Achilles chases Hector three times around the walls of Troy before killing him. This famous pursuit occurs in Book 22 of Homer’s Iliad, after Hector remains outside the city to confront the returning Achilles.
Hector initially loses his nerve when Achilles approaches and runs along the city’s perimeter. Homer compares the two warriors to racing horses, turning the chase into a dramatic contest between Hector’s desperate flight and Achilles’ overwhelming speed and determination.
The gods watch the pursuit. Apollo had previously protected Hector and helped him remain ahead, but Zeus ultimately allows the divine plan to unfold. Athena then takes the form of Hector’s brother Deiphobus and tricks Hector into believing that help has arrived. When Hector turns to fight, the supposed ally disappears.
Achilles kills Hector by striking him in the neck and refuses his request that the victor return the loser’s body. Achilles later drags Hector’s corpse behind his chariot. The Iliad’s account is distinct from later artistic retellings, which sometimes rearrange or alter these events.