A sensible friend

Although Achilles was the higher born and better fighter of the two friends, Patroclus was older. Before they left, Peleus asked Patroclus to look after Achilles and to give him guidance and advice. Patroclus was perfectly suited to this task. He was kind, caring, and sensible, qualities that set him apart from the hotheaded and petulant Achilles. However, Achilles’ childishness still caused trouble. In the 10th year of the war, he argued with Agamemnon, king of Mycenae and leader of the Greek forces, over a slave girl named Briseis, who lived with Achilles in his camp. This argument set in motion a chain of events that eventually led to Patroclus’s death.

Agamemnon had been forced to give up his own slave girl, Chryseis, by the god Apollo. Angry at this loss, he decided to replace her with Briseis and sent his men to

Below: The slave girl Briseis is being passed to Agamemnon (seated) in this Roman painting from the first century CE. The figure between them is usually identified as Achilles.

PATROCLUS

Above: This illustration from a sixth-century-BCE wine jar shows Greek and Trojan warriors fighting over the body of Patroclus.

Achilles’ tent to fetch her. Patroclus had no choice but to hand her over to Agamemnon’s men. The seizure of Briseis left Achilles furious. He was so angry that he refused to fight, or to let his men fight, for the Greek side. This was disastrous, because Achilles was a great soldier. With him off the battlefield, the Trojans soon gained the upper hand.