Achates

Dosso Dossi. Aeneas and Achates, 1520

For the fifteenth century composer from Basel, see Leonardus Achates de Basilea

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In the Aeneid, Achates ("good, faithful Achates", fidus Achates as he was called) was a close friend of Aeneas; his name became a by-word for an intimate companion. He accompanied Aeneas throughout his adventures, reaching Carthage with him in disguise when the pair were scouting the area, and leading him to the Sibyl of Cumae. Virgil represents him as remarkable for his fidelity, and a perennial type of that virtue. However, despite being Aeneas's most important Trojan, he is notable for his lack of character. Aeneas, surrounded by only a shadowy cast of allies, is thus emphasised as the lone protagonist and at the same time cut off from help on his quest.^[1]

Appears in Aeneid, Book I, line(s) 188, 312, and 459, Book VI, lines 34 and 158 and Book VIII, 466^[2]

The Royal Navy (United Kingdom) named the HMS Achates, an A class destroyer sunk during World War II, after the mythical character.

Achates was the name of the flagship in the novel Success To The Brave, which is the 15th novel in the series written by Douglas Reeman. In the novel, the Achates is a British Ship of the line two-decker of 64 guns. It is sent as the flagship of Vice Admiral Richard Bolitho to oversee the island of San Felipe's transfer of control to the French as part of the Treaty of Amiens.

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