You know what happens. You can’t change it. But you can choose how he meets it.
The Iliad · C2
Book Sixteen: Patroclus
Conditional inversion (Had he obeyed…, Should the gods…), in the guise of, get carried away, unbeknownst to, overstep the mark, tempt fate, a far cry from, to no avail and at the hands of: C2 language for the death of Patroclus.
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SOPHIA
DEMETRIA
Don’t.
The story
After Homer’s Iliad, Book Sixteen
Patroclus begged Achilles for his armour, and went out in the guise of Achilles. “Should the gods give you glory,” said Achilles, “don’t fight on without me. Come back.” The Trojans fled from the ships, and Patroclus got carried away.
He killed Sarpedon, son of Zeus, and unbeknownst to the Greeks, Apollo carried the body home to Lycia with Sleep and Death. Then Patroclus overstepped the mark: he chased the Trojans to the walls of Troy, tempting fate, and climbed the walls three times until Apollo told him to give way.
He killed Hector’s charioteer and mocked him, a far cry from his gentle self. Then Apollo struck him from behind, and he fought on to no avail. He died at the hands of Hector, after the god and Euphorbus had struck him first. Had he obeyed Achilles, he would have lived.
His soul flew from his body and went down to Hades, mourning its fate, leaving its youth and its strength behind.
Conditional inversion
DEMETRIA
Had he obeyed Achilles, he would still be alive! Should the gods give you glory, come back.
SOPHIA
Had + subject + past participle = If he had… (third conditional). Should + subject + verb = If… (first conditional). Formal and literary; no if.
In the guise of; carried away; unbeknownst to; overstep the mark
PHILO
He went in the guise of Achilles, and got carried away. Unbeknownst to the Greeks, Apollo took Sarpedon home. Patroclus overstepped the mark.
SOPHIA
in the guise of = looking like. get carried away. unbeknownst to = without someone knowing. overstep the mark = go too far.
Tempt fate; a far cry from; to no avail; at the hands of
MARCOS
He was tempting fate. Mocking the dead was a far cry from gentle Patroclus. He fought to no avail, and died at the hands of Hector.
SOPHIA
tempt fate. a far cry from = very different from. to no avail = without success. at the hands of (always plural).
Sophia’s summary
| Form | Use | From the story |
|---|---|---|
| Had + subject + pp… | inverted third conditional | Had he obeyed, he would have lived. |
| Should + subject + verb… | inverted first conditional | Should the gods give you glory, come back. |
| in the guise of; unbeknownst to | appearance; secrecy | in the guise of Achilles |
| get carried away; overstep the mark; tempt fate | going too far | He overstepped the mark. |
| a far cry from; to no avail; at the hands of | C2 phrases | He fought on, to no avail. |
Practice
Answer all the questions, then press “Check my answers”. You can try again as many times as you like.
A · Choose
Choose the correct form.
1. ___ he obeyed Achilles, he would have lived.
2. ___ the gods give you glory, come back to me.
3. He went out in the ___ of Achilles.
4. ___ to the Greeks, Apollo took the body away.
5. He fought on, to no ___.
6. He died at the ___ of Hector.
B · Write
Write the correct form of the word in brackets, or the missing word.
7. The Trojans fled, and he got carried .
8. He had overstepped the .
9. Climbing the walls was tempting .
10. It was a far from his gentle self.
C · Right or wrong?
Is it correct?
11. “If had he obeyed, he would have lived.”
12. “Should you see Achilles, tell him I’m sorry.”
13. “Unbeknownst of his friends, he left.”
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