Mythology
Delahoyde & Hughes

HOMER'S ILIAD:

BOOK IX: The Embassy to Achilles

Questions for Book IX:

The book begins with an acknowledgment that the Greek troops are scared.

--Panic and Terror are personified.

--What recommendations does Agamemnon make to the Achaean army? Irony here? In the beginning of Book II, Agamemnon tests the resolve of his warriors. A reversal seems to have taken place, for now it appears that Agamemnon may be dead serious about going home.

Irony is common to literature. Dramatic irony is when the audience or reader knows more about the past, present, and future than the character speaking knows. Oedipus the King is a salient example. Dramatic irony underscores the suffering involved in the character's relentless pursuit of his or her notion of happiness or truth. In this case, we know that the Greek Army will eventually plunder Troy. We also know that Agamemnon will not die until his homecoming day; his wife murders him in the bath.

Diomedes opposes Agamemnon. How does Diomedes criticize Agamemnon? Agamemnon's character seems consistently desperate and lacking. What is folly. The term has significance in Homer's two epics. In the opening of the Odyssey, Zeus says that human greed and folly--not the gods--are responsible for all mortal misery. This speech by Zeus moves the value system within the Odyssey away from shame as a motivation for noble human action (Hector vehemently reproaches his brother Paris for hiding in the bedroom with Helen instead of fighting on the battlefield with the Trojan warriors), to social responsibility as personal. It suggests that humans must begin to recognize their part in their own suffering. In this way, folly has nuances of monotheism whereby humans, not impulsive and childlike gods, are responsible for the agony in the world.

--What role does Phoenix play here? Achilles' old teacher comes from a rather dysfunctional family: He slept with his father's mistress because his mother begged him to do it, and when his father found out and cursed him, he decided to kill the old man. What is the point of telling this story to Achilles?

--Although Achilles says he loved the girl Briseis, whom Agamemnon snatched away, what is his real problem? What did the girl represent or what issue is he really hung up on?

True or false: When Achilles was a toddler he used to barf wine on Phoenix's shirt.

The concept of "Ate," meaning delusion or madness or blinding ruin, plays a part in Agamemnon's excuse for his earlier behavior now (esp. 9.138). When Nestor advises getting Achilles back, Agamemnon can't seem to emphasize enough that "since I was blinded, lost in my own inhuman rage, / now, at last, I am bent on setting things to rights: / I'll give a priceless ransom paid for friendship" (9.143-145).

Peachy, but pay attention to the speech he gives, itemizing the gifts he promises (Briseis back and cauldrons and horses and seven skilled women of Lesbos and gold and bronze and one of his own daughters) and his finalé:

All this--

I would extend to him if he will end his anger.

Let him submit to me! Only the god of death

is so relentless, Death submits to no one--

so mortals hate him most of all the gods.

Let him bow down to me! I am the greater king,

I am the elder-born, I claim--the greater man. (9.187-193)

What is Achilles doing when the three warriors arrive at his tent? How does Achilles treat them? The term xenia refers to the notion of hospitality, a key quality in Homer's Odyssey.

The dialectic here--the conversation--follows a common formula found in texts like the Book of Job. The first of the three men--Odysseus--speaks and then Achilles will answer. The second man speaks--Phoenix--and again Achilles will answer. Then finally Ajax will speak and Achilles will answer. Notice that Achilles does seem to soften his position as the dialogue progresses. He first tells Odysseus that he plans to set sail for home immediately. In the end, he tells Ajax that he will enter the war only when Hector batters his way to the Myrmidon ships and shelters

When the delegation goes to Achilles and Odysseus repeats, verbatim, Agamemnon's speech, "the great tactician" earns his title by diplomatically omitting that last part (9.361f).

Why does Odysseus omit this part of Agamemnon's message?

But Achilles is still caught at an impasse. He even questions the heroic code: "One and the same lot for the man who hangs back / and the man who battles hard. The same honor waits / for the coward and the brave. They both go down to Death, / the fighter who shirks, the one who works to exhaustion" (9.385-388). He works himself into the same frenzy against Agamemnon and insists that tomorrow he's sailing home. (So why didn't he leave in all this time?) He also mentions his particular fate (9.497-505).

Achilles' old teacher, Phoenix, reminds Achilles that he was like a substitute son to Phoenix, and makes the same appeal for Achilles to relent. It's clear that if Achilles rejects Agamemnon's offer, he takes on himself responsibility for the folly of this feud -- since it is an honorable offer. Anger is overwhelming his own honor and spirit.

Phoenix speech is divided into three parts.

--relationship with Achilles' father

--parable of prayers

--long example of Meleagros

Ajax, the third of the delegates, makes his case -- the worst of the three. "Achilles, / put some human kindness in your heart" (9.780-781). That's not how it works! And Achilles gets himself all in a tizzy again: "But my heart still heaves with rage / whenever I call to mind that arrogance of his" (9.789-790). Again, he may be giving an inch when he says that he'll not return to battle ... until the Trojans drive back the Greeks all the way to the ships.

The Book ends with Diomedes suggesting that they don't need Achilles to topple the Trojan walls. They resolve to fight with Agamemnon out in front.