He Whom I Loved as Dearly as My Own Life: An Analysis of the Relationship Between Achilles and Patroclus

Homer’s Iliad has been a pillar in Western literature for centuries. Following thestory of the Trojan War, the epic introduces us to Achilles, the greatest warriorof Greece. Although in most of the epic Achilles has abstained from fighting,he rejoins after the death of his dearest companion, Patroclus. Achilles’srelationship with Patroclus has been heavily debated since antiquity, with thelikes of Plato arguing their status as lovers. Recently, there has been a shift inthe accepted dogma, with more historians accepting the fact that Achillesand Patroclus’s relationship was more than simply platonic. This analysislays out the evidence to support this claim and adds to the scholarship onqueer interpretations of the Iliad. This article compiles direct material fromthe Iliad, information from other scholars, and works from historical figuressuch as Plato. There are several pieces of evidence that show that Achilles andPatroclus enjoyed a very close, very intimate relationship with each other. Itwould be inaccurate and a disservice to the works of Homer to assert thatthere were no romantic attachments between the two