Student Question

What action did Achilles take against Hector after killing him in the Iliad?

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After Achilles kills Hector, he pulls his spear out of Hector's corpse and begins removing Hector's armor. Next, the other Greeks come to see the corpse and begin striking at it. Eventually, Achilles finishes removing all of Hector's armor and makes a speech suggesting that they should approach the Trojans to see whether they will now abandon their city. He then has Hector dragged back to the Greek ships, with his lifeless head trailing in the dirt.

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Achilles's treatment of Hector after he succeeds in killing him is especially inglorious because Achilles believes, along with the other Greeks, that Hector has wounded them more than anyone else in Troy. As he is fighting with Hector, Achilles taunts him with the idea that his body will be left in the dust to be eaten by birds and animals. He does not heed Hector's pleas for his body to be sent back to his people, if Achilles should succeed in killing him.

After Hector is dead, Achilles first withdraws his spear from Hector's body and then begins stripping the armor from him. While he is doing this, a crowd of Greeks approach the figure of the fallen hero to marvel at it, and they begin striking blows against the body.

When all the armor has been removed, Achilles delivers a speech to his men. He tells them that now that Hector, who was viewed as a "god" in Troy, is no more, perhaps the Trojans will abandon their war. He also notes that Patroclus, his friend, is dead, suggesting that he has killed Hector to avenge him. He demands that the sons of Achaea "raise the song of triumph" and drag Hector's body back to their ships.

This is done in a way which deliberately defiles Hector's body. Hector's feet are pierced, and ox-hide thongs are tied through them, so that Hector can then be strapped to Achilles's chariot. The corpse is then dragged towards the ships, with Hector's long dark hair trailing in the dirt.

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