The tension between Greeks and Trojans in the story of Iliad changes several times. Nowhere is this more obvious than the character of Achilles in response to Patroclus’ death in particular. This quoted passage is from Book Twenty-One when Achilles gives a speech to Trojan prince Lycaon rejecting Lycaon’s plea for pity after Achilles returns to the battlefield and captures Lycaon. In this excerpt, Achilles contrasts the former and the present way he treats the Trojans, changing from saving their lives to killing them all. Achilles explains the reason for his distinguishing attitude as led by Patroclus’ death. The speech highlights the importance of Patroclus’ death as the turning point of the Iliad that not only impels the Trojan war but also changes Achilles’ attitude toward destiny.
Achilles’ death is significant for it marks both Achilles’ change in his treatment of enemies and his return to the battlefield. In the first six lines, Achilles talks about the different ways he treats Trojans. These lines stand out in illustrating the influence of Patroclus’ death on Achilles as Achilles returns to the battlefield and kills Trojans to avenge Patroclus. The second line “Before Patroclus met his destiny” explicitly explains the cause of Achilles’ change as the death of
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He starts to use rhetorical questions as “How huge I am, how beautiful?” to describe himself, contrasting his personal strength and Lycaon’s (21. 115). Besides that, Achilles presents his family background as having a “noble” father and a “goddess” mother. These descriptions not only show Achilles’ family power, but also reveal Achilles’ opinion about Lycaon’s family. The comparison implies Achilles’ belief that Lycaon has a weak and disgusting family because Patroclus is killed by Lycaon’s family member Hector. By stressing the contrast of their greatness, Achilles suggests that Lycaon is going to