Warrior with a Slain Child (Achilles and Troilus)

myminifactory

This larger than life group marble, once part of the Farnese Collection, showcases a warrior bearing a slain child on his shoulder - unmistakably Achilles and Troilus. Crafted by an unknown Roman artist in the 2nd or 3rd century, the work tells the tragic tale of Troilus, son of King Priam of Troy, who fell victim to Achilles' sword while tending to his horses. According to legend, this fateful event sparked a chain reaction leading to the demise of Achilles at the hands of Paris. Despite being largely overlooked in ancient epic poems, including Homer's Iliad Book 24, verse 257, which records his death late in the Trojan War, Troilus' story has been retold and romanticized through the medieval tale of Troilus and Cressida, a narrative with no historical basis.