Haunted by a prophecy that her son will die young at war, Thetis disguises Achilles as a maiden and hides him on the island of Skyros, where the lonely warrior bonds with the princess Deidameia, secretly marrying her and fathering a son. Back on the mainland, the seer Calchas divines that Troy cannot fall without Achilles and that he is hidden on Skyros. Odysseus arrives disguised as a merchant, lays out jewelry and weapons before the princesses, signals a war trumpet, and Achilles alone reaches for the sword, tearing off his veil. He embraces Deidameia one final time, promising not to forget their son, but they both know what the prophecy means, and he sets sail for Aulis and the war to come.