achilles heel

[ninnersmama]

where did the term achilles heel originate

[bernardo]

When Achilles was a baby, he was dipped into a magic liquid which protected him from any harm. But he was held by the ankles, so his feet were not protected. He was eventually killed by an injury to his heel.

[maxi29]

To elaborate on bernardo's answer, he was dipped in the river Styx in Hades, by his mother Thetis, to make him invulnerable. He was killed by an arrow from Paris, aimed at his heel.

[IndieSinger]

The great warriors were there ' Agamemnon! Famous warrior. Ajax! Famous toilet cleaner. And Achilles, immortal man! Immortal body! Except he had an Achilles' heel. What an irony! 'What do you mean? I'm called Achilles, Mum, and I have an Achilles' heel as well? I'll be a laughing stock! Oh, bloody hell!' Achilles must've gone into battle like this, (dragging one foot behind) 'Get off, get off the heel, get off!' The Trojans, with crabs and lobsters: 'Get crabs and lobsters on his heel! Throw him the crabs and lobsters!"

[andy hughes]

Two points of interest here - one is that Achilles is indeed slain by an arrow in his ankle, although in the current (and exccellent) blockbuster, no reference to this weak spot is made, so the ehdning may confuse some people. Secondly, Brad Pitt did actually injure his achilles tendon while filming - spooky!

[poadster]

I am aware of the ancient tale re achilles & his dodgy foot, but I've never known of anyone else to pass on just because of an injured tootsie. Was the arrow perchance dipped in some foul brew? (Carling lager perhaps)

[JohnPPotts]

I believe Paris did use a poisoned arrow - the idea being that dipping (the baby) Achilles in the Styx rendered his skin impenetrable, but he would have died had he drunk poison just like anyone else (although that was hardly likely to accept a glass of wine from Paris!)

[Ethreal]

Achilles was dipped in the river Styx by his mother, a sea nymph, this should have made him invulnrable . However...as she held him by his heel that part of his body was unprotected. During the siege of Troy, Achilles was shot by Paris, who fired a poisoned arrow in the ankle.

[TommyC]

...therefore, to finish answering Poadster's queston, the term "Achilles' Heel" came to mean by extension any little-known but potentially fatal physical or moral weakness.

[Korel]

Also The Achilles Tendon is a weakspot if the human physioegy. if it is damages or cut it will land you in hospital for 6 months and you'd be lucky to walk ever again. and arrow to the tendon would render his leg usless.

[antonis]

With reference to the *poison arrow* theory in poadster and JohnPPotts contributions above (Sun 23/5/2004). ************************* Please guys, where did you come up with this?? If one feels so badly the need to *rationalise* a myth, then consider that there are three arteries passing from that point (anterior tibial, posterior tibial and peroneal). To make things simpler: RUPTURE + ARTERY = DEATH FROM BLOOD LOSS. No need to invent stuff. For the rest of you guys out there (including my girlfriend): Don't take my word for it, go check it out: http://www.vh.org/adult/provider/anatomy/atlasofan
atomy/plate21/index.html

[shoegal]

when achilles was a baby his mother dipped him in the Styx river making him able to live for ever but as he was held by the ankles they were not dipped in the river. i believe that Paris, the Prince of Troy, fired the arrow that hit achilles heel and that is how he dies. that is where the phrase "achilles heel" comes from.