In Homer’s Iliad, Achilles was known as the swift-footed warrior.
“Swift-footed Achilles” is one of the most famous recurring epithets in the Iliad. The phrase is a traditional poetic formula that emphasizes Achilles’ extraordinary speed, especially in pursuit and combat. Achilles is the son of Peleus, king of the Myrmidons, and the sea goddess Thetis.
Although the Iliad focuses on a short period near the end of the Trojan War, Achilles dominates its plot. His anger at Agamemnon leads him to withdraw from battle, allowing the Trojans to gain ground. He returns after Patroclus is killed and defeats Hector outside Troy.
The familiar story that Achilles was invulnerable except for his heel comes mainly from later traditions, not from Homer’s Iliad itself. Homer’s epithet highlights speed and martial excellence rather than supernatural bodily protection.