Hector, in Greek mythology, was the greatest hero of the ancient city of Troy. Hector played an important part in the Trojan War, in which Greece defeated Troy. The famous epic poem the Iliad tells of important events that occurred during the last year of the war.
Hector was the son of Priam, the king of Troy, and Hecuba. According to some myths, the Greek god Apollo was Hector’s father. The Iliad described Hector as brave, handsome, and patriotic. He also was a good leader and a loving husband.
During the Trojan War, Achilles, the greatest Greek warrior, refused to fight after quarreling with the Greek commander Agamemnon. As a result, Hector’s soldiers drove the Greeks from the walls of Troy back to their ships. Achilles’s friend Patroclus wore Achilles’s armor in battle and fought in his place. Hector, aided by Apollo, killed Patroclus during the battle.
Achilles returned to the battlefield to seek revenge for the death of Patroclus. Hector’s sense of honor made him fight Achilles, even though he knew he would die. Achilles killed Hector and tied the corpse behind his chariot. He dragged Hector’s body around the walls of Troy for several days. King Priam begged Achilles for his son’s corpse. Achilles pitied Priam and gave him Hector’s body so that it could be buried properly.
See also Greek Mythology (Greek Heroes); Iliad; Priam.
