Achilles and patroclus gay

Patroclus and Achilles had a one-of-a-kind relationship, and it was one of the major themes in Homer’s epic novel, The Iliad. Once it is revealed that it is Polyxena who prevented Achilles from going to war, Patroclus is absolved and convinces Achilles to fight. However, when examining the relationship between Achilles and Patroclus, scholars over the centuries have debated whether their relationship fits with our conception of homosexuality today — many scholars argue that the Greeks did not have the same labels for sexuality that we do now.

But we don’t know if there even was an age gap between them. Illustration on a vase c. Centuries later, various Greek texts presented Achilles and Patroclus as pederastic lovers (a common practice in Greek society where an older male and younger male form a sexual relationship).

Jean Joseph Taillason, Arguably this painting could be interpreted in two ways. Some, however, such as Miller, attempt to reclaim this element of the narrative, as does Emily Hauser in For the Most Beautiful. Instead, it may just be a case of the Greeks projecting their own ideas onto the original.

Yet, in Troy there was no such relationship, with Patroclus having limited influence over Achilles and his decisions. Commentators have debated this for centuries, but what does the evidence really show?. This was modelled in the relationship of Zeus and Ganymede, which was ideal due to their age difference; Ganymede was a beautiful boy, granted immortality in exchange for entertaining Zeus.

Were Achilles and Patroclus friends or lovers? By reducing Patroclus to a minor character, Troy reduces Achilles as a hero, and by rendering its storyline entirely heteronormative, the film manipulates the rage of Achilles into selfish wrath, rather than unwavering loyalty to his companion.

Achilles and Patroclus Achilles bandages the arm of Patroclus The relationship between Achilles and Patroclus is a key element of the stories associated with the Trojan War. In the Iliad, Homer describes a deep, meaningful relationship between Achilles and Patroclus, where Achilles is tender toward Patroclus, but callous and arrogant toward others.

To others, it is the intimate friendship which brought the wrath of Achilles upon the Trojan walls. Their closeness triggered a debate on what kind of relationship they had and how it affected events in Greek mythology. Though we will never know for certain what Homer intended, this love story remains heartbreaking to this day.

The movie Troy featured numerous historical inaccuracies, deviating far from the narrative of the Iliad; for example, Menelaus and Agamemnon die far too prematurely. This was seen to be beneficial to Greek society since the erastes ideally had a teacher-like relationship with the eromenos.

But how has homophobia influenced the reading of the Iliad? Write a comment So, how has this influenced modern depictions of the pair? To some, it is the love that launched a thousand warriors and a representation that survived the test of time. In Troy , they were cousins who spent a few years together before joining battle.

Achilles and Patroclus both die, supposedly as punishment for their choices in the war. The debate still continues today as to whether Achilles and Patroclus were lovers, or just intimate friends who wished to have their ashes mixed together so they could be together for eternity.

It is unclear whether they were lovers who slept together, or were simply best friends that shared a tent. Troy compares the relationship between Achilles and Patroclus to that of Hector and Paris, depriving the plot of the nuances of relationships in the Iliad , for the sake of heteronormativity in action movies.