Automedon is Achilles’s extremely young charioteer; Peleus places Automedon at Achilles service for the Trojan War. Patroclus notes that Automedon’s skills grow during the war, and he remains extremely loyal to Achilles, serving as his second during battle and often bringing Achilles messages from the other generals, or gossip related to him. He accompanies Patroclus into battle while Patroclus pretends to be Achilles. Achilles forced Patroclus to swear that he wouldn’t really fight, but Patroclus disobeys him—this which makes Automedon nervous, but he reluctantly helps. He eventually witnesses Patroclus’s death from afar.
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Automedon Character Timeline in The Song of Achilles
The timeline below shows where the character Automedon appears in The Song of Achilles. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.
Chapter 16
...they continue to plan the war’s logistics. Peleus gives Achilles many supplies, including a charioteer, Automedon, a boy even younger than Achilles and Patroclus. He also gives Achilles an ash spear—it...
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Chapter 19
...war’s “first blood” belongs to the Greeks. Achilles is calm; when one of the Myrmidons, Automedon, brings Achilles more spears on Phoinix’s orders, he throws unceasingly. Eventually, he has Patroclus stand...
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Chapter 24
...out the prophecy. They think of which of the Myrmidons it might relate to: perhaps Automedon, or maybe to Peleus. At least it’s not Achilles. That day, they sacrifice to Apollo....
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Chapter 25
...Phthian camp with Achilles, who rages about Agamemnon and the cowardly crowd. On Phoinix’s orders, Automedon comes to tell Achilles what the other kings are saying: Agamemnon says that Achilles hasn’t...
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Chapter 30
...buckles Patroclus into his armor, again instructing him not to fight and to remain with Automedon. He should force the Trojans to retreat, but he shouldn’t fight them, and he should...
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When the men see Patroclus (in Achilles armor) and Automedon in the chariot, they scream and Patroclus screams back. The Trojans begin to flee in...
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Automedon and Patroclus escape and end up at the Trojan gates. Everything happened so quickly that...
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