Nine years.

Nine Years the war had lasted! The Greeks besieged Troy! They camped on the beach! They attacked the walls! But Troy was too strong!

The city's walls were built by the gods Poseidon and Apollo - impossible to break.

On the Greek side, Achilles was the supreme hero! Invincible in combat! Faster than any man! Stronger! His mother Thetis had dipped him in the river Styx as a baby, making him practically immortal!

(Note: she held him by the heel, so ONLY the heel was vulnerable - the famous "Achilles' heel"!)

Achilles had killed hundreds of Trojans! Including famous heroes! Without him, the Greeks would have already lost!

On the Trojan side, Hector was the greatest defender! Oldest son of King Priam! Noble, brave, loved by his people!

Hector fought not for glory, but to protect his wife Andromache and his small son Astyanax! He fought to defend his city!

Achilles and Hector had not yet met in combat! But everyone knew: when it happened, it would be Epic!

Then, in the ninth year, something terrible happened in the Greek camp.

Agamemnon, leader of the Greeks, captured a young woman named Chryseis as a war prize.

But Chryseis was the daughter of Chryses, a priest of Apollo.

Chryses came to the camp with ransom: "Please! Return my daughter! I give you gold, treasures!"

Agamemnon refused with arrogance: "NO! She is mine! Go away, old man!"

Chryses prayed to Apollo! And Apollo, furious with the disrespect, sent a Plague upon the Greek army!

Soldiers began dying in droves! The disease spread!

Finally, Achilles called an assembly.

"Agamemnon! We must return Chryseis to her father! The plague will destroy us!"

Agamemnon, furious but with no choice, agreed: "FINE! I return Chryseis! BUT... I'll take YOUR war prize, Achilles! The young woman Briseis!"

Achilles was shocked! "YOU DARE NOT!"

"I dare!" said Agamemnon. "I'm the leader! Obey!"

Agamemnon's soldiers entered Achilles' tent and took Briseis away.

Achilles was Furious! His honor had been publicly insulted!

He drew his sword, about to kill Agamemnon right there.

But the goddess Athena descended invisibly! She pulled Achilles' hair!

"Achilles! Don't kill him! Your hour of glory will still come! But not like this!"

Achilles, trembling with rage, sheathed his sword.

But he made a terrible oath:

"Agamemnon! You insulted me! So I WILL NOT FIGHT ANYMORE! I and my Myrmidons warriors withdraw from the war! You'll see how important I am when the Trojans massacre the Greek army without me!"

And Achilles withdrew to his tent! He refused to fight!

Without Achilles, the Greeks began to Lose.

Hector led the Trojans in a brutal counter-offensive! He pushed the Greeks back to their ships!

Day after day, the Trojans gained ground.

Finally, the Trojans reached the Greek ships themselves and began burning them.

The Greek army was on the verge of collapse.

Agamemnon, desperate, sent ambassadors to Achilles: "Please! Return to fight! I'll return Briseis! I'll give treasures! Cities! Whatever you want!"

But Achilles, still furious, refused: "NO! My honor was stained! Agamemnon must pay!"

Patroclus, Achilles' best friend since childhood, watched everything with a broken heart.

He saw the Greeks dying! He saw friends being wounded! He couldn't take it anymore!

"Achilles," begged Patroclus, "if you won't fight, let me wear your armor! The Trojans will think I'm you! They'll retreat in fear!"

Achilles hesitated! But Patroclus insisted! "Please! Our friends are dying!"

Finally, Achilles agreed: "All right! Wear my armor! But ONLY drive the Trojans away from the ships! DON'T pursue to Troy! DON'T fight Hector! Return immediately!"

Patroclus wore the shining armor of Achilles - made by Hephaestus, the blacksmith god.

The Myrmidons followed him.

When Patroclus entered battle, the Trojans screamed in terror: "ACHILLES HAS RETURNED! FLEE!"

Patroclus fought brilliantly! He pushed the Trojans away from the ships! He killed dozens!

But then... he forgot Achilles' order.

Patroclus, excited with victory, pursued the Trojans to the very gates of Troy.

Apollo, who favored the Trojans, saw Patroclus and was furious.

The god descended invisibly! He struck Patroclus's back with divine force!

Whooom.

Patroclus's helmet flew off! The armor came loose! His spear broke!

Patroclus was stunned, defenseless.

And there was Hector.

Hector didn't know it was Patroclus - he thought it was Achilles weakened by Apollo.

With his spear, Hector attacked! He pierced Patroclus!

Patroclus fell, dying.

With his last breaths, he whispered: "Hector... you won't triumph for long... Achilles... will avenge... my death..."

And Patroclus died.

Hector took Achilles' armor from Patroclus's body and wore it.

The Greeks fought desperately to recover Patroclus's body! Finally they succeeded!

The news reached Achilles.

"Achilles! Patroclus... is dead! Hector killed him and stole your armor!"

Achilles' scream echoed across the entire battlefield.

It was a scream of pain so deep, so terrible, that even the gods on Olympus heard it and fell silent.

Achilles fell to his knees, crying! He tore his own clothes! He covered his face with ashes!

His best friend! His brother! Dead because of his stubbornness!

Achilles' mother, Thetis, emerged from the sea upon hearing her son's screams.

"Mother," said Achilles with an empty voice, "Patroclus is dead! And it's my fault! My foolish pride killed him!"

"Son—" began Thetis.

"I will kill Hector!" swore Achilles. "Even if it means my own death!"

Thetis wept! There was a prophecy: if Achilles stayed home, he would live a long but obscure life! If he went to Troy, he would have eternal glory but die young!

And there was another prophecy: soon after Hector died, Achilles would also die.

"If you kill Hector," said Thetis, "you'll die next!"

"So be it!" said Achilles. "Life without Patroclus is worthless! I'd rather die with glory than live as a coward!"

Thetis went to Olympus! She begged Hephaestus: "Make new armor for my son! The most magnificent ever created!"

Hephaestus, pitying Thetis, worked all night.

He created divine armor: shield decorated with scenes of the entire universe! Shining helmet! Impenetrable breastplate!

At dawn, Thetis delivered the armor to Achilles.

Achilles wore the divine armor! He took his spear! And went to confront Agamemnon!

"Agamemnon! Our fight is over! You won! Your stubbornness killed my friend! But now I fight - not for you! But to avenge Patroclus!"

Achilles entered battle.

And it was like unleashing a hurricane.

Achilles fought with indescribable fury! He killed Trojans by the dozens! Dozens! Hundreds!

The river Scamander became clogged with bodies! The river-god himself complained: "Achilles! Stop filling my bed with the dead!"

Achilles even fought against the river-god.

The Trojans fled in terror back inside the walls.

But Hector remained outside.

Alone! Waiting!

From atop the walls, King Priam and Queen Hecuba shouted:

"Hector! Son! Come inside! Achilles will kill you!"

Andromache, Hector's wife, cried: "My love! Don't fight alone!"

But Hector shook his head! "I cannot! It was my spear that killed Patroclus! I must face the consequences! A leader doesn't hide!"

When Achilles approached, Hector felt terror.

For a moment, he ran! Achilles chased him!

Three times they ran around the walls of Troy! Like a nightmare!

Then Athena (who hated Troy) appeared to Hector disguised as his brother:

"Hector! I'll fight by your side!"

Hector, encouraged, stopped! He turned to face Achilles!

"Achilles!" shouted Hector. "We'll fight! Whoever wins, returns the loser's body for honorable funeral!"

"There will be no agreements!" growled Achilles. "Lions don't make pacts with men! Today you die!"

Hector threw his spear! It hit Achilles' shield! But it bounced off!

Hector turned to get another spear from his "brother"... but there was no one! Athena had disappeared!

"I was deceived by the gods!" whispered Hector. "Then I'll die fighting!"

Hector attacked with sword! He fought bravely!

But Achilles was superior! And he had divine armor!

Achilles saw an opening - a part of the neck exposed.

Thrust! Achilles' spear pierced Hector's throat!

Hector fell, dying.

"Achilles..." whispered Hector. "Please... return my body... to my family... for proper funeral..."

"NO!" growled Achilles with hatred. "You killed Patroclus! Dogs will eat your corpse!"

And Hector died.

What Achilles did next shocked even the gods.

He tied Hector's body to his chariot! And he dragged the body around the walls of Troy!

On the walls, Priam, Hecuba, and Andromache screamed in horror and pain.

For days, Achilles dragged Hector's body! Completely disrespecting the dead!

But the gods protected Hector's body - it didn't deteriorate.

Finally, Zeus said: "Enough! Achilles has gone too far!"

That night, old King Priam did something incredibly brave.

Alone, guided by Hermes, he went to the Greek camp.

He entered Achilles' tent.

He knelt and kissed the hands of Achilles - the same hands that killed his son.

"Achilles," said Priam crying, "remember your own father! He too is old! Imagine if it were your father begging for his son's body! Have mercy! Return Hector's body to me! Let me bury him with honor!"

Achilles looked at the old king.

And for the first time since Patroclus's death... he felt something besides anger.

He saw a father's pain! He remembered his own father, Peleus, whom he would never see again!

He remembered his humanity.

Achilles cried! And Priam cried! The two enemies cried together for the tragedy of war!

"Old man," said Achilles softly, "take your son! I'll make a truce of twelve days so Troy can hold the funeral!"

Priam took Hector's body back.

Troy buried Hector with full honors! The entire city mourned for their greatest defender!

And the war continued... but now everyone knew the end was near.