Achilles vs. Hector: Who Was The Better Man?

Both Achilles and Hector are outstanding warriors for their armies, but after a disagreement with the Greek leader, Agamemnon, Achilles refuses to fight and sends his best friend Patroclus to combat in his armour. Hector murders Patroclus because he believes he is Achilles.

"Achilles! Achilles! Please come immediately!"

Patroclus was running through the Greek camp, shouting loudly. He received some bad news. The Trojans were attacking Greek ships and setting fire to their decks. Hundreds of Greeks had already been slaughtered.

The Trojans would not have dared to be so daring if Achilles had been there to oppose them. Achilles, on the other hand, was not present. He refused to battle after he disagreed with Agamemnon, the Greek leader, and went to his tent. When Patroclus rushed into Achilles' tent, he looked up, surprised. "Our ships and our troops are in dreadful peril," Patroclus lamented. "Achilles, you must save them."

Patroclus briefed Achilles on what had occurred. He then added: "We did not fight Troy for nine years just to lose the war! Only you can save us."

"No," Achilles snarled. "I'm not coming!"

"But, Achilles..." Patroclus objected. "Agamemnon insulted me," Achilles grumbled. "I'm not going to help him right now!"

Patroclus collapsed to his knees in desperation.

"Then all is lost," he sobbed.

Many Greeks had come to Achilles, urging him to return to combat since he had withdrawn to his tent to mope about Agamemnon. Achilles had turned them all down. He found it difficult, however, to turn Patroclus away as harshly as he did the others. Patroclus was his best friend. They were like brothers to each other. When Achilles saw Patroclus weeping in despair, he relented just a little.

"I will not fight, Patroclus," Achilles stated once more. "However, I will assist."

"How?" Patroclus exclaimed, suddenly regaining hope.

"I'll lend you my armour," Achilles said. "When the Trojans see it, they'll think I've returned to our side."

This was fantastic news. Achilles was feared by the Trojans more than any other warrior on Earth.

Achilles quickly assisted Patroclus in putting on his gleaming armour. Patroclus was pleased to be wearing it.

Achilles, on the other hand, had two cautions for him. "Do not pursue the Trojans back to Troy if you are successful in pushing them away from our ships. And keep an eye out for Hector!" Achilles concluded sternly. "He is the most powerful of the Trojan warriors. Only I can compete with him in combat."

"I'll remember," Patroclus said.

"Then hurry, and may the gods protect you, beloved friend," Achilles said.

Patroclus sped back to the battlefield in Achilles' chariot. As he arrived, the fighting was more ferocious than ever. The smoke from the burning Greek ships had turned the sky black. The bodies of dead Greeks and their upturned chariots littered the coast. The resounding noises of swords smashing with spears, as well as the yells and cries of men embroiled in deadly combat, filled the air.

The Trojans were scared when they saw Patroclus disguised in Achilles' armour. They stopped fighting and began racing their chariots towards Troy and safety.

"Follow them! Follow them! "Patroclus exclaimed. He was so excited that he overlooked Achilles' warning.

Patroclus and the Greeks took off at breakneck speed. Their chariots created dust clouds as they pursued the fleeing Trojans. They travelled so swiftly that when they got close to Troy, the Trojans were still a long way away.

"We're making up for lost time!" Patroclus exclaimed triumphantly.

At that moment, a Trojan reversed his chariot and began heading back towards Patroclus. Patroclus recognised him right away.

"It's Hector!" he exclaimed. Patroclus remembered Achilles' second admonition too late. Patroclus, terrified, hurled his spear towards Hector's chariot. It failed.

When the rest of the Greeks saw Hector's chariot approaching, they unleashed a hail of arrows. They were unable to stop him. Hector charged right towards Patroclus, striking him on the side of the neck with his sword in one strike. Achilles' armour prevented the blow from killing Patroclus, but it knocked his helmet and neck plate to the ground.

Hector was taken aback when he saw Patroclus' visage. "You are not Achilles!" he exclaimed, and before Patroclus could react, Hector thrust his spear into his vulnerable throat. Patroclus was killed quickly. His body was thrown from the chariot into the dust.

Hector jumped down and began removing Achilles' gleaming armour.

Achilles let out a piercing wail of sadness when he discovered that Patroclus had died.

He was filled with grief and collapsed to the floor of his tent. He beat his fists on the ground. He cried. He yelled his friend's name. He sobbed once more and promised vengeance.

"Hector!" Achilles suddenly yelled in a booming voice, as if to make the Trojan warrior hear him. "You will perish! And you will be punished after death."

Achilles did not sleep that night. He could only think of one thing: he had to murder Hector to avenge his lifelong buddy Patroclus. Hector remained awake as well.

He knew he'd be fighting Achilles in the most brutal battle he'd ever seen.

One night, Hephaestus, the god of fire and industry, was busy crafting Achilles' armour for his battle with Hector.

Achilles discovered the armour in his tent the next morning. He donned it and emerged fully armed and ready for a fight. The Greeks were overjoyed to find Achilles had returned to battle alongside them.

When the fighting began that day, Achilles fought like a lunatic.

After a few hours, the Greeks couldn't count how many Trojans Achilles had slaughtered.

Achilles was constantly on the lookout for Hector. He didn't see him until late in the afternoon. The Greeks had fought their way up to the walls of Troy by that point. The Trojan warriors were rushing back into the city, and guards were waiting to seal the gates once everyone was inside.

Hector, on the other hand, refused to enter. He waited for Achilles beyond the gates. King Priam, Hector's father, approached the battlements and implored him to seek refuge within the walls of Troy. Hector's mother, Hecuba, and his wife, Andromache, also arrived and begged him. Hector refused to listen.

Then Hector noticed a dazzling flare of light not far away. Achilles' gleaming armour had caught the final rays of the afternoon light. It got closer and closer until Achilles could be seen racing towards Hector in his chariot at breakneck speed. When Achilles met Hector, he had a dreadful look of anger on his face.

Achilles' chariot approached the waiting Hector, and as it approached, Hector flung his spear. Achilles, seeing it coming, raised his shield. The spear struck it, bounced off, and landed on the ground.

Hector immediately pulled his sword and charged at Achilles. Achilles leapt from his chariot, his spear outstretched, towards him.

"Die like Patroclus, vile Trojan!"

Achilles growled. His spearhead pierced Hector's throat. Hector collapsed to the ground, dead, with a terrible coughing sound.

As Priam, Hecuba, and Andromache saw Hector fall, they cried out in terror from the battlements above. Their fear and anguish were compounded when they witnessed what happened next.

Achilles used his knife to sever Hector's feet from the heels to the ankles. He threaded a rope through the holes and tied the other end to his chariot. So Achilles jumped into his chariot, galloped the horses, and began dragging Hector across the ground. The chariot accelerated while Hector's body trailed behind it. The body was soon shredded, beaten, and filthy with dust.

Achilles returned to the walls of Troy every day for many days after that, trailing Hector's lifeless body behind his chariot. King Priam cried passionately over the horrible spectacle day after day.

Priam could no longer endure the sight.

'I need to forget I'm a King and humble myself before Achilles,' he reasoned.

The heartbroken Priam left Troy for the Greek camp, bringing many lovely presents with him. Priam hoped that the gifts would be Hector's ransom. When Priam entered Achilles' tent, he hurled himself in front of the famous Greek warrior.

"Have mercy on me!" Priam sobbed. "Achilles, what a shame! Return my dead son to me."

Achilles remained silent for a time. He appeared to be severe and inflexible. Priam begged him once more. He even kissed Achilles' hands, as servants did to demonstrate their respect for their masters.

Achilles stared down at Priam's wrinkled, elderly face and his sorrowful eyes, which were bloated and crimson with tears. Achilles suddenly remembered his father, Peleus.

'If Hector had slain me, my father would have cried for me in the same way,' Achilles reasoned.

Achilles finally felt sorry for Priam after remembering his father.

"Do not kneel before me, old man!" he exclaimed. "Do not cry! Your son's body shall be cleansed and dressed, and you shall return to Troy with it."

Achilles kept his promise. Priam received Hector's remains and returned them to his house to be properly buried.

As he watched Priam leave, Achilles knew the gods of Olympus would punish him for his dishonourable deed. He also understood what the consequence would be.

'I'll be slain here in Troy,' Achilles reasoned. 'I will never see my father again, and he will not be able to bury my body like Priam would bury Hector's.'

All of these came true not long after. Achilles was murdered by Hector's younger brother Paris, and his father never saw him again.