Black Ships Before Troy

The Trojans withdraw within their walls until their other allies, King Memnon and his troops, arrive. Polydamas, one of the Trojan chiefs, believes that there should be no war and that they should simply return Helen with reparations in gold and jewels. Paris is furious and calls Polydamas a coward despite his own cowardice in battle. King Memnon arrives with his war party, men “who had nothing white about them but their teeth” (115). Memnon does not boast about his own fighting ability and refuses to drink wine so that he might be ready for battle come morning.

Achilles gives the Greeks courage when they face with warriors who haven’t been worn out by ten long years of battle. Memnon kills Antilochus, Nestor’s son. Instead of facing Memnon, Nestor begs Achilles to “save Antilochus’ body from dishonor” (116). Achilles and Memnon fight, and after a long and grueling fight, Achilles kills Memnon.

Paris shoots a poison arrow, which Apollo guides to hit perfectly into Achilles’s ankle “where he is most vulnerable” (117). Achilles dies at the gates of Troy at Paris’s hand, just as Hector foretold.