Madeline Miller
Thank you so much! And yes, I didn't go with the heel legend because I was using the Iliad as my primary source of inspiration, and it isn't mentioned there at all. In Homer, Achilles is simply an extraordinary warrior, not invulnerable. Our first surviving reference to the heel story is actually quite late. But it seemed like exactly the sort of legend that would grow up around a person like Achilles--someone so gifted that we can only describe them in magical terms. Especially when he's beating you in battle every day! I can just see the Trojans telling each other that of course they can't beat him, haven't you heard? He's invulnerable...
On a completely different note, I once had an orthopedic surgeon tell me that wounds to the heel are quite dangerous, particularly in the time before modern medicine. They are prone to bad infections (being close to the dirty ground), and it would have been quite easy for a warrior to die of one.
On a completely different note, I once had an orthopedic surgeon tell me that wounds to the heel are quite dangerous, particularly in the time before modern medicine. They are prone to bad infections (being close to the dirty ground), and it would have been quite easy for a warrior to die of one.
More Answered Questions
Yawar
asked
Madeline Miller:
Hi, I gulped down Circe in a day and will be reading Song of Achilles soon. Thank you for writing these tellings, I always enjoy looking for the hidden meaning in them. Do you feel that you have a story to tell about Athena, too? For all her schemes and shortcomings, she is still an intriguing character, a warrior and counselor in a world of men.
Carly Lyn
asked
Madeline Miller:
Song of Achilles is my all-time favorite book and now Circe is as well. What I love about them both is the complexity of the characters' relationships. Both books are un-put-downable but also super character-driven. What's your approach to creating that page-turning ability in books that are mostly about feelings? What's your revision process like? Do you do a lot of cutting? Restructuring? Filling out?
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May 30, 2018 03:29PM · flag
May 31, 2018 12:03AM · flag