Achilles, the mythical protagonist of Homer's "Iliad," is one of history's most celebrated heroes. Various versions of his exploits have been told and retold for thousands of years: about how his rage made him abandon the Trojan War, only to return later; his determination to go to battle even though he knew he would be killed; how he insisted on stripping and then mutilating the body of Hector, the Trojan warrior. All these deeds brought him eternal fame and made him the model of a tragic hero.

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