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Achilles myth: summary. Achilles was a Greek hero who played an important role in the Trojan War: the semi-legendary conflict between the Greeks and the Trojans. He was the seventh son of King Peleus of Phthia and the goddess Thetis; this parentage made Achilles semi-divine, a god (or half-god anyway) among men.
- Overview
- Greek myth
- Achilles
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- Death
- Heel
This article is about Achilles, a hero in Greek mythology. It provides information on his background, role in the Trojan War and death.
Overview of the role and content of Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors in writing about Greek mythology.
Son of Peleus, king of Myrmidons, and Thetis, a sea nymph; greatest warrior in army of Agamemnon in Trojan War.
Considered bravest, handsomest and greatest warrior in army during Trojan War.
Died fighting at Troy according to oracle received by his father Peleus; killed by Paris with arrow guided by Apollo according to poet Arctinus' Aethiopis.
Invulnerable except for part held by mother Thetis when dipped as child into River Styx waters; proverbial "Achilles' heel".
- The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica
Mar 21, 2011 · Updated: May 31, 2023 | Original: March 21, 2011. The warrior Achilles is one of the great heroes of Greek mythology. According to legend, Achilles was extraordinarily strong, courageous and loyal ...
Achilles, the son of Peleus and Thetis, was the greatest of all Greek heroes who took part in the Trojan War.Knowing that her child was destined to either die the death of a glorious warrior or live a long life in obscurity, Thetis bathed Achilles as an infant in the waters of the River Styx, thus making him all but immortal: only the heel by which she held him remained vulnerable.
Nov 19, 2019 · Updated on November 19, 2019. The common phrase "Achilles' heel" refers to a surprising weakness or vulnerability in an otherwise strong or powerful person, a vulnerability that eventually leads to a downfall. What has become a cliche in the English language is one of several modern-day phrases that are left to us from ancient Greek mythology.
An Achilles' heel [1] (or Achilles heel [2] [3]) is a weakness despite overall strength, which can lead to downfall. While the mythological origin refers to a physical vulnerability, idiomatic references to other attributes or qualities that can lead to downfall are common. Oil painting ( c. 1625) by Peter Paul Rubens of the goddess Thetis ...
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Oct 15, 2019 · Achilles was the son of Peleus, a Greek king, and Thetis, a sea nymph or goddess. Zeus, the king of the gods and Poseidon, god of the sea, had both fallen in love with Thetis and were rivals for her hand in marriage. However, the gods were warned of a prophecy that Thetis would have a son who would grow up to be greater than his father.
