Quote:
Originally Posted by HarryT
Achilles isn't a god - his father was king Pelius, and his mother was a nymph called Thetis. Nymphs are supernatural beings, but certainly not gods. Achilles is very human, and (in the Iliad, at least) is very capable of being killed like anyone else. His mum's "supernatural" status allows her to appeal to the gods for help for her son, as we'll see later in the story, but Achilles is very much a man, not a god. He's a hero, of course, but still a man.
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Ok, that helps things make more sense to me, now. Thank you. Is that why they keep referring to Achilles having a "shortened life-span"?