Forbidden Love

Amazing is how a man’s mind works, Thersites in particular. Using his offensive statements and actions he skillfully assured the recognition of his loved one, Achilles, enabling himself to sulk near without suspicion. However, passionate as he was, he had no intentions of proclaiming his unending love, fearing he might be rejected and devastated by the creature of great beauty and perfection. In his mind, Achilles exceeded the beauty and marvelous features of the omniscient gods, having both power and knowledge equivalent to that of Zeus and charm that surpassed even Aphrodite’s.

Blue as the sea his eyes sparkled, white as the clouds he shone, and with pearl teeth and light brown hair Achilles stood superior to all. As Thersites looked upon him chills came up his spine and wishing he could confess his endless love, his heart beat like a rapid drum. Every time he lay his eyes on the enchanting warrior, prince charming in his sight, his knees began to quiver seeming unable to hold him up, his heart sank beneath his stomach, and cold winds struck him from every side. Both terrified to approach him and longing to get near, he gathered his strength and managed to walk up to Achilles. But once he managed to get himself in-between Achilles and his beloved Brisuis, which he envied for receiving Achilles affections, Thersites found himself unable to articulate any words he could possibly say to Achilles. All that he could think of was his passionate love for Achilles and his raging anger toward Brisuis. Nervously, without thinking, he released a countless number of words; they had all originated from his great anger and jealousy towards Brisuis, causing the most of them to be scornful and unpleasant.

Achilles, angered at such ill-mannered behavior and the barbaric language, threatened to eternally dispose of this shameless creature as a token of his hatred toward the foul man. But instead granted him the privilege to live, warning that if he might ever choose to display such wickedness once more; he shall incur death. Thersites, saddened that such a threat could be the reward for faithful, endless love wept for his failure, while planning a conspiracy against Achilles and his lover Brisuis. Love, however, is greater than anguish and pride, allowing one to forgive even the worst of crimes, thus allowing Thersites to forgive Achilles. Therefore, the less, Thersites chose not to dispose his tortuous plan but instead to test Achilles’ love a final time.
Waiting until the time and atmosphere were suitable, when Brisuis left Achilles, Thersites approached Achilles and confronted him with the hidden truth. He told him of his attraction, his passion, and his love. He mentioned all his symptoms, he listed his desires. But to his surprise Achilles wasn’t as he’d imagined, but the direct opposite of the man in which he loved. Making cruel and insensitive statements, ones of such severity that I couldn’t possibly repeat, Achilles brought about great evil upon himself. Thersites, offended, showed himself out, and immediately took off on his journey to the temple of Eris, goddess of discord. After all, there couldn’t possibly have been a better place for revenge.

Thersites convinced Eris to side with him, as he planned to finish what Eris began many years earlier. Thersites’ scheme, ironically, was meant to disrupt the war, separating Achilles’ from his loved ones in the process, and creating a legend that would pass down through the gernerations. Thersites was clearly mentally unstable. No man in his right mind would both harm and assist anyone at the same time by making his legend eternal. His plan was to encourage Agamemnon to take Brisius leaving Achilles enraged and causing him to trespass human boundaries of anger and pain. Achilles would lose the closest people to him and make a legend of himself. Whether there was to be more gained or lost was unknown but Thersites would soon find out.

As legend goes Thersites’ plan to launch Achilles into the Trojan War by convincing Patroclus, his one and only cousin, impersonate Achilles worked. Patroclus died and Achilles’ heart was inflamed with rage. Achilles lost his closest friend, his true love, and his life. But in turn his name has passed from generation to generation leaving its mark on both modern and ancient minds alike because of his role in the Greek victory. And poor Thersites was left to mourn the death of the only person his heart ever desired—Achilles. His only consolation was the fleeting, bittersweet, taste of revenge.