Patroclus

Homer’s Iliad describes the Greeks being driven back from the fighting. Their leading warriors were wounded and out of the battle, while Ajax alone still remained among them. Achilles watched the defeat from beside the stern of his ship. When he saw Machaon carried past in Nestor’s chariot, badly wounded, he sent Patroclus to ask how he was.

Patroclus found Nestor sitting with Machaon and drinking wine. Nestor told him how many Greek chiefs had been wounded. Patroclus was in a hurry, but Nestor delayed him with a long account of his own deeds in war when he was young. He then told Patroclus to say that Achilles should send his troops into battle under Patroclus, even if Achilles would not fight himself. Patroclus could wear Achilles’ splendid armour, and the Trojans might believe that Achilles had returned. None of them dared face Achilles directly.

Eurypylus had by then been badly wounded. Patroclus brought him to his hut and treated the wound with medicine. He remained there while the fighting continued, caring for Eurypylus instead of returning at once to Achilles. Later, torches burned around the Greek ships, and the army seemed close to defeat. Patroclus came out of Eurypylus’s hut after tending him and saw the Greeks in great danger.

Weeping, he ran to Achilles. Achilles asked why he was crying and whether some disaster had come from home, or whether he mourned the Greeks’ losses. Patroclus answered that Odysseus and many other princes were wounded and unable to fight. He begged permission to put on Achilles’ armour and lead Achilles’ fresh, unworn men into battle. He argued that a charge by two thousand fresh warriors might change the course of the fighting.

Homer’s Iliad states that Patroclus obtained permission from Achilles to lead the troops while wearing Achilles’ armour. The Trojans took him for Achilles and fled before him. Patroclus, encouraged by this success, pursued them as far as the walls of Troy. There, Apollo turned him back. Euphorbus wounded him, and Hector killed him. The Trojans then stripped Achilles’ armour from his body.

Hector was in his chariot at the gateway when he ordered his squire to drive the horses into battle. He ignored the other warriors and drove straight at Patroclus. Patroclus threw a heavy stone at Hector, but it missed him and killed his charioteer. Patroclus leaped upon the dead man to strip away his armour. Hector stood over the body and seized it by the head, while Patroclus pulled at the feet. Spears and arrows flew around them.

Towards sunset, the Greeks drew Patroclus out of the fighting. He then charged three times into the thick of the Trojans. During the battle, Achilles’ helmet came loose and fell from his head. Patroclus was wounded from behind. Hector faced him and drove his spear through his body. With his last breath, Patroclus told Hector that death stood near him, at the hands of the noble Achilles. Automedon drove the swift horses away to carry Achilles the news that his dearest friend had died. Menelaus bravely defended Patroclus’s body after much fighting.