During the first 125 lines of Book 18 of the Iliad, the character of Achilleus undergoes a metamorphosis as he responds to the death of his beloved friend, Patroclus. Tragically, Achilleus finally finds his role in the Trojan War just as he accepts the imminence of his own death. It is a decisive moment for the entire Iliad and above all for the evolution of the character of Achilleus. The hero Myrmidon seems to suddenly age as the pain of his companion's death makes him understand the gravity of both his past sins and his destiny. He fundamentally recognizes his mistake in nursing his anger so unreasonably and, for the first time in the epic, submits to authority by acknowledging the reality of his own death. The reader can also appreciate the loss of much of Achilleus' selfishness, the pain that motivates his desire for revenge, as well as the misfortune of youth cut short after being struck by anger. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay In line 109, the description of Achilles' anger "swarming like smoke in a man's heart and becoming to him a far sweeter thing than the dripping of honey" perfectly captures his behavior in the Iliad up at that moment. Despite the requests, apologies, and gifts offered to him by Agamemnon and other Acathenian leaders, Achilleus refused to admit his mistake until his friend paid the price. He chose instead to wallow in his pride and convince himself that the loss of Briseus was an unforgivable insult to his honor. In his childish bitterness and stubbornness, he watches his comrades die and allows his friend to go into battle without him. Only in book 18 does Achilleus realize how much anger had clouded both his reason and his heart. Furthermore, he takes full responsibility for his actions, saying, "I must die soon, then; for I had not to attend my companion when he was slain" (18:98). Achilleus blames himself, not the gods, for Patroclus' death. Unlike the other characters in the Iliad, Achilleus is able to analyze his character objectively. Instead of lamenting that Zeus unfairly caused all his troubles, Achilleus stoically faces the fact that he is responsible for the anger in his heart and the troubles he has caused. Although he continues to act under the influence of his anger, perhaps even more than before, he is at least aware of his tragic flaw. Achilles also seems to suddenly gain wisdom through the need to accept authority for the first time in his life. Before, he acted like a spoiled child, always following his selfish whims and asking his divine mother to solve his problems. When Agamemnon initially insulted Achilleus, he immediately accepted his anger, rejected the king's guidance, and asked his mother to persuade Zeus to punish his own companions. Neither duty nor loyalty influenced his thinking in the slightest. Without considering the consequences, he only acted on his desires. Although he knew he was mortal, death always seemed distant because he knew he had no equal on the battlefield. However, when Achilleus learns from Thetis that he must die soon after Hector (line 96), he is faced with a power that he cannot refuse, escape, or ask his mother to reverse. Finally behaving like a man, he will have to bear the weight of this knowledge alone and submit to its reality. This is clearly a turning point in Achilleus' character. When he states: "I will accept my death, whenever Zeus wants to cause it" (18.115-6), the rebellion of his self" (18. 446-7).