Achilles

As much as I enjoyed reading Madeline Miller's book, The Song of Achilles, I cannot help feeling, on reflection, that Achilles is a poor role model to set before our young people.
Then as now, children need fathers, and Achilles behaviour in abandoning his wife, pregnant with their child, cannot be condoned, and does much to explain Pyrrhus delinquent behaviour.
Nor can Achilles be said to have served the Greek people well. That he should, for the sake of a petty quarrel with one of his fellow princes, sit idly by while his people were being slaughtered is incomprehensible.
Moreover his much vaunted fighting ability is seen to owe as much to his armour as any expertise on his part, as demonstrated by Patroclus' feats when he wore it.
But it is not fair to judge Achilles by today's standards. Surely his greatest failing was not protecting what he loved most. Had he chosen to fight at Patroclus side and defend him as he had promised, we would today be mingling with the descendents of Briseis and Patroclus. That is our loss and Achilles shame.