Achilles and Briseida | 4 Curiosities of your love story

In this article, we are going to tell you one of the best known and romantic love stories of all classical literature . Its protagonists are Achilles and Briseida, the place of romance the Trojan War. The lives of these two famous characters were crossed when, after the death of the three brothers and the husband of Briseida, Achilles abducted her. This relationship could have tragic consequences for the Greeks, as we will see along these lines.

It is very likely that you know everything about the great hero Achilles, but the figure of Briseida has always been more mysterious. She was the daughter of Brises, it is said that she was very tall, dark and extremely beautiful. If you want to know more facts and curiosities about her and her relationship with Achilles, you just have to continue reading this article. Uncover it!

Achilles and Briseida | Curiosities of a romantic relationship

1. Briseida was not his real name

Although Briseida was the name with which everyone would know her, it was not the name with which the beloved of Achilles was born. According to a custom that existed in ancient Greece, Briseis took the name of her father named Brises who was king, as well as her husband who was left a widow . His real name was Hipodimia. Possibly his name was changed to be more poetic in the work of Homer of which is the protagonist.

2. From slave to lover

Curiously, the relationship did not have a romantic beginning nor much less . Briseida met Achilles when he kidnapped her, after she lost her entire family due to the Trojan War. This was quite common at the time, since the victorious warriors treated the wives of the defeated soldiers as if they were merchandise. What was very unusual was the treatment Achilles gave Briseida. Both the Greek hero and Agamemnon captured a woman as a slave, but the relationship of Achilles and Briseida changed instantly, as both fell in love. At the same time that they lived their romance, Agamemnon was stripped of his slave because of an oracle that recommended him, if he did not want to fall defeated in the Trojan War. Faced with this decision that he was forced to take, Agamemnon separated Achilles and Briseida making her his slave .

3. A love that changed the course of the war

So passionate was the love between Achilles and Briseida, that when the Greek hero lost it because of Agamemnon, he went into a rage and decided to abandon the battle. The abandonment of Achilles greatly diminished the Greek forces, but Agamemnon, who was a man of great pride, refused to return his beloved. Just before leaving, Patroclo he put on the armor of Achilles and decided to take the beach of Troy along with the warriors mirmidones who fought under the orders of his admired friend. This caused a disaster of great dimensions, since when his companion Patroclus died, Achilles made the decision to return to the battlefield to avenge his death . It could be said that the abduction of Briseida provoked the fury of Achilles, which ultimately led to the defeat of the Trojans.

4. Two love stories in one

The love relationship between Achilles and Briseida can lead to one of the most famous theories that have to do with the Greek demigod. It is none other than defending the existence of a loving relationship between Achilles and Patroclus . It seems clear that if there was love between Achilles and Briseida, there would be no other in those moments. In no fragment of the Iliad Homer manifests jealousy between Patroclus and Briseida by Achilles. So there would not be two love relationships, but only one . Despite the figure of Briseida, many experts in classical Greece argue that the romance between these two men was a fact. In addition to that in those times the homosexual relationships were as normal . It seems difficult, however, that this relationship existed if Achilles and Briseida were as in love as the legends told .

As you may have noticed after reading these curiosities about the relationship between Achilles and Briseida, this was very passionate and had much to do with the events that took place in the Trojan War. However, there are still many mysteries to solve and the experts do not agree on the type of relationship that these two characters of the Iliad had with each other.

Now, as always, we would like you to give us your opinion about this fascinating topic. What do you think was the relationship between Achilles and Briseida? Do you think that in reality it had as much to do with the outcome of one of the best-known battles in antiquity? What do you think of Patroclo's role in all this? Do not hesitate to leave us your comments, we are looking forward to reading you!