Achilles, the

son of Peleus and

Thetis, was the
greatest of all
Greek heroes
who took part in
the Trojan War.
Knowing that her
child was
destined to either
die the death of a
glorious warrior
or live a long life
in obscurity,
Thetis bathed
Achilles as an
infant in the
waters of the
River Styx, thus
making him all
but immortal:
only the heel by
which she held him remained vulnerable. However, as
prophesized, this proved costly, because Achilles eventually
died from an arrow wound in that heel. Guided by Apollo, the
fateful arrow was shot by Paris, the brother of Troy’s most
celebrated hero Hector, whom Achilles had previously killed
in a face to face duel, in an attempt to avenge the death of his
closest friend, Patroclus.