Introduction

The Song of Achilles quotes are the highlights that turn Madeline Miller’s novel into an unforgettable epic.

Heart-rending from its opening to its tragic end, this is the great epic story of Achilles and Patroclus, its every profound and poetic line a distillation of their love and their tragedy.

It’s a book so gorgeous you start spiking it with sticky notes on every page. And, with so many great lines, it’s often difficult to choose the ones that hit the hardest.

This guide is your road map to the book’s most emotional and evocative material, organized by theme to help you locate just the entry you desire.

The Most Beautiful Love Quotes from The Song of Achilles

The love story between Achilles and Patroclus is the pumping heart of the book. In truth, their love is so transcendent that it belongs outside of time.

Madeline Miller’s writing embodies this deep bond between the damsel and the lady just as gently, if even more potent in the echo.

All the beautiful quotes from the Song of Achilles in love are the simple ones, the cosmic ones, that remind us that humanity, even in the midst of war and prophecy, is the most powerful thing.

• “I could recognize him by touch alone, by smell; I would know him blind, by the way his feet struck the earth, by the slant of his jaw. And I would know him in death, at the end of the world.” This is perhaps the book’s most famous and favorite quote. It’s an indelible statement that Patroclus will do anything, everything to stay by Achilles’ side. And the line’s power is its hushed intimacy as well as its cosmic scope, as it suggests a connection that transcends even death.
• “He is half of my soul, as the poets say.” This line, spoken by Achilles, is a direct reference to Plato’s concept of the soulmate’s relegation station, suggesting that humans were originally one person and have since been split into two, searching for the lost half.
• “He smiled, and his face was like the sun.” In just seven words, Miller gives you not only a knot in your stomach the size of a bruise but also a fantastic sense of Achilles’s larger-than-life, beatific, shining radiance, patented through Patroclus. This line is a testament to the simplicity yet the sheer beauty of their love, when a smile can light up the world.

Heartbreaking Quotes from The Song of Achilles on Grief and Loss

Although love is the central theme of the novel, grief and loss are its constant companions. And the sad times are depicted with such stark bravery that you can feel the weight of the sadness.

These sad songs of Achilles quotes aren’t simply about the end; they are about the vacuum that remains and the protracted, painful process of grieving. Miller’s language captures the hushed devastation of an unthinkable loss.

• “And perhaps it is the greater grief, after all, to be the one who survives.”  As spoken by the ghost of Patroclus, this line is a punch to the gut. It undermines the typical perspective of death as the worst thing and argues that the worst thing is the endless separation and the fact of having to continue through it constantly with the weight of someone you love with you.
• “When he died, all things soft and beautiful and bright would be buried with him.” This poignant quotation perfectly represents Patroclus’s desolate situation. His world, lighted by Achilles as if by the sun, is now a desolate place of shadows. The realities of war and death are the diametrical opposite of the soft, beautiful, bright words.
• “His ashes settle among mine, and I know that I will never be lonely again.” This is the novel’s last line, and it’s a moment of withering beauty. Patroclus shares a long and solitary afterlife as a ghost before being finally reunited with Achilles. The quote offers some closure for the reader, and the question of whether they were truly “bonded for life” remains unanswered.

Fate, Glory, and Ambition in The Song of Achilles Quotes

The tension between love and fate is the heart of this epic reimagining. Achilles is haunted by a prophecy that has cursed him with a glorious, but, all too brief future.

The Song of Achilles quotes in this chapter reveal that struggle. They demonstrate how his ambition and yearning for immortality are at odds with his love for a mortal.

These are words to remember; not even the mightiest of heroes is truly master of his own destiny.

• “Name one hero who was happy.” There is, I think, no more profound question raised in the book. (Its unspoken response lingers heavily in the air.) These lines challenge the definition of a hero, suggesting that a life of fame is often a life of misery. It also underscores the unfortunate irony of Achilles’s life.
• “I will never leave him. It will be the two of us, always.” It is uttered by Patroclus, who is extremely loyal to Achilles and feels he has to protect him. This is a heartbreaking testament to a want that destiny will never permit.
• “I am going to be the first.” Spoken by a young Achilles, this quote demonstrates his intense desire for glory. Heroism, as more than being humanitarian, and certainly in a very venal sense, Nick wants to be a hero, not merely a king, which drives many of his decisions and gets him killed in the end.

The Best Song of Achilles Quotes with Context and Page Numbers

If you’re one of those people who wants to seek out a particular line to share or re-read, this is your section.

These are some of the most-searched-for Song of Achilles quotes with explanation and, when possible, their page numbers.

Conclusion

The enduring power of Song of Achilles Quotes lies not just in its retelling of a classic myth but in its ability to give voice to the quiet, profound, and often painful truths of the human heart.  

Each of these songs of Achilles quotes serves as a waypoint on an emotional journey, tracking a love story as old as time and a tragedy as lasting as it is profound.

Whether you are looking for comfort, inspiration, or a good cry, these lines will stay with you. They’re a testament to the lovely, torrid legacy of Achilles and Patroclus.

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