I'm John Dashing with the very generous Professor Emily Wilson at the University of Pennsylvania.

Her new work is The Iliad by Homer and we've been approaching this scene for

some moments now, Petroclus. The Boone companion of Achilles son of

and at some point the conviction is brought to Achilles's

son of Pelleus' camp that he must enter the battle because the Greeks

are losing and the Greeks have built a rampard and a moat and Hector the great

fighter of Troy penetrates the wall and they're trying to burn the

ships and if the ships are destroyed the understanding is the Greeks can't go home again.

They will be defeated.

So Achilles is persuaded that while he will not enter the battlefield,

Patroclusus had planted in his mind earlier in the drama

that he can wear Achilles's armor and fool people

they'll think he is Achilles, professor, is that the idea?

Yes, at least initially the Trojans will think Achilles has come back to battle and the

concept is that that will frighten them enough that they'll be routed and start turning back

towards Troy and at least the feet won't be burnt and there might still be a chance

for the Greeks to have a Nostal so Homecoming.

Achilles warns him what does he tell him? He says, drive Hector from the ships, but then turn around.

Don't push on right to the city because that's not a good idea for you to do that by yourself without me.

Turn around, come back to the and come back to our hut. Don't keep pushing on driving

Hector back to Troy. But of course, Piotas has so much in common with Achilles, including the desire for honor and the enormous

skill in massacre that every great-homeric hero has, and he doesn't want to turn around.

...