Sing, O Internet, of the heartbreaking stories of Greek mythology—that are sometimes a little bit too relatable! It’s no wonder tragic figures like Achilles, Patroclus, and Orpheus are taking TikTok by storm. Myths have exciting and strange stories, from unrequited love to tragic sacrifice, but somehow they make you wish you could live in them.
Click the “Start Quiz” button to find out what mythological figure you are—and what tragic end the Fates have planned for you.
Questions Overview
- Loyalty. I always have my loved ones’ back.
- Honor. People know me by my success and integrity.
- Beauty. Art and elegance make life worth living.
- Justice. Everyone should be treated fairly.
- Pride. I think I know better than others.
- Anger. If you wrong me, prepare for my wrath.
- Self-sacrifice. I put others’ needs above my own.
- Insecurity. I worry that people don’t love me.
- Soldier. I take risks for myself.
- Poet. I romanticize my life.
- King. People look to me for guidance.
- I just do my own thing.
- Friends to lovers.
- Unrequited love.
- Forbidden romance.
- I don’t need any stinking love.
- Being too chatty.
- Not playing well with others.
- Trying to outsmart the teacher.
- Rebelling against the rules.
- Spotify
- Etsy
- Google Maps
- Extrovert, and everyone loves me.
- Introvert, but not with my close friends.
- Introvert, and honestly I just want my alone time.
- Extrovert, and it makes me really needy.
- Anywhere with wide blue skies and the shining sun.
- A rustic cabin on a rocky island.
- A grand mansion at the center of town.
- A messy workshop full of art and instruments.
- Spear.
- Sword.
- Bow and arrow.
- I don’t need a weapon–I have other skills.
- An accident during a crazy dare.
- Touching an electric wire because I was curious.
- Standing up for my loved ones.
- My past mistakes catching up to me.
- Plan my sweet, sweet revenge.
- Tell myself positive self-affirmations.
- Blame myself for my problems.
- Play my sad boi music.
- Hadestown
- Hamilton
- Dear Evan Hansen
- Phantom of the Opera
- “Die knowing your life was my life’s best part” - Keaton Henson.
- “I’m a little much for everyone” - Lorde.
- “I’m shining like fireworks over your sad empty town” - Taylor Swift.
- “This is my fight song, take back my life song” - Rachel Platten.
- Your parent
- Your lover
- Your sibling
- Yourself
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Tragic Greek Figures & Their Origins
What are Greek Tragedies?
Greek tragedies are stories where charismatic characters come to heartbreaking ends because of their own mistakes and flaws. For example, if the main character of a play was charming and beautiful, but thought too much of themselves, their pride would lead them to a messy and violent death. Sometimes the stories teach a lesson, but sometimes it’s just an exciting story that evokes a lot of emotions.
These tragedies come from a combination of Greek mythology, legend, and literature. Epic poems like the Odyssey
or the Iliad
, plays like Oedipus
or Antigone
, and mythological origin stories are the source of most tragic characters. Today, books like Circe
, The Silence of the Girls
, and Song of Achilles
retell those stories to modern audiences.
Who are the most famous Greek Tragic figures?
- Achilles
Achilles was the hero of the Greek army in the Trojan War. The Iliad tells about how he was the greatest fighter on the battlefield; he was completely invincible other than a small spot on his heel. He was prideful, though, and refused to fight when his spoils of war were taken from him. Once his beloved friend Patroclus fought in his place and died, though, he took to the battlefield in rage and was ultimately killed by an arrow to his heel.
- Patroclus
Patroclus was the most loyal friend of Achilles, the Greek army’s star warrior in the Trojan War. He grew up as an outcast because he accidentally killed someone over a game of dice as a child. Once he befriended Achilles, though, he followed him to the Trojan War. When Achilles refused to fight and the Greek Army began to lose, Patroclus put on Achilles’ armor and pretended to be him, turning the tide of the war but being killed in the process.
- Circe
Circe was a powerful magician and goddess that lived as an outcast from Olympus. She lived alone on a wooded island, mixing potions and herbs for her magic. She famously turned Odysseus’s rude men into pigs.
- Odysseus
Odysseus is one of the most famous Greek heroes, due to the well-known story of his twelve-year journey returning home from the Trojan War. He and his crew faced many misadventures, including run-ins with Circe, a Cyclops, the Sirens, and Calypso, among others. His wife waited for him all twelve years, and he killed all her suitors once he returned home. His lost son mistakenly killed him when he stumbled upon Odysseus’s island.
- Orpheus
Orpheus is the well-known patron of music in Greek mythology. He is described as playing the lyre so well he can enchant animals and rocks to come to life. Hades kidnapped his wife, Eurydice, to the Underworld, and Orpheus underwent a great quest to find her. Once he found Eurydice, Orpheus was allowed to take her back to the world of the living as long as he walked in front of her and did not look behind him to look at her. At the last moment, Orpheus looked back at Eurydice and she was taken back to the Underworld.
- Antigone
Antigone was in a ruling family until they lost a war; as a result, her family lost power and her brothers were killed. The new ruler refused to give her brother an honorable burial, and she rebelled against the ruler to bury her brother herself. She was sentenced to death for her disobedience and ultimately killed herself rather than be killed by the unjust ruler.
- Icarus
Icarus escaped from prison with his father by flying out using ingenious wings made of wax and feathers. As he flew, his father warned him not to fly too close to the sun, since the heat would melt the wax wings. He disobeyed his father, preferring to fly high. His wings melted and he died.
- Echo
Echo made an enemy of the goddess Hera by having an affair with her husband, Zeus, and covering it up. As punishment, Hera took Echo’s voice except for the ability to repeat the last words of another person. Later on, Echo falls in love with a beautiful man, Narcissus, but is unable to express her love, and he runs away. She mourns in the forest until her body fades away and she becomes a mere echo.
- Phaethon
Phaethon lived in a small town where people didn’t believe he was the son of the sun god Helios. He desperately wanted to prove himself to them, so he journeyed to meet Helios and persuade him to let him fly the chariot of the sun through the sky. Helios gave in, but Phaethon wasn’t capable of controlling the chariot, and crashed and burned, making a desert where he landed.
- Arachne
Arachne was an expert weaver who made beautiful tapestries. One day, she boasted that she was better than even the gods, enraging Athena, the goddess of weaving. Athena came to Arachne in disguise and challenged her to a competition. Arachne wove a tapestry depicting all the god’s affairs and failures, while Athena depicted all their triumphs. Arachne lost the competition and killed herself, but Athena reincarnated her into a spider.
Want to learn more?
For more information about Greek figures and myths, check out these awesome sources below.
