Achilles: In the Fire of Destiny

By Silvio J. Caputo

The name Achilles induces the image of the consummate warrior, an icon of an ancient time that has held its fascination for thousands of years. Yet his story remained scattered in the works of ancient poets, with occasional pieces brought to the big screen, until now.

The Fire of Destiny tells Achilless story from his traumatic birth at Phthia to his vindictive war against Troy. Even more, it tells the story of the women who helped shape a man of destiny.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Xlibris US
• Release date: Sep 15, 2014
• ISBN: 9781499069730

Silvio J. Caputo

Silvio Caputo was born and raised in Trinidad, Colorado and received his B.A. degree from Adams State College where he graduated Cum Laude in 1973 with majors in History and Political Science. He received his M.A. degree in English in 1976. He has taught literature and writing on the high school and university levels since 1974. He received the Distinguished Teachers award from the state of Colorado in 2002. His first novel, The Death of Spring, dealt with the Ludlow massacre in the coalfield wars of southern Colorado. He has also published non-fiction articles about the massacre and on relations between labor and management of the early 1900s.

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Copyright © 2014 by Silvio J. Caputo.

ISBN:     eBook     978-1-4990-6973-0

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Rev. date: 09/05/2014

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CONTENTS

Episode I: The Birth of Achilles

Episode II: Patroclus

Episode III: Phthia

Episode IV: Achilles at The Court of Lycomedes

Episode V: Aulis: The Army Comes Together

Episode VI: The First Landing in Asia: The Attack Upon Teuthrania in the Land Called Mysia

Episode VII: The Long Road to Troy

Episode VIII: Thebe-under-Placus

Episode IX: The Assault Upon Troy

Episode X: A Test of Will

Episode XI: An Offer of Desperation

Episode XII: The Changing Tide of Battle

Episode XIII: The Funeral of Patroclus

Episode XIV: A Bargain Between Enemies

Epilogue: Polyxena

For my three muses

Rosalie, Regina, and Alicia

Special thanks to Kathy and Dianne

Identification of Characters

ACHAEANS

Achilles: (a kil ez) Greatest of the Achaean warriors. Son of Peleus and Thetis.

Peleus: (pe le us) Son of Aeacus and Endeis. King of the Myrmidons. Father of Achilles. An Argonaut. Helped Heracles conquer when it was ruled by Laomedon.

Myrmidons: (mur mi donz) Originally ants, they were turned into soldiers and became the famed army of Achilles accompanying him to Troy.

Neoptolemus: (ne op tol e mus) Also called Pyrrhus. Son of Achilles and Deidamia. Foretold by Helenus that Troy would not fall unless he were present.

Patroclus: (pa tro klus) Son of Menoetius of Opus. Beloved friend of Achilles. In a game of bones kills Clitonymus.

Atreus: (a tre us) Father of Agamemnon and Menelaus by Aerope.

Agamemnon: (ag a mem non) King of Mycenae and Argos. Husband of Clytemnestra. Father of Iphigenia. Commander of the Achaean forces at Troy.

Clytemnestra: (kli tem nes tra) Daughter of King Tyndareus of Sparta by Leda, mother of Helen.

Iphigenia: (if I je ni a) Daughter of Agamemnon and Clytemnestra.

Menelaus: (men e la us) Brother of Agamemnon. Husband of Helen.

Helen: (hel en) Daughter of Zeus and Leda. The most beautiful woman. Wife of Menelaus.

Odysseus: (o dis e us) Son of Laertes and Anticlea. King of Ithaca. Known for his prudence, sagacity and valor in the Trojan War.

Diomedes: (di o me dez) Son of Tydeus and Deipyle. King of Aetolia. Next to Achilles, the mightiest warrior in the Achaean army.

Phoenix: (fe niks) Son of King Amyntor of Argos. Tutor of Achilles.

TROJANS

Paris: (par is) Son of Priam (elderly King of Troy) and Hecuba. Married Oenone. Prince of Troy. Abducts Helen from Sparta.

Hector: (hek tor) Son of Priam and Hecuba. Brave and strong, represents the virtue of the Trojan people. Leader of the Trojan forces.

Andromache: (an drom a ke) Wife of Hector. Daughter of Eetion, king of Thebe-under-Placus.

Aeneas: (e ne as) Son of the Trojan prince Anchises and Aphrodite. Educated by Chiron.

Priam: (pri am) Son of Laomedon. Husband of Hecuba. Elderly king of Troy. Gave most of his power as king to Hector.

Hecuba: (hek u ba) Wife of Priam.

Deiphobus: (de if o bus) Son of Priam and Hecuba.

Cassandra: (ka san dra) Daughter of Priam and Hecuba. She had the power given to her by Apollo to foretell the future. Warned the Trojans of the danger of having Paris in the city of Troy.

Polyxena: (po lik se na) A daughter of Priam and Hecuba. Accompanied her father when he went to Achilles’ camp to claim Hector’s body where Achilles fell in love with her.

ASIANS

Lycomedes: (li ko me dez) King of Skyros. To him Thetis entrusted the care of the young Achilles to keep Agamemnon from enlisting him in the Achaean forces.

Deidamia: (de I da mi a) Daughter of Lycomedes, king of Skyros. Mother of Neoptolemus with Achilles.

King Mynes: King of Lyrnessus in Asia.

Briseis: (bri se is) Queen of Lyrnessus (an Asian city near Troy) and wife of King Mynes. Claimed by Achilles after capturing and destroying the city.

Chryseis: (kri se is) A daughter of Chryses, priest of Apollo at his shrine on the isle of Chryse, near Troy. Taken hostage while attending a religious festival at Thebe-under-Placus.

Telephus: (tel e fus) Son of Herecles and Auge. An oracle declared that Troy could not be taken without the aid of a son of Herecles. Married to a daughter of Priam, King of Troy. King of Mysia.

Hittites: The Hittite Kingdom developed on the central Anatolian Plateau in the land called Hatti during the seventeenth century BC. By the late Bronze Age, their empire extended across the Anatolia, through northern Syria to the border of Mesopotamia. They had both political and cultural contact with the Achaeans. However, they opposed their encroachment into Asia.

PLACES OF NOTE

Phthia: (thi a) Town in Thessaly where Achilles was born.

Aulis: (o lis) The port in Boeotia where the Achaeans launched the first invasion of Asia. Also the site of the sacrifice of Iphigenia.

Sparta: (spar ta) City in Hellas controlled by Agamemnon who placed his brother Menelaus on the throne. Helen was its queen.

Mycenae: (mi se ne) Ancient city which became the strongest and wealthiest city in Arcadia. Agamemnon was its king.

Troy: (troi) Also called Ilion, Ilios, and Ilium. City in northwestern Asia Minor, an area between the Achaeans and the Hittites. It became wealthy through trade of many highly prized goods especially horses.

Thebe-under-Placus: city near Troy captured by Achilles.

Scyros: (si ros) Island in the Aegean Sea. Lycomedes was its king. Achilles was hidden here to avoid fighting in the Trojan War.

Lyrnessus: City in Asia Minor captured by Achilles.

Mysia: First city in Asia attacked by the Achaeans upon landing in Asia during the first invasion.

Hatti: Empire of the Hittites whose capital was at Hattusa.

GODS AND OTHERS

Aegina: (e ji na) Daughter of Asopos ( a river god) and Metope. Mother of Aeacus by Zeus.

Ate: (a te) Goddess of evil, infatuation and mischief.

Chiron: (ki ron) The son of Cronos and Pyilyra.

Cronos, wishing to hide his passion for Philyra from his wife Rhea, made love to her in the form of a horse. Unlike the other centaurs, he was kind, well versed in the arts and medicine. A good friend of Apollo, he was given the gift of archery. Tutor of many great heroes including Jason, Asclepius, and Achilles.

Thetis: (the tis) The daughter of Nereus and Doris, she was courted by Zeus and Poseidon, but they deserted her when they learned that her son would be greater than his father. She married Peleus, king of Phthia and gave birth to Achilles.

FATE

moria, aisa, moros, morsimos, heimarai

A man’s share or portion falls at birth. One above all is death. Even the gods must concede.

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EPISODE I

The Birth of Achilles

T he grinding sound of cicadas filled the hot dry air within the palace. The servants went about their daily tasks with the same repetitive rhythm, carefully ignoring the condition of their queen, who was in labor. Such an event would normally bring great bliss to all within the city of Phthia. But the circumstances were too familiar to bring joy. All within the palace carried within them a deep fear that some careless act or thought would again bring misfortune. Thus, they moved about their daily routine mechanically, performing their household tasks while attempting to give no notice to the birth. At least none that could cause the king further apprehension, or worse, the disapproval of a goddess.

Years before, the first announcement that the queen was with child was greeted with jubilation. Shortly after being born, the child disappeared. The people of the city were told that Thetis, a most beautiful sea goddess, had taken the child to Mount Olympus where she herself would rear it. Shortly after, rumors spread that the child had mysteriously died because of some unknown curse. When the same thing occurred a year later to a second son, suspicions quickly arose. Thereafter, when the queen became pregnant, no one would speak of it for nine long months, fearing that some act would again bring disaster. Altogether, six sons were born to the king and queen, all disappearing shortly after birth, causing great anxiety among the people of Phthia. They believed Peleus was a good king, and all loved him. There was no apparent reason for such a curse to befall the royal family.

Within the palace, King Peleus waited patiently for the birth of his seventh child, not allowing anxiety to control him. Yet, as king, he had many responsibilities. A looming war among the cities to the south was foremost among them. Politics demanded that his allies call upon him soon to commit soldiers. He knew he would have to give them a firm answer or they would become suspicious that he might support the other side. He preferred to keep his army within the walls of his city, but his soldiers had a reputation throughout Hellas as the most tenacious warriors on the entire peninsula. The other kings would press hard to have his army join with theirs when war came, and he would have to commit to doing so unless he could find some valid reason to keep his men in Phthia.

Suddenly the grinding monotony of the cicadas stopped, and the ensuing silence grabbed the king’s attention. He waited, expecting a servant to come rushing into the room with news of his wife. Then the insects began again, tempting a curse from his lips. He knew better. For it would not be unlike the gods to trick him into some sign of disrespect.

He heard a distant blast of a horn signaling the approach of foreign envoys. Their request would be ill timed, for nothing of importance could be decided with a troubled mind. It had been so since his wife became pregnant. Her health affected the entire city because nothing could touch her without affecting all, for as queen, she was the citizens’ link to the gods. Each time she gave birth, she became ill. He prayed to the gods each time that this time would be different and that she and the child would return to good health. And each time she recovered, yet the child died. This time the queen had become exceptionally weak, and now he prayed that the child not take her life.

As Peleus sat down with the envoys from Orchomenos at his table in the great hall, he listened without hearing their words, knowing their request, for he had expected it; his answer already prepared. He told them that there was trouble brewing to the north, and he believed that there would be an invasion of his own land and, therefore, his best soldiers, the Myrmidons, must remain in the city. He would, however, send what he could spare of the others. While he was still talking with them, a servant rushed into the room. He knew immediately that the child had been born. Excusing himself, he quickly rushed to his wife. As he entered the room he looked to her face, wet with perspiration, a look of relief upon it.

A son, she said, the words coming quietly from her lips.

He placed his hand upon her face, then bending over, softly kissed her cheek. She closed her eyes. Then he noticed the servants taking the bloodied sheets from the room. Too much blood, he said to himself; the child resisted leaving his mother.

Rest, he said quietly, bending over to kiss her again, then hesitating. He could hardly feel the breath from her mouth. She is weak, he thought. Too weak to give nourishment to the child.

As he stood up he noticed one of the servants standing near them.

The child will need to be fed soon, she said.

Find a wet nurse, he answered.

There is one who has already come, she said.

Good, he answered.

My wife, he continued, did she say anything before the child was born?

What a woman says during the birth of a child cannot be taken seriously, the woman answered.

She is not any woman. She is the queen. What did she say?

It was as before, my lord, she said, her head dropping.

Thetis. She called out to Thetis to have mercy upon the child.

The woman nodded slowly in agreement, her face changing to pity.

Like the other six born to us. Did she again beg the goddess not to immortalize him… with death, he said, his voice drifting.

Again the woman nodded, tears coming to her eyes.

I know nothing of these strange things, she said, not wanting to bring a curse from the goddess.

I will again call upon her priests. They cannot fail again. We must find what the goddess wants. Whatever the price. This time it must be different. The child must live, he said in desperation.

By then the queen had fallen asleep. The other servants returned to care for her, and Peleus returned to the great hall to find the envoys gone.

On the third day after giving birth, the queen died. The city prepared to mourn, dirges filling the air. Some believed that fear of yet another child dying caused more trauma than she could bear. Others blamed those unseen forces that were the cause of all things beyond human understanding. Already talk of why this time the mother rather than the child had died had filled the streets of the city, giving rise to stories that would soon pass to other cities. Talk of the last words of the queen and of Thetis again gave rise to rumors as the people, who could find no answers had been given when the first six sons had died, began creating their own. The king thought nothing, his mind empty, drained of past joy since sons who had been born to him had always disappeared, and he now feared them dead. Now it was his wife who joined them, and he knew that he could never again call another his queen. Deep within he had little hope that the child would live, yet in his mind he could not fathom another death.

The priests came with more of the same rituals to appease the gods, calling upon Thetis, begging her to open her mind, to reveal to them what they must do to save the child from the fate of his brothers. Peleus fell into fits of depression while wandering the streets of the city looking for signs of the goddess in every shadow that fell. Some thought they heard him call her name, others said it was the name of his queen. When told by the servant girls that the child was well, Peleus felt a fleeting joy that was quickly engulfed by fear, a fear that haunted him no less than the specter of death. The ghost of a goddess never seen but always present haunted him relentlessly, bringing with it remembrances of six small funeral pyres with darkness consuming all. Fear brought a continued refusal to see the child.

The dark shadow of Thetis appeared whenever the people of Phthia thought of her or whenever they dared whisper her name to each other. The more quietly they said it, the more it resounded throughout the city in so dominating a force that common responsibilities, whether they be stripping the flax for making sails and rope or tending to the livestock, were left unfinished. Like a pool of stagnant water, thoughts were left to fester, drifting into the unhealthy air. Every day that disappeared with the sun brought a new fear that the boy would join his mother in the underworld. The king did nothing to rectify the situation, refusing even to look upon the child, fearing that he too would soon be gone. Yet the boy continued living, looking into the eyes of the woman who nursed him, recognizing that she did so with the love of a mother.

The days passed slowly when a messenger brought word to Peleus that a stranger claiming to know him had entered the city. When he asked who the man was, Peleus was told that the stranger said only that he had traveled to the ends of the earth with the famed king of Phthia, had seen things few mortals would ever see, and shared the company of heroes. He had come requesting something that only Peleus could grant. And he claimed that if the king at all valued the memories of great adventures of the past, Peleus would grant this old friend a favor. For the first time in weeks, Peleus’ mind drifted away from the child and his lost queen. There were friends from his past who might make this claim but few who would approach him in this way.

I am in no condition to greet anyone. My mind is unsettled and my body lacks rest. Give him my regards. Be polite yet honest, the king told the servant. Ask what it is that he wants. Tell him that if he does not give an answer, I will not see him.

Peleus thought that such an answer would discourage anyone. However, the servant quickly returned, reporting that the stranger said the king’s response was not appropriate for one who sailed on the Argo.

The Argo? the king responded in surprise. I’ve seen no one who sailed on her for many years. Bring him to me.

The gleam that had once burned brightly in his eyes returned from a distant past. His heart pounded quickly as the names of the men who had sailed under Jason and his Argonauts ran quickly through his head. He settled on a handful of names that he knew lived within a distance from Phthia, men who might for some reason need his help and who might come now to his city. When the servant entered the room, a tall handsome man walked alongside him, and Peleus immediately knew the man.

Phoenix, Peleus called out as he hurried to him.

The two came together, locking in embrace. They parted, looking each other over.

My old friend, it has been too long since my eyes have looked upon you, Phoenix said.

It is the same for me, although you come with a strange introduction. It does not matter why you came; you are here, and we have much to share. Before we begin, I will have a fine dinner prepared. My servant will provide you with whatever you need for however long you can stay. Remember you are not a guest under my roof; it is as though you are home.

Phoenix smiled, relaxed by Peleus’ words. Let me say first… he began but was cut off by Peleus.

Nothing more for now. Over dinner we will talk.

Peleus called for one of his servants and gave instructions that his friend should be given the best, as though he were a member of the royal family. As Phoenix walked away, he could not help thinking upon the appearance of Peleus who, although younger than he, appeared much older. Deep lines crossed his gaunt face and his clothing appeared disheveled. Many tales had reached his hometown of Ormenium concerning King Peleus, and he knew that all of them could not be true. Yet, there was always some bit of truth, even in the most outlandish tale surrounding kings and queens. The king’s haggard appearance caused Peleus to suspect that much had taken place in Phthia, with more still to come. For his own part, Phoenix knew he had little choice but to rely upon Peleus’ loyalty to those in his past and to wait until a better time to ask a favor. It was of help that he desperately needed, for he too labored under an unspeakable curse.

When night came, the two men sat in the great hall eating. An atmosphere of neglect permeated everything, Phoenix thought, as he looked about the room. Although decorum was kept, something was wrong. But it was not the place for a guest to seek such information. He would wait until it was offered. Phoenix too said nothing of the rumors being passed from city to city in Peleus’ kingdom of Thessaly. When they were finished eating, Peleus suggested that they go into the garden where, with a bottle of wine, they could reminisce about the days they had been together on the Argo. The very mention of the ship’s name brought back memories of sailing to Colchis with Jason to claim the famed Golden Fleece. The two had joined the crew called the Argonauts and even before they set sail, their reputation had spread quickly throughout the known world.

As they sat drinking wine and talking, Peleus suddenly became silent, his mind drifting back in years. Phoenix could see a change in Peleus whose eyes came alive as he smiled.

Do you remember when, after sailing through the Hellespont, we landed on Bear Island? The king of the island treated us well while all the time preparing to kill us all. If it had not been for Hercules, who remained on his guard, we would have all died that day. He killed so many he had to pile them so he could kill more.

I remember, Phoenix answered. We fought hard that day, but Hercules was our greatest fighter and we all thought that the expedition to claim the Golden Fleece was over the day he left.

If I recall, he left because of what happened to the boy, Hylas, Phoenix said.

Yes. We stopped at Bithyina so Hercules could cut wood to replace an oar that had broken. While there, the boy wandered off never to be seen again. Some of the men claimed that the boy was so beautiful that nymphs fell in love with him. When he heard their voices calling from a pool of water, he bent over to see who called his name and was pulled into the water they claimed, Peleus said.

And when Hercules realized the boy was gone, he went searching for him, wandering through the forest calling his name. We never saw him again, Phoenix finished.

We thought all was lost, but we endured to the end without him, Peleus added.

After a brief silence they each relaxed.

Now that we have eaten and renewed our friendship, tell me what brings you to Phthia, Peleus said.

My father has placed a curse upon me by calling upon the Furies, those avenging spirits that know no rest until their work is done. One that if fulfilled would have me childless, Phoenix answered.

Can I know the cause or is it something that is better off not known by men? Peleus asked.

I will tell you the cause, but if I seem cautious it is because I never wanted to bring upon my family a curse like the one that destroyed the house of Oedipus. As it was with Oedipus, my parents too are the source of all of my troubles. My father found the company of a younger woman much to his liking. As is often the case, my mother could do little beyond living with the embarrassment when he showed this other woman attention in public. Knowing well the limitations of older men, my mother persuaded me to seduce this mistress, hoping to turn her attention away from my father. It was not difficult, for she is beautiful and susceptible, a dangerous combination. However, we misjudged the depth of my father’s affection for her.

I know well how a problem such as this can tear a family apart, Peleus said. For like you, I once agreed to a request of my mother, and it led to banishment by my father from the isle of Aegina, my homeland.

Your reputation for virtue is as well known as it was for your father, Aeacus. What could have caused your troubles? Phoenix asked.

Aegina, my grandmother, was a river nymph. She was so beautiful that Zeus fell in love with her and carried her to the island that is named for her. There she bore my father, Aeacus. Because he was alone, he prayed to Zeus, who transformed ants into the famed fighters known as the Myrmidons. My father was a good man and his reputation spread even to Asia where he helped build the walls of the great city of Troy. When the walls were finished, three snakes attacked, only one penetrating. My father had built this section. His troubles began when he married Endeis. She impelled my brother and me, Telamon, to kill our half brother, Phocus. We resisted but while we were throwing discs, he was struck in the head and died. It was an accident but my father banished us both. It is how I came to Phthia. King Actor purified me and gave me the hand of his daughter.

Phoenix shook his head, knowing how troubles came to a man in many ways.

Now tell me the conclusion to your troubles, Peleus said.

One night he caught us together. Ate, the mischief-maker, caused great fury within him. If it were not for my own strength and agility, he would have killed me. Instead, he called upon his guards to imprison me in my room. The next night I escaped and came here.

And so you are homeless.

Yes.

No more. You will live with me here in Phthia.

Just name what duties that you assign to my care and I will see to it that they are done beyond your expectations. I will spare no effort is seeing that your will be carried out.

I am sure, for your reputation among the Argonauts was well known.

One thing more. The sacred rites freeing me from my father’s curse…

Do not let them concern you. I will perform them myself, leaving nothing undone.

When they finished talking, Phoenix could see that Peleus was growing weary, and although there was still much he wanted to know about the situation in Phthia, his discretion would not allow him to ask. He thanked Peleus again for the hospitality. Then Peleus rose and became anxious as though he suddenly remembered something.

I must go now, he said and rushed from the room.

Becoming suspicious of some trouble, Phoenix waited for the king to leave the room and then followed him. Peleus left the palace going into the nearby woods. Phoenix lost sight of the king but continued down the path and in a short time came upon Peleus, who was sitting upon a large stone in a clearing. He sat still, almost appearing to be part of the scene before him. Approaching, Phoenix waited for the king to speak.

Why have you followed me? Peleus said in anger.

When we were the Argonauts we fought as brothers. What troubled one troubled all. What causes your affliction?

When you arrived at the palace did you hear anything? Peleus asked.

No. The palace was quiet.

Too quiet.

What should I have heard?

The sound of a baby. One recently born, Peleus answered.

Your son?

My last son. My queen is dead.

And the boy? Is he healthy?

Peleus looked up at Phoenix, an empty look, for he had no answer. Phoenix immediately became uneasy.

How many days has it been since the boy was born?

Peleus shook his head.

I don’t know, he answered.

How can it be? Your grief, I am sure is great, losing a queen that can never be replaced. But the child is another matter.

I cannot bear to lose another.

You have not lost him. In your heart surely your have heard him cry out to you. You could not have ignored it. Peleus had no answer.

Who cares for the child?

When he was born one of the servants said to me that she had already sent for a wet nurse, for she knew my wife was too weak to nourish him.

We must find her.

No. She has taken him as she did the others, Peleus said in an alarming voice. The child was taken to Thetis. Demanded by her for reasons not known by men. There is nothing that can be done now.

Taken him where?

It is the same as with the others. All of them gone, Peleus said desperately.

You talk as though all reason has left you. Let us go and find him tonight before it is too late.

What if we find him dead?

There is something wrong here. Something unnatural that must be found out no matter how painful. Your question cannot be answered until we know what has become of the child. To not do so can only bring unimaginable pain. Come. We are wasting time.

Peleus rose slowly as Phoenix hurried toward the palace. When they both arrived, Phoenix asked Peleus for the name of the servant who had gone for the wet nurse. Peleus called for her, and when she arrived, Phoenix demanded to know to whom she had given the child. The girl panicked and began screaming that she had been told by the queen to bring the baby to Thetis. Peleus took her by the shoulders and again demanded the name of the nurse who now had the child. The girl again began screaming, and Peleus, losing all patience, began shaking her. She cried out even more, calling for Thetis. Phoenix intervened, pulling the woman away.

We have been sent by Apollo to care for the child. He must be given up to his father or Apollo will take vengeance upon anyone who allows harm to come to him. Tell us now where we can find the child before Apollo takes his vengeance upon you for denying his will.

The girl fell to the floor upon her knees, weeping.

It is too late, Peleus said desperately.

No, Phoenix countered.

The girl knows where the child is and she must take us to him. Tell us now where the child is or forever be at the mercy at an angry Apollo. Do you understand? he told the girl.

The girl nodded as Phoenix helped her from the ground. They followed her to a remote place within the forest. Down a long winding path, they hurried as the darkness began to deepen. Suddenly they heard the faint sound of a child. They moved quickly until they came to a clearing, and in the darkness they could see the outline of an altar, a flame burning in the form of a circle upon it. Near the altar sat the wet nurse holding the child to her breast. On either side, a priestess stood watching. Peleus and Phoenix cautiously approached, and, as they did so, the girl who had brought them ran to the woman nursing the child and, falling to her knees, began to implore Thetis for forgiveness for having done so, claiming that Apollo had demanded that she bring Peleus to the child.

Who are these women? Phoenix demanded.

Do not worry, the servant girl answered. Thetis has sent them to care for the child.

The child belongs to his father. He will take care of him, he pressed.

Hail to Peleus, King of Phthia, one of the priestesses called out.

She knows you by name, a surprised Phoenix said.

We know each other well, for we have met six times before, Peleus answered.

There is much you are not telling me, Phoenix said in anger.

Thetis fears the child will be mortal like his father, the priestess said. She sends us to bring the child to her where he will join her among the immortal gods.

As has been your claim when you have come to me before, Peleus answered.

The child will remain with us, Phoenix answered.

The child does not belong with mortals, the priestess said. On this night Thetis will save him from the fate of all humans, save him from the darkness of death.

Peleus claims him as heir to his throne, Phoenix called out loud enough for all to hear. No less than Apollo demands it.

This is a lie, the priestess countered. Apollo does not interfere. Zeus chose Peleus to be the husband of Thetis out of fear. Zeus, greatest among all gods, knew that her child would be greater than his father. He fears that his love for Thetis will bring disaster to Olympus, she called out in a loud voice.

Your wife? Phoenix anxiously asked Peleus, Who was she?

I don’t know. There were oracular predictions before the wedding. I married a woman I believed was mortal.

She was no mortal, the priestess called out to them.

Peleus has no such fear, and he is the father of the boy, Phoenix said to the priestess. Regardless of whom the mother is.

Zeus cannot take the risk. The boy must be given to Thetis, she answered.

Phoenix slowly moved toward the child, the priestesses cutting him off from the nurse.

Interfering in what has been demanded by the goddess will bring upon you an eternal curse, a curse dark and fearful. Such words spewing from your own father’s lips, Phoenix, words bringing you a sterile future. Fruit rotting upon the vine will forever be your legacy, she said.

How do you know of the curse my father has called down upon me? a startled Phoenix answered.

It is not your business to know how we know. This child is destined for greatness among the gods and no man can stop what is decreed by fate. Lay your hands upon us and pain not known to man will befall you. Eternal punishment unknown to men will be your legacy. Touch us and you will forever wander the shores of the river Styx, eternally lost to the worlds of both living and dead.

Phoenix moved again, trying to get around the priestess without touching her, but each time she blocked his way. Suddenly all froze as a loud cry from the child filled the grassy opening. The wet nurse arose, still pressing the child to her breast This child is like no other. He takes milk from my breast with such force that surly no mortal could be his mother. His mother must be the goddess Thetis. Now he must go to her, his true mother. She began walking toward the altar.

Take the child from her, Phoenix demanded of Peleus in desperation.

I cannot, Peleus responded in a frail voice. Zeus demands it.

The nurse stood before the altar, holding the child out over the flames. This fire will forever immortalize you, she said, raising her head toward the sky. The heat from the flames fell upon the baby, his small hands clenching as he cried out.

Phoenix again rushed toward the woman but was blocked by the priestesses.

Peleus, you must take the child or he will die as did his brothers. Do it now before it is too late.

Hearing the words of his old friend, Peleus awoke as if from a nightmare. His son lay upon the altar, the flames closing in upon him, his desperate cry pleading to his father. Rushing to the altar, Peleus pushed the nurse aside, pulled the boy from the flames, and held him to his chest.

You do not know what you have done, one priestess cried out. No mortal can defy fate. Because of the boy, chaos will fall upon Olympus, spreading like fire in a drought-stricken forest. The heat from within him will emanate, burning all. Mortals will not be spared this calamity, for it will descend upon earth from the heavens in a rain of fire.

Return to wherever dark place that sent you to plague men, Phoenix cried out.

A warning to you: we shall return.

As they spoke, fire fell from the altar and onto the nearby bushes, flames rising rapidly into the air. Quickly, Phoenix ran to extinguish it. When he finished, he looked for Peleus, who had gone to the edge of a nearby stream near the altar. He held the child in his hands and dipped him into the cool water, washing the smoke from his flesh.

Before either of the men could react, the priestesses faded into the pitch-black night, vanishing as though into the air. Phoenix, startled by the disappearance of the women, looked about the clearing, his head spinning, his heart pounding wildly.

Never have I seen anything as strange as this. Not in all the expeditions on the Argo. Not even the witch Medea demanded the life of a child.

He looked about the clearing for Peleus who had fallen upon the ground near the stream.

Who were these strange women? Peleus asked.

And why did they demand your child? Phoenix asked as he neared him.

They fear my sons on Olympus because of the claim that Zeus fears they will become greater than he. Thetis, whom they claim was rejected by Zeus because of the same prophesy, sends the members of her cult for my sons, he continued bitterly.

Where do they come from? Phoenix asked.

They live in the mountains where they are known to breathe the mists that come from fissures in the earth. In a trance they hear the words of Thetis telling them what they must do. She will have vengeance, Peleus said, terror in his eyes. She will not stop until she has the child, and the two of us, destroyed. The gods will have their way.

Your piety is too great. All the kings of Hellas fear the gods while trying to link their blood with the high and mighty. I do not fear these women for I already live under a curse from my own father. A curse that would keep me from ever having a son. You have a son and I will not let them destroy him. When I came here, I believed that it was to escape my father’s house. Perhaps there was another reason that only the Fates can know.

They will return, Peleus said, looking at the child. Look at him, Phoenix. He is calm. There is no fear in him. Then Peleus realized that it was the first time that he had looked upon his child as he should have the day the child was born, with love and pride instead of fear. When they come again they will not find him in Phthia. I will take the child to Mount Pelion where he will be safe. Let it be known in Phthia that you have taken him there to be raised by Chiron, the famed centaur. The mountain is his legendary home, and no one will dare go there to look for him if they believe the child is in his care. When he is older, I will return with him to Phthia, where he will assume his rightful position with you at your throne. Do not worry. I will raise him as though he were my own. He will become the son that my father’s curse denied me. Phoenix reached for the child.

Peleus hesitated.

He is my last hope. How long will you keep him?" Peleus asked in desperation.

As long as it takes to keep him safe. He must be ready to defend himself and your throne when he returns.

Peleus looked into the eyes of the child. Phoenix could feel the anxiety that ran through Peleus.

I would trust this man with my own life, Achilles. It is the name his mother gave him before she died.

Don’t worry my old friend. The time will pass quickly and soon he will be at your side ruling Phthia. I will raise him as though he were my own, Phoenix said. He will be the son I will never have. This I promise you and swear upon the spirits of our dead companions from the fateful crew of the Argo, those who never returned with us. I must go now before the dark sisters return. Send what we will need to the mountain with shepherds, choosing carefully only those you know you can trust.

I will send the best of the Myrmidons, for only they can be trusted without doubt.

So be it. But dress them as shepherds so as not to cause suspicion. I will expect them when the sun rises. The rest I have already planned. I must go now.

Phoenix reached out for the child. Peleus knew that there was no other choice. He slowly extended his arms. Phoenix took him, turning quickly and disappearing into the night.

Away from the affairs of men, time passed quickly upon Mount Pelion. The Mountain provided all that was needed for the boy to grow strong and brave among the many woodland creatures. The forests are lush and green. In the winter, the tops of the mountain are covered with snow. The steep descent off the mountain culminates with stark white beaches. And there are many pools of deep blue clear water formed from waterfalls. At night, the sea often covers the hillsides in mist cooling the night air. The days were filled with peace and tranquility, allowing Achilles to quickly master the lessons that Phoenix taught him, learning both the art of war and the secret healing powers of nature. He learned to play the lyre and to compose songs to accompany the melodies. So that the two could live better than the common shepherds that often tended their flocks, Peleus secretly sent food and clothing for them and other things that he knew Phoenix would need for the proper upbringing of a prince. All the time he was careful not to let anyone know for whom they were intended. To the people of Phthia, Achilles was in the care and protection of Chiron the centaur. And no one would consider challenging his judgment in sending the boy to the greatest teacher of all.

As Phoenix watched the boy grow, he began to recognize that Achilles was exceptional in many ways, often wondering if the gods themselves had a hand in his birth. His strength increased daily. Few days passed between his first step and his running through the forest hunting. Achilles asked questions about everything and never needed to be shown more than once when learning a new task.

The years passed, as had the days at first. The time soon came when Achilles asked when he would see his father. At this point, Phoenix knew that it would not be long when they would return to Phthia, for a boy, no matter how skillful the teacher, needs the guiding hand of his father. Peleus, too, had become anxious, sending subtle, at first, then not so subtle hints about the boy’s return.

In Phthia, rumors filled the air. Peleus told all who lived in the palace that the boy was in the care of Chiron, who would serve as his teacher. Still, Thetis’ name was spoken in whispers in every corner of the town. Surely she had come for the boy as she had the others. Peleus said nothing of the fateful night that Phoenix took the child away, yet he could not help thinking of it often, apprehension filling him while relying upon the Myrmidons to tell him of the life Achilles lived upon the mountain.

But the times were not good, for political instability beset many of the major cities in Thessaly that were competing for land or gold or any number of reasons to make war. Realizing Achilles must begin preparation for the world in which he would live, Peleus finally went to the mountain twelve years later. As Peleus approached the small wooden dwelling where Phoenix and Achilles lived, Achilles, though still quite young, sensed that there was an intruder on the mountain. He stopped the exercise with his spear and held it high into the air, looking toward Peleus who stood behind an ash tree.

What do you see? Phoenix asked, as Achilles stood ready to cast the spear.

Achilles said nothing, his eyes sweeping the forest before settling upon one tree; his arm giving flight to the spear, the point burrowing into the trunk of the tree where Peleus was hiding.

Hold off. Peleus’ voice came from behind it.

How did you know which tree? Phoenix asked.

I have a good teacher, Achilles replied.

Phoenix’s hand settled upon Achilles’ shoulder. I know the voice. It is Peleus, king of Phthia. Your father.

I know, Achilles answered with a smile.

As Peleus approached, their eyes met, each sizing the other up like two combatants on a field of battle as they stopped a few feet from each other. A smile broke out upon Achilles’ face; Peleus raised his arms as the boy ran to him. He is handsome beyond all my