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5/8. After the death of Patroclus, Achilles undergoes a transformation in The Iliad, as translated by Professor Emily Wilson. Initially expressing rage through the violent sacrifice of Trojan youths at Patroclus's funeral pyre, Achilles later organizes

Author
John Batchelor
Published
Sun 31 Aug 2025
Episode Link
https://audioboom.com/posts/8770289






5/8. After the death of Patroclus, Achilles undergoes a transformation in The Iliad, as translated by Professor Emily Wilson. Initially expressing rage through the violent sacrifice of Trojan youths at Patroclus's funeral pyre, Achilles later organizes funeral games. These games, with prizes for all participants and no deaths over competition, offer a new model for how men's competitiveness could coexist without societal destruction. His act of giving Agamemnon a prize without contest can be read as gracious maturity or a "sick burn".

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