In the Roman interpretations of Homer’s Iliad, the Greek warrior Achilles was dipped in the River Styx by his mother Thetis, seeking to make him invulnerable. She held him by his little heel, that eponymous weakness that doomed him later in the Trojan War when a poisoned arrow found its mark.

Subscribe to continue reading this article.

Already subscribed? To log in, click here.

Originally Published: September 22, 2025 at 7:39 AM EDT

See Full Page