Patroklos In The Odyssey

Many people think they can challenge fate, but if one were able to choose when he/she lived or died, would it really be considered fate? Fate is inevitably predetermined; it’s ones destiny. Surely if a person tried hard enough he/she could avoid their fate for a little while, but in the end, he/she will eventually fall to fate. In Homer’s The Iliad, Patroklos attempts to challenge his own fate, but just like everyone else, he too falls victim to his destiny. As proclaimed by Zeus, Patroklos will die, but if Patroklos listened to Apollo, maybe he would not have died when he did. Patroklos let power and honor get to his head when he put on Achilleus’ armor and when he attempted to sack the city of troy, which ultimately lead to his own death.

He instilled fear in the Trojans as he killed their leader and drove the rest of the Trojans away from the ships. Granted Patroklos is currently following the rules right now, he is still power driven. He let the identity of the armor get to his head. Without the armor, he is Patroklos, but with the armor he is still Patroklos, is he not? The person has not changed, but his actions have. If Patroklos really wanted to do good for the Achaians, he could have potentially used his armor and done the same thing. He could have asked Achilleus for just his men and horses but not his armor. It would have sent the same message to the Trojans. The Trojan men would know they are up against Achilleus’ men, but led by Patroklos. To do what he did, Patroklos needed to wear the armor. He desired the sense of fear around him. Patroklos wanted the Trojans to fear him, but they did not know they feared Patroklos. The Trojans thought they feared Achilleus. Achilleus did not force the armor to Patroklos, Patroklos asked for it. Patroklos yearned for Achilleus’ strength and power and used his armor to attain it. Under all the armor, Patroklos acted as a coward, not a

There is no way to escape it, but there are ways to steer clear of it for a while. One way is to not go around with a death wish written across ones face, as did Patroklos. Patroklos challenged his fate the minute he clothed himself in Achilleus’ armor. Patroklos imagined himself as if he were actually Achilleus, but in reality he was still Patroklos, he was just hiding behind a mask. Just as children on Halloween think they are whom they dress up as, Patroklos did the same. Once out on the battlefield he acted as the greatest fighter alive, and maybe he did have the skills to be one the greatest, but he lacked the critical thinking which is crucial to a strong fighter. A strong fighter knows when it is time to back down from a fight, which Achilleus shows the reader when he tells Patroklos what he should and should not do. Patroklos does not listen and in turn fights with anger and gets himself killed. From the start, Patroklos knew putting on Achilleus’ armor would give him the strength he needed to help the Acahians, but he also knew people would fear him. He used that fear to do more than what he was told to do, thus killing him. Achilleus clearly informed Patroklos on what do and not to do, but Patroklos was too blind sided to listen. Patroklos took advantage of the power of the armor and tried to do more than what was required of him. He challenged fate and lost. Patroklos alone holds the responsibility of his