The Deaths of Patroclus & Hector in the Iliad
by Stephen Marsh

The accounts of the death of Hector and the death of Patroclus show similar situations, but different means taken. Both Patroclus and Hector meet their death at the hands of a god, however the involvement is different for each god. The main difference here is the degree of involvement that the god takes in the death of each hero.

In the death of Patroclus, Apollo is defending Troy along side of the Trojans. He actively fights with spear in hand. Patroclus charges the gates of the city three times, and Apollo pushes him back three times. The god warns him that he is not destined to bring down the city, so Patroclus backs off. After Patroclus killed Ceriones, he charged the city again three times, and killed nine men each time. But on the fourth charge Apollo stopped him, and the “end of life came blazing” in front of him. Apollo stopped his charge dead in the middle of battle. The god knocked the helmet off Patroclus’ head, shattered his spear, knocked away his shield, and tore the breastplate off his body. Patroclus was left defenseless and stunned. Euphorbus stabbed him with a spear, but did not kill him. Hector saw him wounded and speared him through the back, killing him.

In this story Apollo takes a very active part in Patroclus’ death, and in the battle as a whole. Apollo is right alongside the Trojan army throwing men back and advising Hector. When Patroclus charged, Apollo physically beat him back. Apollo knocked all of his armor off and left him to die. Despite the fact that Hector struck the final blow, it was Apollo’s “deadly fate” that killed him. As Patroclus dies he says that no man could have stopped him, not even twenty Hectors, and all Hector did was “finish me off.” It was Apollo who had really killed him.

The death of Hector is a similar scene, but the gods have a different role in his Death. The gods make the decision that he is to die, but Athena’s method is less active. She persuades Zeus that Hector is to die, but she does not have as much direct involvement. Athena tricks Hector into believing she is his brother, and she will fight with him. With this lie she sets him up for Achilles, who kills him after Hector realizes he has been fooled. It is Athena who is responsible for Hector’s death, but only because she convinced him to fight Achilles, she did not actually do anything herself.

In both stories it is the fate of the gods that decides the death of the two heroes. However, the two gods play different roles. Apollo is more direct by physically stopping Patroclus and ripping off his armor, leaving him to die. Athena is more subtle by merely deceiving Hector.

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