Achilles

High school (ages 12+)
History & Culture

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/achilles

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. What made Achilles a special warrior?Achilles was the greatest warrior of ancient Greece, born to the mortal king Peleus and the sea nymph Thetis. His divine parentage gave him extraordinary strength and skill on the battlefield.
2. Why is he called "Achilles' heel"?When his mother Thetis tried to make him immortal by dipping him in the River Styx, she held him by his heel. That spot stayed vulnerable and later became known as his heel.

Demigod: A being who is part divine and part human, possessing extraordinary abilities.
Hubris: Excessive pride or self-confidence, often leading to a downfall.
Epic Cycle: A collection of ancient Greek epic poems that told the full story of the Trojan War and its aftermath.