--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We are all there, goddess and mortal and…" description: "\"“We are all there, goddess and mortal and the boy who was both.”\" — Madeline Miller" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/943/madeline-miller-2938_achilles_we-are-all-there-goddess-and-mortal-and_1735895.jpg" --- # We are all there, goddess and mortal and the boy who was… ![“We are all there, goddess and mortal and the boy who was both.” quote by Madeline Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/943/madeline-miller-2938_achilles_we-are-all-there-goddess-and-mortal-and_1735895.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/943/madeline-miller-2938_achilles_we-are-all-there-goddess-and-mortal-and_1735895.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/943/madeline-miller-2938_achilles_we-are-all-there-goddess-and-mortal-and_1735895.jpg) > ““We are all there, goddess and mortal and the boy who was both.”” [Madeline Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madeline-miller/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. All beings, divine or mortal, share a common existence, blurring the line between gods and humans. **In simple terms:** Gods and humans are alike in existence. Key Takeaway Recognize shared humanity across differences. Themes mythology identity unity Mood thoughtful poetic Type mythological philosophical When to use this quote - cultural studies - personal relationships Key Concepts divine mortality human experience interconnectedness Questions to Reflect On - What does it mean to be both divine and mortal? - How does this view affect empathy? A Different Perspective Mythical narratives may oversimplify complex identities. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Achilles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/achilles/) [Death](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/death/) [Goddess](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/goddess/) [Mortal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mortal/) [Patroclus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/patroclus/) [The-song-of-achilles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/the-song-of-achilles/) ## Related quotes > [“Her mouth tightens. 'Have you no more memories?' I am made of memories. 'Speak, then.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madeline-miller/her-mouth-tightens-have-you-no-more-memories-i-am-made-of-memories/) [Madeline Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madeline-miller/) > [“I saw then how I had changed. I did not mind anymore that I lost when we raced and I lost when we swam…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madeline-miller/i-saw-then-how-i-had-changed-i-did-not-mind-anymore-that-i-lost-when/) [Madeline Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madeline-miller/) > [“I have done it,' she says. At first I do not understand. But then I see the tomb, and the marks she has made…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madeline-miller/i-have-done-it-she-says-at-first-i-do-not-understand-but-then-i-see-2/) [Madeline Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madeline-miller/) > [“I could not make him a god,' she says. Her jagged voice, rich with grief. But you made him.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madeline-miller/i-could-not-make-him-a-god-she-says-her-jagged-voice-rich-with-grief/) [Madeline Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madeline-miller/) > [“She made Pyrrhus, and loved him more than Achilles.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madeline-miller/she-made-pyrrhus-and-loved-him-more-than-achilles/) [Madeline Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madeline-miller/) > [“I conjure the boy I knew. Achilles, grinning as the figs blur in his hands. His green eyes laughing into mine. Catch, he says.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madeline-miller/i-conjure-the-boy-i-knew-achilles-grinning-as-the-figs-blur-in-his/) [Madeline Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madeline-miller/) > [“There is no law that gods must be fair, Achilles,' Chiron said. 'And perhaps it is a greater grief, after all, to be left…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madeline-miller/there-is-no-law-that-gods-must-be-fair-achilles-chiron-said-and/) [Madeline Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madeline-miller/) > [“We reached for each other, and I thought of how many nights I had lain awake loving him in silence.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madeline-miller/we-reached-for-each-other-and-i-thought-of-how-many-nights-i-had-lain/) [Madeline Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madeline-miller/) > [“Briseis is kneeling by my body. She has brought water and cloth, and washes the blood and dirt from my skin. Her hands are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madeline-miller/briseis-is-kneeling-by-my-body-she-has-brought-water-and-cloth-and/) [Madeline Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madeline-miller/) > [“Chiron had once said that nations were the most foolish of mortal inventions. 'No man is worth more than another, wherever he is from.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madeline-miller/chiron-had-once-said-that-nations-were-the-most-foolish-of-mortal/) [Madeline Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madeline-miller/) > [“Later Achilles would play the lyre, as Chiron and I listened. My mother's lyre. He had brought it with him. 'I wish I had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madeline-miller/later-achilles-would-play-the-lyre-as-chiron-and-i-listened-my-mother/) [Madeline Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madeline-miller/) > [“Achilles weeps. He cradles me, and will not eat, nor speak a word other than my name.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madeline-miller/achilles-weeps-he-cradles-me-and-will-not-eat-nor-speak-a-word-other/) [Madeline Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madeline-miller/) > [“I will never leave him. It will be this, always, for as long as he will let me.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madeline-miller/i-will-never-leave-him-it-will-be-this-always-for-as-long-as-he-will/) [Madeline Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madeline-miller/) > [“Patroclus, he says, Patroclus. Patroclus. Over and over until it is sound only.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madeline-miller/patroclus-he-says-patroclus-patroclus-over-and-over-until-it-is-sound/) [Madeline Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madeline-miller/) > [“Bury us, and mark our names above. Let us be free.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madeline-miller/bury-us-and-mark-our-names-above-let-us-be-free/) [Madeline Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madeline-miller/) ## More by Madeline Miller > [I feel like I could eat the world raw.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madeline-miller/i-feel-like-i-could-eat-the-world-raw/) [Madeline Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madeline-miller/) > [“This was a man who moved like the gods were watching: every gesture he made was upright and correct. There was no one else…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madeline-miller/this-was-a-man-who-moved-like-the-gods-were-watching-every-gesture-he/) [Madeline Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madeline-miller/) > [“Bury us, and mark our names above. Let us be free.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madeline-miller/bury-us-and-mark-our-names-above-let-us-be-free/) [Madeline Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madeline-miller/) > [“Patroclus, he says, Patroclus. Patroclus. Over and over until it is sound only.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madeline-miller/patroclus-he-says-patroclus-patroclus-over-and-over-until-it-is-sound/) [Madeline Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madeline-miller/) > [“True is what men believe, and they believe this of you.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madeline-miller/true-is-what-men-believe-and-they-believe-this-of-you/) [Madeline Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madeline-miller/) > [“Strange that such a small kindness felt like grace.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madeline-miller/strange-that-such-a-small-kindness-felt-like-grace/) [Madeline Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madeline-miller/) > [“Briseis is kneeling by my body. She has brought water and cloth, and washes the blood and dirt from my skin. Her hands are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madeline-miller/briseis-is-kneeling-by-my-body-she-has-brought-water-and-cloth-and/) [Madeline Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madeline-miller/) > [Odysseus inclines his head. "True. But fame is a strange thing. Some men gain glory after they die, while others fade. What is admired…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madeline-miller/odysseus-inclines-his-head-true-but-fame-is-a-strange-thing-some-men/) [Madeline Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madeline-miller/) > [“I would like to say that all the while I waited to break out, but the truth is, I'm afraid I might have floated…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madeline-miller/i-would-like-to-say-that-all-the-while-i-waited-to-break-out-but-the/) [Madeline Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madeline-miller/) > [“I gaped at the cold shock of his beauty, deep-green eyes, features fine as a girl's. It struck from me a sudden, springing dislike.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madeline-miller/i-gaped-at-the-cold-shock-of-his-beauty-deep-green-eyes-features-fine/) [Madeline Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madeline-miller/) > [I found myself grinning until my cheeks hurt, my scalp prickling till I thought it might lift off my head. My tongue ran away…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madeline-miller/i-found-myself-grinning-until-my-cheeks-hurt-my-scalp-prickling-till/) [Madeline Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madeline-miller/) > [“When he died, all things soft and beautiful and bright would be buried with him.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madeline-miller/when-he-died-all-things-soft-and-beautiful-and-bright-would-be-buried/) [Madeline Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madeline-miller/) > [“Bring him back to me,' he told them.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madeline-miller/bring-him-back-to-me-he-told-them/) [Madeline Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madeline-miller/) > [“Her mouth was a gash of red, like the torn-open stomach of a sacrifice, bloody and oracular. Behind it her teeth shone sharp and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madeline-miller/her-mouth-was-a-gash-of-red-like-the-torn-open-stomach-of-a-sacrifice/) [Madeline Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madeline-miller/) > [and her skin shone luminous and impossibly pale, as if it drank light from the moon.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madeline-miller/and-her-skin-shone-luminous-and-impossibly-pale-as-if-it-drank-light/) [Madeline Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madeline-miller/) [Explore all 142 Madeline Miller quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madeline-miller/) ## More Achilles quotes > [Suppose that we are wise enough to learn and know-and yet not wise enough to control our learning and knowledge, so that we use…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isaac-asimov/suppose-that-we-are-wise-enough-to-learn-and-know-and-yet-not-wise/) [Isaac Asimov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isaac-asimov/) > [“Bury us, and mark our names above. Let us be free.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madeline-miller/bury-us-and-mark-our-names-above-let-us-be-free/) [Madeline Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madeline-miller/) > [Ah, beer, my one weakness. My Achille's heel, if you will.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/homer/ah-beer-my-one-weakness-my-achille-s-heel-if-you-will/) [Homer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/homer/) > [“Patroclus, he says, Patroclus. Patroclus. Over and over until it is sound only.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madeline-miller/patroclus-he-says-patroclus-patroclus-over-and-over-until-it-is-sound/) [Madeline Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madeline-miller/) > [There comes a point where certain things are becoming my Achilles heel; you know when you start repeating yourself and saying the same anecdotes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-elson/there-comes-a-point-where-certain-things-are-becoming-my-achilles/) [Karen Elson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-elson/) > [To reveal imprudently the spot where we are most sensitive and vulnerable is to invite a blow. The demigod Achilles admitted no one to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sophie-swetchine/to-reveal-imprudently-the-spot-where-we-are-most-sensitive-and/) [Sophie Swetchine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sophie-swetchine/) > [Like Achilles, the hero who forgot his heel, or like Icarus who, flying close to the sun, forgot that his wings were made of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dwight-longenecker/like-achilles-the-hero-who-forgot-his-heel-or-like-icarus-who-flying/) [Dwight Longenecker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dwight-longenecker/) > [And overpowered by memory Both men gave way to grief. Priam wept freely For man - killing Hector, throbbing, crouching Before Achilles' feet as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/homer/and-overpowered-by-memory-both-men-gave-way-to-grief-priam-wept/) [Homer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/homer/) > [“Briseis is kneeling by my body. She has brought water and cloth, and washes the blood and dirt from my skin. Her hands are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madeline-miller/briseis-is-kneeling-by-my-body-she-has-brought-water-and-cloth-and/) [Madeline Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madeline-miller/) > [When we consider the weak and nerveless periods of some literary men, who perchance in feet and inches come up to the standard oftheir…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/when-we-consider-the-weak-and-nerveless-periods-of-some-literary-men/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [Personal integrity in Achilles achieves the form and authority of immanent divinity, with its inviolable, lonely singleness, half repellent because of its almost inhuman…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cedric-h-whitman/personal-integrity-in-achilles-achieves-the-form-and-authority-of/) [Cedric H Whitman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cedric-h-whitman/) > [As the Cameroonian philosopher Achille Mbembe has presciently pointed out, neoliberal corporate globalism threatens to exploit that advantage like never before, and it seems…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andre-naffis-sahely/as-the-cameroonian-philosopher-achille-mbembe-has-presciently-pointed/) [Andre Naffis-Sahely](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andre-naffis-sahely/) > [“I listened and did not speak. Achilles’ eyes were bright in the firelight, his face drawn sharply by the flickering shadows. I would know…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-listened-and-did-not-speak-achilles-eyes-were-bright-in-the/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [At Achilles tomb, O fortunate youth, to have found Homer as the herald of your glory!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-the-great/at-achilles-tomb-o-fortunate-youth-to-have-found-homer-as-the-herald/) [Alexander the Great](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-the-great/) > [The Achilles Heel of the Americas was the lack of cultural confidence typical of new settlers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-erickson/the-achilles-heel-of-the-americas-was-the-lack-of-cultural-confidence/) [Arthur Erickson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-erickson/) [Browse all 180 Achilles quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/achilles/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“We are all there, goddess and mortal and the boy who was both.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Madeline Miller" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madeline-miller/we-are-all-there-goddess-and-mortal-and-the-boy-who-was-both/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Achilles" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madeline-miller/we-are-all-there-goddess-and-mortal-and-the-boy-who-was-both/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/943/madeline-miller-2938_achilles_we-are-all-there-goddess-and-mortal-and_1735895.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/943/madeline-miller-2938_achilles_we-are-all-there-goddess-and-mortal-and_1735895.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/943/madeline-miller-2938_achilles_we-are-all-there-goddess-and-mortal-and_1735895.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“We are all there, goddess and mortal and the boy who was both.” — Madeline Miller", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Madeline Miller", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madeline-miller/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“We are all there, goddess and...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madeline-miller/we-are-all-there-goddess-and-mortal-and-the-boy-who-was-both/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madeline-miller/we-are-all-there-goddess-and-mortal-and-the-boy-who-was-both/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```