Can anyone find a spot in the
Iliad where it says Achilles was invulnerable? I was under the impression that that's a wives' tale. He had armor, after all. Armor that they fought over when he died. (In the book, not the movie.) As I said, it's been a loooooooooong time since I read it, but I don't remember any mention of it.
However, in 9th grade, we read
The Trojan War. This is even longer ago than the
Iliad, but the general gist is this: The gods were having a party, but they didn't invite the goddess named Discord. Seems she's always causing trouble. Which she does now. She throws a golden apple into the party, with an inscription that reads, "For the fairest." This creates quite a bit of discord, as three goddesses assume it's for them. Hera, Athena, and Aphrodite. After arguing about it, they decide to ask a shepherd, Paris, to judge.
Hera approaches him first, saying, "I'll give you power and kingdoms if you declare me the fairest of all." Paris thinks, "I'm a sheherd. What use have I for power and kingdoms?"
Athena comes next, saying, "I'll give you all the wisdom of the world if you declare me the fairest of all." Paris thinks, "I'm a shepherd. What use have I for all the wisdom of the world?"
Aphrodite comes last, saying, "I'll give you the most beautiful woman in the world, Helen, if you declare me the fairest of all." And Paris thinks, "Now THAT'S something I could use!!"
In this story, we see the very beginning of the war, rather than starting years into the war, as the
Iliad does. I remember Achilles fighting a son of Poseidon, who took his armor off of a shoulder, allowing a spear thrown by Achilles to pass right through it, being made of water. Achilles ends up crushing the life out of him, or something like that. Not sure why that worked, but whatever. Anyway, the movie shows the beginning of the war, and even earlier.
And in this story we read in 9th grade, the reason I brought it up in the first place
, we also see Achilles' mom dip him into Styx, holding him by the heel. Is this mentioned in the
Iliad?
I'm going to reread it either way. It was pretty cool. I liked the two Ajaxs, only one of which made it to the movie. And some guy who could throw spears expertly with either hand. And other stuff not seen in the movie.
btw, no gods are seen at all in the movie, although they talk about them a lot, and have statues and stuff. But we see Achilles mother for a minute, and we had already heard that she was immortal, though I don't think they say exactly what she is in the movie.
But what makes me love the movie, and the book, is when
Priam goes to Achilles to ask for the body of Hector. Very moving scene. And our teacher in 9th grade made sure we took note of Achilles crying. He said, "Here's a man who is the very definition of a man. The greatest of warriors, a leader of men, feared and respected by all. And he's crying! Isn't it amazing to see a man who nobody could possibly say isn't a real man cry?!"
And I guess I'll find out soon enough, but is Achilles so philosoophical in the
Iliad? In the movie, his thoughts about war, life, and death are much deeper than I expected.
Especially since, I assume, you know what happens in Troy. It's not exactly the Iliad, but enough of it is.
) so maybe I'll see it at Christmas 
That'll be a first, then 
