Rachel Winslow, age 15, of Vancouver, Wash., for her question:

WHO WAS ACHILLES?

Achilles was one of the greatest heroes of Greek mythology. He played a major part in the Trojan War, in which Greece defeated the city of Troy. The Greek poet Homer described the last year of the war in his epic poem called the "Iliad."

Soon after he was born, Achilles mother, a sea nymph named Thetis, dipped him in the River Styx to protect his body from harm. However, the water did not touch the heel by which Thetis held him.

During the 10th year of the Trojan War, Achilles returned to the battlefield after his friend Patroclus had been slain by Hector, the greatest Trojan hero of the war. Aided by a suit of armor that had been made by the god Hephaestus, Achilles then killed Hector to avenge the death of Patroclus.

Later, Hectors brother Paris shot an arrow that the god Apollo guided into Achilles unprotected heel. Achilles died of the wound.