The Odyssey and The Tales of Troy - Part 5 - Achilles Fights Hector

Description

Coming up, Achilles prepares to return to the battlefield, armed with an extraordinary new suit of armour forged by the god Hephaistos himself. As he charges back into the war, the Trojans are thrown into fear and the long-awaited confrontation between Achilles and Hector draws ever closer. We’ll also hear Helen’s memories of Hector and Troy, before the story builds towards one of the most famous and dramatic encounters of the entire Trojan War. Save the playlist for all episodes - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Previously, the war at Troy reached a desperate turning point. With Achilles still refusing to fight, Agamemnon led the Greeks into battle, but he was badly wounded, and soon Diomedes, Odysseus and other great warriors were forced from the fighting as Hector drove the Trojans ever closer to the Greek ships. The Trojans smashed through the Greeks’ defences, and with Hector calling for fire, it seemed the ships—and the Greeks’ last hope of ever returning home—might be destroyed. Unable to watch any longer, Patroklos begged Achilles to let him enter the battle wearing his famous armour, hoping the Trojans would believe Achilles himself had returned. Achilles agreed, but warned his beloved friend to drive the Trojans from the ships and then come straight back. Wearing Achilles’ armour and leading the Myrmidons, Patroklos transformed the battle, forcing the terrified Trojans back across the plain and defeating the powerful warrior Sarpedon. But carried away by his success, he ignored Achilles’ warning and pursued the enemy all the way to the gates of Troy. There, with the god Apollo intervening against him, Patroklos was left vulnerable, and Hector struck the fatal blow. Hector took Achilles’ armour for himself, while the Greeks fought desperately to prevent the Trojans from carrying away Patroklos’s body. When Achilles learned that his dearest friend was dead, his anger gave way to overwhelming grief—and he vowed to return to battle and take vengeance upon Hector, even though his goddess mother warned him that doing so would