In the Trojan War legend, Achilles killed the Trojan prince Troilus.
Troilus was a young son of King Priam and Queen Hecuba. Ancient and medieval versions differ about his exact status and death, but a widespread tradition says Achilles ambushed and killed him near a fountain or temple outside Troy. Troilus’s death became a major symbol of the city’s coming destruction.
Some versions connect Troilus with a prophecy stating that Troy would remain safe if he reached a certain age. This helps explain Achilles’ interest in finding him before the prophecy could be fulfilled. The surviving Iliad does not narrate Troilus’s death, so the story belongs chiefly to later Trojan War traditions.
Troilus is often confused with other young Trojan figures, especially Hector’s son Astyanax. Astyanax is killed after Troy falls, while Troilus is generally killed earlier by Achilles. Their stories are separate despite both involving the tragic fate of Trojan children.