In Greek Mythology Achilles was the son of the sea nymph Thetis. A seer predicted that the son of Thetis would overthrow his father, so both Zeus and Poseidon who courted Thetis would not marry her. Thetis eventually became the wife of the mortal Peleus, King of Phithia in Thessaly, who fathered Achilles.

Thetis knew her son would grow up to be a hero and also that he would not reach old age. She dipped the infant Achilles into the underworld River Styx in order to make him immortal. She held him by one heel which unbeknown to her meant that a part of him remained mortal. During his adult life Achilles fought in the Trojan Wars on the side of Agamemnon the leader of the Greeks. During the war Achilles greatest friend Patroclus was killed by Hector the Trojan Crown Prince. Achilles was overwhelmed with grief at Patroclus's death and slew Hector in a rage. Afterwards he desecrated Hector's body and refused him funeral rites. To avenge Hector, Paris, the son of Priam, King of Troy wounded Achilles in the heel with an arrow, he died from the wound. Achilles will always be remembered as a great warrior.
Today Achilles represents male strength of character coupled with self-sacrificing love for his friends.