The powerful portrait of the glorious Greek warrior Achilles presented in Homer's Iliad imbued a particular soldier with transcendent value, linking "soldier" with "hero" in Western culture. Tracing Achilles' appearances in the works of poets, generals, philosophers, priests, and patriots, Katherine Callen King establishes the moral or political significance attached to the hero as a response to shifting mores and contemporary issues.

Katherine Callen King is Associate Professor of Classics and Comparative Literature at the University of California, Los Angeles

"[Professor King's] clearly written and heavily researched book makes a valuable contribution to scholarship in many fields and periods by examining the literary uses of Achilles from Homer to John Lydgate. . . . [A] substantial achievement. . . . Scholars will benefit from this book for years to come." —C. David Benson, Comparative Literature Studies

"The scope and clarity (in both organization and presentation) of King's study mark it as essential for anyone working in the classical heritage." —R. J. Schork, Religious Studies Review

"Achilles combines scholarly excellence and accssibility to an outstanding degree, and anyone interested in myths and their influence will want to read it." —J.C. Brown, Choice