The Fallacy of the “Buddy Construction” on Ancient Heroic Duos

Abstract

In this paper, I seek to examine three ancient literary couples to discover the nature of their relationships. Specifically, I will argue that Enkidu and Gilgamesh, David and Jonathan, and Achilles and Patroclus each participated in a relationship that went beyond the trope of heroic friendship. I will also examine how previous scholars portrayed these men in an attempt to remove homoeroticism from their mythologies.