Patroclus Quotes

As for the goddess's answer, I did not care. I would have no need of her. I did not plan to live after he was gone. ~ Madeline Miller

Peleus acknowledged this. "Yet other boys will be envious that you have chosen such a one. What will you tell them?"
"I will tell them nothing." The answer came with no hesitation, clear and crisp. "It is not for them to say what I will do. ~ Madeline Miller

L. 151. Chthizos, yesterday. But either the word must have a more extended signification than is usually given to it, or Homer must here have fallen into an error; for two complete nights and one day, that on which Patroclus met his death, had intervened since the visit of Ajax and ~ Homer

And let Apollo drive Prince Hector back to battle,
breathe power back in his lungs, make him forget
the pain that racks his heart. Let him whip the Achaeans
in headlong panic rout and roll them back once more,
tumbling back on the oar-swept ships of Peleus' son Achilles.
And he, will launch his comrade Patroclus into action
and glorious Hector will cut him down with a spear
in front of Troy, once Patroclus has slaughtered
whole battalions of strong young fighting men
and among them all, my shining son Sarpedon.
But then - enraged for Patroclus -
brilliant Achilles will bring Prince Hector down.
And then, from that day on, I'll turn the tide of war:
back the fighting goes, no stopping it, ever. ~ Homer

The heat rose up my neck, wrapped fingers over my face. His hair fell around me, and I could smell nothing but him. The grain of his lips seemed to rest a hairsbreadth from mine. ~ Madeline Miller

Those seconds, half seconds, that the line of our gaze connected, were the only moment in my day that I felt anything at all. ~ Madeline Miller

This is how I think of us, when I remember our nights at Troy: Achilles and I beside each other, Phoinix smiling and Automedon stuttering through the punch lines of jokes, and Briseis with her secret eyes and quick, spilling laughter. ~ Madeline Miller

That is - your friend?"
"Philtatos," Achilles replied, sharply. Most beloved. ~ Madeline Miller

...all the grace I saw then was his own: simple, unadorned, glorious. ~ Madeline Miller

This is what Achilles will feel like when he is old. And then I remembered: he will never be old. ~ Madeline Miller

When I am dead, I charge you to mingle our ashes and bury us together. ~ Madeline Miller

I think: this is what I will miss. I think: I will kill myself rather than miss it. I think: how long do we have? ~ Madeline Miller

The never-ending ache of love and sorrow. Perhaps in some other life I could have refused, could have torn my hair and screamed, and made him face his choice alone. But not in this one. He would sail to Troy and I would follow, even into death. ~ Madeline Miller

We reached for each other, and I thought of how many nights I had lain awake loving him in silence. ~ Madeline Miller

We are all there, goddess and mortal and the boy who was both. ~ Madeline Miller

Achilles' eyes lift. They are bloodshot and dead. I wish he had let you all die. ~ Madeline Miller

Like a girl, a baby running after her mother, begging to be picked up, and she tugs on her skirts, holding her back as she tries to hurry off - all tears, fawning up at her, till she takes her in her arms ... That's how you look, Patroclus, streaming live tears. ~ Homer

The difference between being Achilles and almost being Achilles is the difference between living and dying. ~ Thomas C. Foster

The mightiest kings have had their minions; Great Alexander loved Hephaestion, The conquering Hercules for Hylas wept; And for Patroclus, stern Achilles drooped. And not kings only, but the wisest men: The Roman Tully loved Octavius, Grave Socrates, wild Alcibiades. ~ Christopher Marlowe

In making Achilles and Patroclus lovers, I wasn't trying to speak for all gay men, just as when I write straight characters, I don't claim to speak for all straight people. My job as an author is to give voice to these very particular characters - these two men, in this time, and in this place ~ Madeline Miller

Never on me let such wrath lay hold, as the wrath you cherish, you whose valor causes harm! ~ A.T. Murray

Achilles weeps. He cradles me, and will not eat, nor speak a word other than my name. ~ Madeline Miller

The Triumph Of Achilles

In the story of Patroclus
no one survives, not even Achilles
who was nearly a god.
Patroclus resembled him; they wore
the same armor.

Always in these friendships
one serves the other, one is less than the other:
the hierarchy
is always apparent, though the legends
cannot be trusted--
their source is the survivor,
the one who has been abandoned.

What were the Greek ships on fire
compared to this loss?

In his tent, Achilles
grieved with his whole being
and the gods saw
he was a man already dead, a victim
of the part that loved,
the part that was mortal. ~ Louise Gluck

Bury us, and mark our names above. Let us be free. ~ Madeline Miller

Patroclus, he says, Patroclus. Patroclus. Over and over until it is sound only. ~ Madeline Miller