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achilles was driven to madness because the other part of his literal soul was torn away from him and the only thing left to him was a broken and angered machine of war. he was a weapon that didn’t remember anything but to kill. patroclus was his vulnerability, his humanity. he was the most beautiful part of achilles, his softness. patroclus was the side to achilles that combatted all things destructive. he was the one that brought out his lyre and that listened when he sang. patroclus was the one to love achilles, not for his fame, but for his raw self. patroclus was his inner song, and once that was lost there was nothing left. that’s why it’s called the song of achilles.















