Patroclus

Patroclus, whose name translates to "glory of the father," was a central Greek hero of the Trojan War and the most intimate companion of the legendary warrior Achilles. Born in Opus to the Argonaut Menoetius, he was forced into exile during his youth and found sanctuary in the court of King Peleus of Phthia. Raised alongside Achilles, Patroclus developed a bond so profound that later classical authors often interpreted their relationship as a romantic partnership.

His role in the Trojan War reached its climax when he donned Achilles’s armor to deceive the enemy and lead the Myrmidons in a desperate counter-attack. Although he successfully drove the Trojans back from the Greek ships, he was eventually slain by the prince Hector. The death of Patroclus was the ultimate catalyst for the final acts of the Iliad, as his loss drove a grief-stricken Achilles to end his refusal to fight and return to the battlefield to seek vengeance.