Motif
battle for the body of a fallen hero
battle_for_the_body_of_a_fallen_hero
A motif of the Heroic Funeral Rites and Memorialization family. Every row below is a tagged passage; each rests on a quote in its source text.
3 occurrences
1 traditions
greek
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The Iliad THE SIXTH BATTLE, THE ACTS AND DEATH OF PATROCLUS / BOOK XVII. / ARGUMENT. / THE SEVENTH BATTLE, FOR THE BODY OF PATROCLUS.THE ACTS OF MENELAUS.; lines 16454-16585 confidence: high
The argument states that the seventh battle is for the body of Patroclus and that Menelaus defends it; the scene is in the fields before Troy.
The argument identifies the seventh battle as being for Patroclus' body, and the excerpt shows Menelaus defending that body from enemies.
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The Iliad THE SIXTH BATTLE, THE ACTS AND DEATH OF PATROCLUS / BOOK XVII. / ARGUMENT. / THE SEVENTH BATTLE, FOR THE BODY OF PATROCLUS.THE ACTS OF MENELAUS.; lines 16859-17004 confidence: high
The Greeks stand rank within rank around the dead, shields and spears packed together, while Ajax commands a close circular defense.
The body of Patroclus is surrounded, defended, and physically pulled by Greeks and Trojans toward opposing destinations.
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The Iliad THE SIXTH BATTLE, THE ACTS AND DEATH OF PATROCLUS / BOOK XVII. / ARGUMENT. / THE SEVENTH BATTLE, FOR THE BODY OF PATROCLUS.THE ACTS OF MENELAUS.; lines 17286-17409 confidence: high
Atrides leaves a dangerous place reluctantly, compared to a lion driven from a fold, fearing the enemy may gain Patroclus.
Patroclus' corpse is contested; Menelaus urges the Greeks to guard it, Ajax directs its removal, and the Trojans attack as the Greeks carry it away.
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