The Wrath of Achilles is my theme, that fatal wrath which, in fulfillment of the will of Zeus, brought the Achaeans so much suffering and sent the gallant souls of many nobleman to Hades, leaving their bodies as carrion for the dogs and passing birds.

when you two goddesses command, a man must obey, however angry he may be. Better for him if he does. The man who listens to the gods is listened to by them

Why so much grief for me? No man will hurl me down to Death, against my fate. And fate? No one alive has ever escaped it, neither brave man nor coward, I tell you - it’s born with us the day that we are born.

Take my advice then, and set aside all thoughts of avenging your son. Many a finer and stronger man than he has been killed before now and will be killed hereafter. We can hardly expect to keep our eyes on the pedigree of every man on Earth.

Xanthus, you waste your breath by prophesying my destruction. I know well enough that I am doomed to perish here...Nevertheless, I am not going to stop until I have given the Trojans their bellyful of war.

The young fool might have known his prayers were doomed to fail. Achilles was not kind or tender-hearted, but a man of fierce passions

Prophet of evil,' he cried, 'never have you said a word to my advantage. It is always trouble that you revel in foretelling.

Zeus the Thunderer in his own person and with all solemnity made me certain promises. These you tell me to forget; and instead you would have me base my actions on the flight of birds, winged creatures who do not interest me at all - in fact I do not care whether they fly to the right towards the morning sun or to the left into the western gloom.

However, what is done is better left alone, though we resent it still, and we must curb our hearts perforce...as for my death, when Zeus and the other deathless gods appoint it, let it come.