The Trojans
The episode’s closing moments in which Hector fought a grieving Achilles to the despair of a numbly watching Andromache were genuinely moving, and not only because Hector and Andromache were among the few likable people on this show. The brutality of the combat, the slashing of Hector’s tendons, the severing of his fingers, the dragging of his bloodied corpse away from Troy, all served as dark totems of the savagery of war while reminding us that, for all his fine words about honour, Achilles is a killer to his core.
While the unlucky Hector moved inexorably towards his fate, Paris continued to be unfairly blessed by the Gods. Not only was his suicide attempt thwarted by a passing bunch of Amazons, who chose to adopt him as a sort of bearded pet and help him get back to Troy rather than doing the sensible thing and leaving him to drown in his own self-importance, but Aphrodite also personally assured him that pesky curse business was now lifted and the men, women and children of Troy would survive and thrive.
That news was naturally greeted with delight by the Trojan royal family, who (foolishly) began to think for the first time that they might actually win this lengthy war. The only person to remain unconvinced: Cassandra, who quite frankly appears to be a far better gauge of whether a city is cursed and going to fall than a capricious goddess who needs to be told that you’d pick her a thousand times regardless of personal cost.
The Greeks
It was all about Achilles this week as his honour began to look increasingly tarnished. Firstly, his prolonged stand-off with Agamemnon allowed a small band of Trojans, led by Hector and Paris, to cut the supply lines and cause havoc in the Greek camp. This is turn led a frustrated Patroclus to don Achilles’ armour and fight in his name with predictably terrible results.
The death of Patroclus and Achilles’ subsequent grief and blood-rage is one of most memorable parts of the Iliad and should feel like a punch to the gut. Unfortunately, despite all David Gyasi’s considerable efforts – and I was particularly fond of the little speech about why love is weakness – Patroclus’s death didn’t carry anywhere near the weight that it should.
The Gods
While it was one of the strongest scenes of the episode, I’m not sure I buy Aphrodite’s convenient ‘Oh, your heart stopped so technically you died and now the curse is lifted’ explanation, which is a cop-out along the lines of Shakespeare’s “ripped untimely from his mother’s womb” in Macbeth. However, I’ll happily eat my words if it turns out that the whole point is that the gods are inherently untrustworthy and will say anything to ensure that you continue to worship them. I also thought that it was hinted that Hector’s death was a payment of sorts – as Paris lived, so Hector must die, Aphrodite’s favours/interventions could only stretch so far.
Additional Omens
- Anyone who would like to read an alternative version of Patroclus’s relationship with Achilles should try Madeline Miller’s Orange prize-winning, Achilles.
- I don’t think Agamemnon, Mr Fire and Fury, should take up counselling any time soon.
- I thought the fate of Pandarus was well-handled particularly the fact that Hector, rightly, couldn’t believe he would be guilty of treachery.
- Also leaping to the top of my list of people I would keep alive on this show – Aeneas, a pragmatist who talks a great deal of sense.
Worrying omen of the week
Not an omen but I did love Penthesilia’s response to Paris’s story about his curse and the bad omens surrounding it – “There always is with boys like you”. Indeed.
Epic declaration of the week
“When the walls of Troy start to fall, and the chaos takes over there will be very little I can do to protect you, let me help you now,” Xanthius continues to be one of the few people in Troy who understands how bad it might get.
So what did you think? As always all speculation welcome below.
