How did Achilles die with just an arrow?

Homer, who delivers the most famous account of Achilles in his epic poem The Iliad, does not specify exactly how Achilles dies. The most enduring story of Achilles’ death seems to be the one in which Paris shoots him with an arrow in his single spot of vulnerability (his heel) in the Temple of Apollo.

How Achilles died and why does his heel considered as his weakness?

Achilles’ only weakness was his heel. According to legend, his mother had taken him to the River Styx, which was supposed to offer powers of invincibility, and dipped his body into the water. When Achilles was wounded in his heel, he bled out and died.

Is Achilles heel fatal?

Anatomy. The large and prominent tendon of the gastrocnemius, soleus, and plantaris muscles of the calf is called the tendo achilleus or Achilles tendon. Tendons are avascular, so such an injury would be unlikely to be fatal if the arrow were not poisoned.

How did Achilles become immortal?

According to other accounts, Thetis endeavored to make Achilles immortal by dipping him in the river Styx, and succeeded with the exception of the ankles, by which she held him, 23 while others again state that she put him in boiling water to test his immortality, and that he was found immortal except at the ankles.

Was Achilles killed before the Trojan horse?

Although the death of Achilles is not presented in the Iliad, other sources concur that he was killed near the end of the Trojan War by Paris, who shot him with an arrow. The Achilles tendon is also named after him due to these legends.

How did Achilles die in real life?

In the myths surrounding the war, Achilles was said to have died from a wound to his heel, ankle, or torso, which was the result of an arrow—possibly poisoned—shot by Paris.

Why does Achilles have an arrow in his leg?

In scenes representing his death in Greek art, he has been shown with an arrow in his torso, as well as his heel. This may indicate that the ‘Achilles heel’ story is a later addition to the myth. The story reveals the sadness of a mother who knows that, being immortal, she will outlive her son.

How did Achilles kill Hector in the Battle of Troy?

Achilles chased Hector back to Troy, slaughtering Trojans all the way. When they got to the city walls, Hector tried to reason with his pursuer, but Achilles was not interested. He stabbed Hector in the throat, killing him.

How did Achilles get his powers of invulnerability?

Origin. To prevent his death, his mother Thetis took Achilles to the River Styx, which was supposed to offer powers of invulnerability, and dipped his body into the water; however, as Thetis held Achilles by the heel, his heel was not washed over by the water of the magical river. Achilles grew up to be a man of war who survived many great battles.