achilles and Aias join the fray. Despite her valor, Penthesilea falls to Achilles, marking a poignant moment where Achilles, struck by her beauty even in death, mourns the warrior queen he killed, lamenting the life they could have had.

The Greeks, moved by Penthesilea’s bravery, return her body along with those of her maidens to Troy for a respectful funeral, paralleling the end of a significant chapter in the war’s lore.

Following her death, the narrative shifts to the arrival of Memnon, the Ethiopian king and another formidable opponent. Despite steadfast resistance, Memnon meets his demise at Achilles’ hands, but not without causing grief by killing Antilochus, Nestor’s son, thus compelling Achilles into a fierce duel driven by personal vendetta.

Paris’s arrow, aimed at Achilles’ only vulnerable spot, fulfills Hector’s prophecy, leading to Achilles’ downfall. His death becomes a fulcrum, prompting a fierce battle over his body, symbolizing the immense loss to the Greeks.

Mourning Achilles, both his mother, Thetis, and the Greek warriors honor him through a funeral pyre and games. The dispute over who should inherit his divine armor pits Aias and Ulysses against one another, leading to a trial where Trojan prisoners, serving as impartial judges, declare Ulysses the worthier due to his cunning and bravery, leaving Aias in anguished contemplation.

This chapter encompasses themes of valor, loss, and the inexorable march towards destiny, encapsulated in the tragic end of heroes and the pivot of war’s fortunes.