Me: I’m enjoying drawing chickens for this commission.
Husband: ha ha Greek Myth Chickens!
Me: 🤔
I now present to you,
🏺Greek Myth Chickens 🐓
ILIAD EDITION
(drawn and originally posted in May 2021, coloured and reposted Jan 2023)
1) Egg-chilles and Patro-cluck (Achilles and Patroclus)
2) Mene-lay-us and Al-eggs-andros (Paris) (Menelaus and Alexandros [Paris])
3) Egg-amemnon (Agamemnon)
4) Aph-roost-ite and Helen of Spur-ta (Aphrodite and Helen of Sparta)
5) Nest-or (Nestor)
6) Androma-beak, Peck-tor, and Astyan-egg (Andromache, Hektor and Astyanax)
7) At-hen-a and Egg-dysseus (Athena and Odysseus)
8) Preen-am and Peck-uba (Priam and Hekuba [Hekabe])
9) Brood-seis (Briseis)
10) Diom-egg-es (Diomedes)
EDIT: Greek Myth and Roman History chicken MASTERPOST - https://www.tumblr.com/greekmythcomix/725538723329179648/greek-myth-roman-history-chickens-master-post Here Be More Chickens Cosplaying
Iliad chickens 1:
To explain my chicken obsession:
* * *
Me: I’m enjoying drawing chickens for this commission.
Husband: ha ha Greek Myt
(See next post for last 3 Iliad chickens- https://www.tumblr.com/greekmythcomix/722218945873051648/iliad-chickens-continued-11-lay-jax-tel-capon )
Iliad chickens continued (from here: https://www.tumblr.com/greekmythcomix/722173151614844928/to-explain-my-chicken-obsession-me-im)
11)
Akhilles and Patroklus, two heroes who's names have been sung for centuries, and for a good reason too. Their devoted bond that was unbreakable, even in death, and their fierceness in battle is not something to be missed.
This post will discuss the two heroes, their legend and ways you can weave them into your life.
NOTE: As much as I love debates, this is not a debate to whether or not they are lovers. I am not a historian- pun intended. How you interpret them is up to you. I will, however, use terms such as 'comrade' and 'companion' to avoid discourse.
This is also not a post regarding the Song Of Achilles. Please return to your respective corners of the internet. This is a post about hero worship in Hellenic Polytheism.
Also, this will have errors! Keep in mind that as of writing this (16/12/25) I am a minor, and have not studied classics on a scholarly level. I will be mentioning parts of the Iliad from my interpretation.
In order to keep the heroes separate from pop culture, I will be using the Greek names of the heroes. Achilles is Akhilles, and Patroclus is Patroklus.
Akhilles was the son of sea-born Thetys and Peleus. He was the prince of the Myrmidons of Phthia. According to later tradition, he was dipped into the River Styx, but his ankle was left vulnerable. He was recognized as one of the best fighters of the Achaeans next to Diomediz and was known as the Aristos Achaion – Best of the Achaeans.
Patroklus was the son of Menoetios and Philomela – though sources vary on who his mother was. He was the prince of Opus, but exiled and taken under Peleus' wing after killing a fellow prince over a game of dice. He was a suitor of Helena and was bound to the oath of Tyndareos. He was Akhilles' closest companion, whether it was brotherly or romantic is up to you. He fought with the Myrmidons during the Trojan war, before being killed by Hektor of Troy in Book 16.
The two spent their boyhood with Kheiron, the centaur and son of Kronus. They were educated and trained on Mount Pelion together. Although this seems to be a later tradition, seeing as it is only mentioned by the Roman poet Statius in the Achilleid.
After the death of Patroklus, Achilles asks for his own ashes to be mixed with his comrade's, so they could be inseparable even in death.
Hero cult and Historical Worship.
According to J. T. Hooker, the cult of Akhilles seems to have been widespread, from Aeolis to the shores of the Black Sea. While the two were buried together, the cult is commonly referred to as the 'Cult of Achilles'. This seems to have been a cult of the dead.
But at this point Hommel inserts into the argument some literary allusions, which tend (in his opinion) to prove that Achilles was regarded as the lord of Leuce, the original centre of the cult. From this fact Hommel draws the further conclusion that, long before Achilles was incorporated into heroic saga, he received divine honours as the lord of the dead souls beyond the sea; and, according to Hommel, Achilles' status as lord of the dead is reflected in the Odyssey.
— THE CULTS OF ACHILLES by J. T. Hooker, page 2.
Unfortunately, most of the details of this cult are obscure. We do know such a cult existed thanks to accounts of Alexander the Great's visit and him paying respect to them.
Modern worship.
Taking source from user hero-shrine (please do look at their blog! I couldn't see their post on Patroklus sadly.)
Akhilles seems to be commonly associated with feelings of rage and bloodlust, but some associate him with homosexuality. Patroklus seems to be associated with war and glory, but has associations with medicine (UPG!), companionship and loyalty.
Symbols of Akhilles are commonly the lion, the spear, the shield, and the lyre. Patroklos has similar to same symbols, but with the addition of hounds.
Epithets of Akhilles are: Son Of Peleus/Peleides, Aristo Achaion (Best of the Achaeans), Lion-hearted.
Epithets of Patroklus are: Son of Menoetios/Menoetides, Gentle-hearted, Kind-hearted, Of Heavenly Birth*.
*NOTE: as Reddit user u/LucySofer pointed out, Patroklus seems to be 'unworthy' of this epithet as he is not descended from a god. User u/elsharra has suggested this could be a compliment in the same sense of 'like a Saint'.
Offerings to them can be the usual offerings you'd give gods and spirits. Honey, wine, bread, flowers, incense or anything that smells nice. Poems, artwork, and a playlist also suffice.
If you will make an altar for either of the two or together, please do not put them next to a deity they have bad blood with! Learn their myths before you do.
Devotional acts to Akhilles can be: learning the lyre or learning an instrument, picking trash from the beach or sea, telling your loved ones that you love them, giving your loved ones gifts, ethically collecting seashells, learning a sport, reading about his myths, read the Iliad.
Devotional acts to Patroklus can be: learning medicine, herbology, or the medical properties of plants, taking care of dogs, standing up to your loved ones, giving your loved ones gifts, learning a sport, reading his myths, read the Iliad.
allow yourself to be imperfect in your worship. allow yourself to be simple in your gestures and libations. allow yourself to place inexpensive trinkets on your altar; the gods, heroes and ancestors aren’t about ostentation or expensive wines or other drinks or foods you offer them. the only thing that matters to them is your love. your honesty. your reaching out and talking to them is more significant than anything else.
I wanted a different image of Achilles to reference than just the ‘Achilles fighting’ pottery, and I hadn’t seen this piece of pottery before. It shows Achilles reclining, playing with a sword/machaira, while dead Hektor lies under his couch. It’s grim and very graphic. Just a young, murderous guy, toying with a blade, sitting over the corpse of his heart’s killer and waiting for his anger to subside. Agh.
Original piece here: https://commons.m.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Achilles_Hector_Louvre_G153.jpg
