Achilles And Patroclus Quotes

“Forget him. What is treasure? Or Briseis, or honor, or anything? Next to the life of the one I loved best and dearest? My beloved, my only Patroclus.”
― Stephen Fry, Troy

“Will you come with me?' he asked. Perhaps in some other life I could have refused, could have torn my hair and screamed, and made him face his choice alone. But not in this one. He would sail to troy and I would follow, even into death.”
― Madeline Miller, The Song of Achilles

“I let him hold me, let him press us length to length so close that nothing might fit between us.”
― Madeline Miller, The Song of Achilles

“I have done it,' she says. At first I do not understand. But then I see the tomb, and the marks she has made on the stone. ACHILLES, it reads. And beside it, PATROCLUS.
'Go,' she says. 'He waits for you.'

In the darkness, two shadows, reaching through the hopeless, heavy dusk. Their hands meet, and light spills in a flood, like a hundred golden urns pouring out the sun.”
― Madeline Miller, The Song of Achilles

“And then I remembered, he will never be old.”
― Madeline Miller, The Song of Achilles

“And then I remembered: he will never be old.”
― Madeline Miller, The Song of Achilles

“He is half of my soul, as the poets say. He will be dead soon, and his honour is all that will remain. It is his child, his dearest self. Should I reproach him for it? I have saved Briseis. I cannot save them all.”
― Madeline Miller, The Song of Achilles

“She loved Patroklos, she loved Meryapi, and it had nothing to do with desire, only joy—to see them was joy; to breathe with them was joy; to ride with Patroklos on a cattle raid was joy; scanning the pines for ambush was joy; holding the shield to protect them from Anyasha’s arrows was joy. If she failed, they would die together, and that too was joy.”
― Maya Deane

“I shift an infinitesimal movement, towards him. It is like the leap from a waterfall. I do not know, until then, what I am going to do. I lean forward and our lips land clumsily on each other. They are like the fat bodies of bees, soft and round and giddy with pollen. I can taste his mouth - hot and sweet with honey from dessert. My stomach trembles, and a warm drop of pleasure spreads beneath my skin. More.
The strength of my desire, the speed with which it flowers shocks me; I flinch and startle back from him. I have a moment, only a moment, to see his face framed in the afternoon light, his lips slightly parted, still half-forming a kiss. His eyes are wide with surprise.
I am horrified. What have I done?”
― Madeline Miller, The Song of Achilles

“If I had had words to speak such a thing, I would have. But there were none that seemed big enough for it, to hold that swelling truth.
As if he had heard me, he reached for my hand. I did not need to look; his fingers were etched into my memory, slender and petal-veined, strong and quick and never wrong.
'Patroclus,' he said. He was always better with words than I.”
― Madeline Miller, The Song of Achilles

“My life is my reputation,' he says...'It is all I have. I will not live much longer. Memory is all I can hope for.' He swallows, thickly. 'You know this. And would you let Agamemnon destroy it? Would you help him take it from me?'
'I would not,' I say. 'But I would have the memory be worthy of the man. I would have you be yourself, not some tyrant remembered for his cruelty. There are other ways to make Agamemnon pay.”
― Madeline Miller, The Song of Achilles

“There was more to say, but for once we did not say it. There would be other times for speaking, tonight and tomorrow and all the days after that.”
― Madeline Miller, The Song of Achilles

“It is right to seek peace for the dead. You and I both know that there is no peace for those who live after.'
'No,' Achilles whispers.”
― Madeline Miller, The Song of Achilles

“my rage, my fury would drive me now to hack your flesh away and eat you raw – such agonies you have caused me - achilles, killing hector”
― Homer, Iliad

“There was silence then, and I did not care about the damp pallet or how sweaty I was. His eyes were unwavering, green flecked with gold. A surety rose in me, lodged in my throat. I will never leave him. It will be this, always, for as long as he will let me.

If I had had words to speak such a thing, I would have. But there were none that seemed big enough for it, to hold that swelling truth.

As if he had heard me, he reached for my hand. I did not need to look; his fingers were etched into my memory, slender and petal-veined, strong and quick and never wrong.

"Patroclus," he said. He was always better with words than I.”
― Madeline Miller, The Song of Achilles

“There is no law that gods must be fair, Achilles,' Chiron said. 'And perhaps it is a greater grief, after all, to be left on earth, when another is gone. Do you think?'
'Perhaps,' Achilles admitted.”
― Madeline Miller, The Song of Achilles

“...They never let you be famous and happy.' He lifted an eyebrow. 'I'll tell you a secret.'
'Tell me.' I loved it when he was like this.
'I'm going to be the first.' He took my palm and held it to his. 'Swear it.'
'Why me?'
'Because you're the reason. Swear it.'
'I swear it,' I said, lost in the high colour of his cheeks, the flame in his eyes.”
― Madeline Miller, The Song of Achilles

“I stepped forward to put a hand on her arm, to reassure. She flinched as if expecting a blow. I saw the fear in her eyes, of rape and worse. I could not bear it. There was only one thing I could think of. I turned to Achilles and seized the front of his tunic. I kissed him.
When I let go again she was staring at us. Staring and staring. I gestured to her bonds, and back to the knife. 'All right?'
She hesitated a moment. Then slowly offered her hands.”
― Madeline Miller, The Song of Achilles

“Maybe she really fell in love with Paris.'
'Maybe she was bored. After ten years shut up in Sparta, I'd want to leave too.'
'Maybe Aphrodite made her.'
'Maybe they'll bring her back with them.'
We considered this.
'I think Agamemnon would attack anyway.'
'I think so too. They never even mention her any more.'
'Except in speeches to the men.'
We were silent a moment.
'So, which of the suitors would you have picked?'
I shoved him, and he laughed.”
― Madeline Miller, The Song of Achilles

“Her lips touched mine. I was so surprised I did not move. Her mouth was soft and a little hesitant. Her eyes were sweetly closed. Of habit, of its own accord, my mouth parted. A moment passed like this, the ground beneath us, the breeze sifting flower scents. Then she drew back, eyes down, waiting for judgement. My pulse sounded in my ears, but it was not as Achilles made it sound. It was something more like surprise, and fear that I would hurt her. I put my hand to hers.
She knew, then.”
― Madeline Miller, The Song of Achilles

“I know that you love him,' she said, hesitating a little before each word. 'I know. But I thought that - some men have wives and lovers both.'
Her face looked very small, and so sad that I could not be silent. 'Briseis,' I said, 'If I ever wished to take a wife, it would be you.'
'But you do not wish to take a wife.'
'No,' I said, as gently as I could.”
― Madeline Miller, The Song of Achilles

“I watch the bolt of his triumph sliding home. He is a connoisseur of pain. There is nothing that could cause Achilles greater anguish: being betrayed to his worst enemy, by the man he holds closest to his heart.”
― Madeline Miller, The Song of Achilles

“It is done then? She is safe? She must be. You would not have come back, otherwise.'
'Yes. She is safe.'
A tired breath. 'You are a better man than I.”
― Madeline Miller, The Song of Achilles

“He seizes my hand, and crows to me of the day's events, of how his name was on everybody's lips, of the power of his absence, big as a Cyclops, walking heavily amongst the soldiers. The excitement of the day has flared through him, like flame in dry grass. For the first time, he dreams of killing: the stroke of glory, his inevitable spear through Hector's heart. My skin prickles to hear him say so.
'Do you see?' he says. 'It is the beginning!'
I cannot escape the feeling that, below the surface, something is breaking.”
― Madeline Miller, The Song of Achilles

“Swear to me,' he said. 'Swear to me that if you go you will not fight them. You will stay with Automedon in the chariot, and let the Myrmidons go in front of you.'
'Yes.' I pressed my hand to his. 'Of course. I am not mad. To frighten them, that is all.”
― Madeline Miller, The Song of Achilles

“Bring him back to me,' he told them. They nodded, and clattered their spears on their shields in approval.”
― Madeline Miller, The Song of Achilles

“You have never deserved him. I do not know why he ever loved you. You care only for yourself!'
Achilles' gaze lifts to meet hers. She is afraid, but does not draw back. 'I hope that Hector kills you.'
The breath rasps in his throat. 'Do you think I do not hope the same?”
― Madeline Miller, The Song of Achilles

“He weeps as he lifts me on to our bed. My corpse sags; it is warm in the tent, and the smell will come soon. He does not seem to care. He holds me all night long, pressing my cold hands to his mouth.”
― Madeline Miller, The Song of Achilles