Achilles In Homer's The Illiad

Though this may seem like the actions of a man that had lost his mind but consider that he is a warrior and has been through ten years of war, he had seen thousands of deaths before this one. This death, specifically of his best friend, makes him act the way he does. Throughout all of The Illiad, not once is Achilles this upset or moved by anyone else’s death, this mean that Virgil had meant to specify and make sure that the reader understands how much Patroklos means to Achilles and how close of friends they are. With how severely depressed he gets that Antilochos thinks that he may kill himself is another hint that Achilles if actually a very emotional person. The way his actions are described clearly show that he is completely distraught because of the loss of his comrade. “Antilochos held Achilles’ hands as Achilles moaned / in his noble heard, and Antilochos feared that he would cut / his throat with a knife” (XVIII.32-33). The fear that Antilochos has that Achilles may cut his own throat also is another example of how much Patroklos meant to him and how emotional he was. Lastly, after the fighting had subsided and after the death of Hector and the funeral of Patroklos, Priam had
come to Achilles’ camp in order to try to get back Hector’s body in order to give him a proper funeral.
“And he who was left / to me, who by himself protected the city and those within it – / and you have just killed him as he struggled to defend his homeland – / Hector! On his account I have come to the ships of the Achaeans / to ransom him from you. I bring boundless ransom. / So respect the gods, Achilles, and take pity on me, / remembering your own father. For I am for more to be pitied / than he – I who did what no man on earth has ever dared / to do – to stretch the hands of my son’s killer to my mouth.” / So Priam spoke, and he stirred in Achilles a great urge / to weep for his own father. (XXIV.485-495)
Priam weeps to Achilles about the passing of Hector and expresses his emotions for his loss, Achilles sympathizes with Priam and agrees to ransom Hector’s body despite the event of him killing his best friend.
Achilles knew how Priam felt because he had just lost Patroklos and was still mourning him at this time, so he was able to relate to the sadness and depressed state that Priam was in. He was also able to relate to Priam because he spoke of Achilles’ father as well as offered ransom and the mourn of the fallen. These incidents of passion to take down Hector, his depressed state and his ability to sympathize with Priam all show his emotion for the people and humans in general, instead of just seeing them all as another person dying. Their lives actually meant something to
him.
Achilles’ superior fighting skills and respect help put him above other warriors, but it was also his emotions and passion that made him different. His fighting skills are shown by him killing Hector and how big of a rampage he went on, as well as how feared he was just by the sight of his armor. His respect what above all other Achaeans because no one questions him, and the amount of respect the King shows him after he just killed Hector as well as the claiming of Achilles’ old armor. Finally, Achilles’ emotions set him above all the other Achaean warriors as well with is strong passion that helped him bring down Hector, and being able sympathize with King Priam’s loss as well as mourn the loss of his best friend. All of these traits collectively make Achilles the best of the Achaeans.