Final answer:
After killing Hector, Achilles dishonored his body by dragging it around Troy's walls, then Hector was given back to his father for proper burial rites. This account illustrates the complexity of Greek hero worship and the importance of funerary customs.
Step-by-step explanation:
After Achilles killed Hector, the events that followed were a combination of respectful and dishonorable actions towards Hector's body, according to ancient Greek epics. In the Homeric tale, Achilles, fueled by rage over the death of his beloved friend Patroclus at the hands of Hector, slayed Hector in a duel.
However, Achilles did not stop there. He went on to desecrate Hector's body by dragging it behind his chariot around the walls of Troy, a stark contrast to the funerary rights usually observed in Greek culture, indicating an act of extreme disrespect and animosity.
Later, moved by the profound grief of Hector’s father, King Priam of Troy, Achilles finally agreed to return Hector’s body for a proper burial. In doing so, Achilles demonstrated a sliver of humanity and respect for his worthy opponent, allowing for the timely and dignified funeral rites Hector deserved.
The complex relationships between Greek heroes, their valorous deeds, and tragic fates are captured in ancient artifacts such as amphoras, which often depicted well-known mythological scenes and stories.
The grave treatment of a slain enemy, however, contrasts with the honor shown to Greek heroes like Achilles himself, whose heroic dead were usually celebrated with full honors and elaborate burials, as indicated by the excavations of sites like Mycenae and Troy, which correlate to Homer's account.