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“Achilles’ eyes lift. They are bloodshot and dead. “I wish he had let you all die.”
― The Song of Achilles
― The Song of Achilles
“No man is worth more than another, wherever he is from."
"But what if he is your friend? Or your brother? Should you treat him the same as a stranger?"
"You ask a question that philosophers argue over. He is worth more to you, perhaps. But the stranger is someone else's friend and brother. So which life is more important?"
We had been silent. We were fourteen, and these things were too hard for us. Now that we are twenty-seven, they still feel too hard.
He is half my soul, as the poets say. He will be dead soon, and his honor 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.
I know, now, how I would answer Chiron. I would say: there is no answer. Whichever you choose, you are wrong.”
― The Song of Achilles
"But what if he is your friend? Or your brother? Should you treat him the same as a stranger?"
"You ask a question that philosophers argue over. He is worth more to you, perhaps. But the stranger is someone else's friend and brother. So which life is more important?"
We had been silent. We were fourteen, and these things were too hard for us. Now that we are twenty-seven, they still feel too hard.
He is half my soul, as the poets say. He will be dead soon, and his honor 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.
I know, now, how I would answer Chiron. I would say: there is no answer. Whichever you choose, you are wrong.”
― The Song of Achilles
“I almost did not come, because I did not want to leave it."
He smiled. "Now I know how to make you follow me everywhere."
The sun sank below Pelion's ridges, and we were happy.”
― The Song of Achilles
He smiled. "Now I know how to make you follow me everywhere."
The sun sank below Pelion's ridges, and we were happy.”
― 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. A C H I L L E S, it reads. And beside it, P A T R O C L U S.
"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 of the sun.”
― The Song of Achilles
"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 of the sun.”
― The Song of Achilles
“Briseis is kneeling by my body. She has brought water and cloth, and washes the blood and dirt from my skin. Her hands are gentle, as though she washes a baby, not a dead thing. Achilles opens the tent, and their eyes meet over my body.
"Get away from him," he says.
"I am almost finished. He does not deserve to lie in filth."
"I would not have your hands on him."
Her eyes are sharp with tears. "Do you think you are the only one who loved him?"
"Get out. Get out!"
"You care more for him in death than in life." Her voice is bitter with grief. "How could you have let him go? You knew he could not fight!"
Achilles screams, and shatters a serving bowl. "Get out!"
Briseis does not flinch. "Kill me. It will not bring him back. He was worth ten of you. Ten! And you sent him to his death!"
The sound that comes from him is hardly human. "I tried to stop him! I told him not to leave the beach!"
"You are the one who made him go." Briseis steps towards him. "He fought to save you, and your darling reputation. Because he could not bear to see you suffer!"
Achilles buries his face in his hands. But she does not relent. "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?" he asks.”
― The Song of Achilles
"Get away from him," he says.
"I am almost finished. He does not deserve to lie in filth."
"I would not have your hands on him."
Her eyes are sharp with tears. "Do you think you are the only one who loved him?"
"Get out. Get out!"
"You care more for him in death than in life." Her voice is bitter with grief. "How could you have let him go? You knew he could not fight!"
Achilles screams, and shatters a serving bowl. "Get out!"
Briseis does not flinch. "Kill me. It will not bring him back. He was worth ten of you. Ten! And you sent him to his death!"
The sound that comes from him is hardly human. "I tried to stop him! I told him not to leave the beach!"
"You are the one who made him go." Briseis steps towards him. "He fought to save you, and your darling reputation. Because he could not bear to see you suffer!"
Achilles buries his face in his hands. But she does not relent. "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?" he asks.”
― The Song of Achilles
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