Deidemia's Reproach To Pyrrha Poem by Keith Shorrocks Johnson

THE BACKGROUND STORY

The myth of Achilles on Skyros is as follows. Rather than allow her son Achilles to perish at Troy as prophesied, the sea-nymph Thetis sends him to live at the court of Lycomedes, king of Skyros, disguised as a lady-in-waiting to the king's daughters, going under the names Pyrrha 'the red-haired' or Kerkysera "the sea-born".

Achilles is reluctant, but eventually consents, attracted by the beauty of the king's most comely daughter, Deidamia. Thetis has him dressed as a girl and introduces him to Lycomedes as her daughter - a maiden who has had an Amazon-like upbringing and now needs to learn feminine ways by living among ordinary girls of her age, to prepare her for marriage.

Lycomedes agrees to take care of the changeling, and his unsuspecting daughters accept Achilles into their throng as a fellow maiden. A particularly close friendship develops between Deidamia and the 'Pyrrha', and it becomes difficult for them to hide their romantic and sexual interests in each other.

Eventually, at a night festival in honour of Dionysus, where men are not allowed to attend, Achilles lets slip his disguise and makes love to Deidamia. Afterwards, trying to console her, he discloses his true name and origin. Despite her regrets and fears, Deidamia conceals what has happened to protect Achilles - even though she has conceived a child.

With it having been prophesied that the Trojan War could not be won without the participation of Achilles, Odysseus and several other Achaean leaders travel to Skyros to find him. Odysseus first attempts to discover Achilles by offering gifts, adornments and musical instruments, as well as weapons, to the king's daughters and observing their choices.

This having failed to reveal Achilles, Odysseus has his companions imitate the noises of an enemy attack on the island (most notably, making a blast of a trumpet heard) , which prompts Achilles to reveal himself by picking a weapon to fight back - even though Deidamia tries to restrain him.

As he is about to depart for the war, Achilles hears Deidamia crying and confesses to Lycomedes that they have become lovers and have had a child together. Deidamia is heartbroken over the impending loss of Achilles and asks if she can accompany him, but that is deemed impossible.

However, she is allowed to marry Achilles and she then implores him to keep her and their son in his thoughts, and to never have children with other women. Achilles swears to one day return to Deidamia, but fate decrees otherwise.