# Book XVI: The Sixth Battle—Death of Patroclus explained — The Iliad > Chapter companion for The Iliad by Homer. ## What happens Patroclus, moved by the Greek losses, persuades Achilles to let him lead the Myrmidons into battle wearing Achilles' armor. Achilles agrees but warns him not to pursue the Trojans to Troy. Patroclus drives the Trojans back, kills Sarpedon, but disobeys Achilles and attacks the walls of Troy. There, Apollo disarms him, Euphorbus wounds him, and Hector delivers the fatal blow. Hector boasts over the dying Patroclus, who prophesies Hector's own death at Achilles' hands. ## Themes in this chapter ### Wrath and Its Consequences Achilles' anger at Agamemnon leads him to withhold aid, resulting in Greek losses and ultimately Patroclus' death. ### Heroism and Mortality Patroclus' heroic deeds and tragic fall highlight the fleeting nature of mortal glory and the inevitability of death. ### Fate and Free Will Patroclus ignores Achilles' warning and pursues the Trojans to Troy, fulfilling his own doomed fate. ### The Role of the Gods Apollo directly intervenes by disarming Patroclus, and Zeus' will influences the battle's outcome. ## Character check-ins ### Patroclus Weeps before Achilles, persuades him to lend his armor, leads the Myrmidons, kills Sarpedon, disobeys orders, is disarmed by Apollo, wounded by Euphorbus, and slain by Hector. ### Achilles Pities Patroclus, relents and allows him to fight in his armor, warns him not to pursue the Trojans to Troy, watches the battle from afar. ### Hector Leads the Trojan assault, cuts Ajax's spear, sets fire to the Greek ships, kills Patroclus, boasts over his body, and is prophesied to die by Achilles. ### Ajax Defends the ships under heavy assault, his spear is cut by Hector, retreats as the ships are set on fire. ### Sarpedon Killed by Patroclus during the battle. ### Euphorbus Wounds Patroclus with a spear before Hector delivers the fatal blow. ### Apollo Disarms Patroclus, enabling his death. ### Automedon Charioteer of Achilles, narrowly escapes Hector's attack after Patroclus' death. ## Key lines > Why weepest thou, Patroclus, like a girl— A little girl that by her mother's side Runs, importuning to be taken up, And plucks her by the robe, and stops her way, And looks at her, and cries, until at last She rests within her arms? Thou art like her, Patroclus, with thy tears. Achilles compares Patroclus' tears to those of a little girl clinging to her mother, asking why he weeps. _Achilles' tender yet mocking tone reveals his deep affection for Patroclus._ > O merciless! It cannot surely be That Peleus was thy father, or the queen Thetis thy mother; the green sea instead And rugged precipices brought thee forth, For savage is thy heart. Patroclus rebukes Achilles for his stubbornness, saying he must have been born from the sea and rocks rather than from mortal parents. _Patroclus criticizes Achilles' implacable anger, suggesting it is inhuman._ > Not long shalt thou remain alive; thy death By violence is at hand, and thou must fall, Slain by the hand of great Aeacides. Patroclus prophesies that Hector will soon be killed by Achilles. _Dying Patroclus foretells Hector's fate, a key moment of foreshadowing._ ## Links - HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_iliad_se/chapters/book-xvi-the-sixth-battle-death-of-patroclus - Book: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_iliad_se - All chapters: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_iliad_se/chapters