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Achilles |
In the beginning of the Trojan
expedition, being aware of the prophecy of the seer Calchas
regarding the necessity of his participation in the expedition
if the Greeks were to conquer Troy, he dressed him up in women's
clothes and sent him to the King
of Scyros Lycomedes, so that the king would hide him
among his daughters. The resourceful king of Ithaca Ulysses
dressed up as a peddler, entered the palace of Scyros and
left an armor in the courtyard. His identity was revealed
when Ulysses sounded the horn of war and Achilles, hearing
the call, threw away his clothes and took up arms. Thus, Achilles
followed Ulysses to Troy.
Before leaving to Troy, his father Peleus
gave him his weapons, which
were given to him as a wedding present by the gods when he
married Thetis. He also gave him a gift from the Centaur Chiron,
a spear made of basswood so heavy that no mortal could lift.
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He also did not neglect
giving him the wedding present of Poseidon, Xanthos
and Valios, the two immortal
horses which could also speak. As he was an old
man, Peleus himself could not accompany his son to war.
However, as Achilles was an innocent
child of approximately 15 years of age, Peleus thought
it wise to ask the son of Phoenix
Amyntoras to accompany him on the expedition as his
counselor and mentor. Before bidding his son farewell,
Peleus made an offering to the river Spercheios and
promised to sacrifice fifty rams and offer his son's
hair, if he came back alive. Thus, having done everything
he could, he bid him farewell. |
Excavations
at Troy |
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