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What is learnt about the characters Agamemnon and Achilles in Book 1?
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∙ 8y ago
We, as an audience, find out different aspects of each of these character's personalities in Book 1.
During the assembly that Achilles calls, he calls for a seer to be summoned to see why Apollo is angry and has sent them the plague, illustrating his desire for things to be put right. Agamemnon is resentful at being told what to do, showing his need to remain in control.
Achilles speaks directly to Agamemnon calling him greedy, showing that he has no respect for the King after dishonouring him (Agamemnon has distributed the prizes, that the army has won, unequally, according to Achilles. He is their best fighter and thus demands more rewards than the other fighters, but Agamemnon refuses). Achilles then tells his leader that it would be in their best interests to give back the girl, Chryseis to her father and accept the ransom offered by him. He promises that he and his men will over-reward Agamemnon for this deed, if he would just see it through. Achilles speaks of Gods while referring to this, emphasising the importance of the situation and his deeper respect for them than Agamemnon.
Agamemnon refuses to go back on what he has already decided, regarding Chryseis, in fear that it will make him look like a weak leader, but in fact, it would be quite the opposite. Agamemnon gives an insecure speech, but tries too hard maintain his status. He jumps to conclusions, accusing Achilles of tricking him into giving the girl back, so he can keep his own, Briseis, safe. However, this is not strictly true.
Achilles proceeds to insult his leader more, calling him self centred and a swine. He tells him that he didn't even want to come to fight as he had no grudge against the Trojans, but only came to gain glory for Agamemnon, as did the rest of their army. He tells him that he has been cheated out of his booty as he does all the fighting and doesn't get any larger reward than the others for his bravery and also Agamemnon takes the most of it for himself.
Achilles becomes a little melodramatic and declares that he will return home, leaving the army without his help. Agamemnon replies patronisingly that he should leave, then and can do without him (which he obviously can't). He suddenly leaps to his last resort of trying to maintain a higher status than Achilles, attempting to reprimand him in front of the whole army, declaring that he will take away his prize. But this is showing his desperation as he is not quite in control.
Athena intervenes, just when Achilles is about to kill Agamemnon, and instead of killing the King, Achilles proceeds to insult him, emphasising his respect for the Gods. But he pushes his luck with Agamemnon, and tells him that he will regret having hurt his pride and wishes the Greek army to fall by Hector's hand. We learn that Achilles is not afraid to escalate the situation in defending his honour.
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Who killed Agamemnon?
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What is the conflict between Achilles and Agamemnon in book 1 of The Iliad?
Agamemnon forced Achilles to give up his concubine.
What is the story of Briseis and Chryseis?
In the first book of the Iliad, Agamemnon enslaves her as a war prize and refuses to allow her father, a priest of Apollo, to ransom her. An oracle of Apollo then sends a plague sweeping through the Greek armies, and Agamemnon is forced to give Chryseis back in order to end it, so Agamemnon sends Odysseus to return Chryseis to her father.Agamemnon compensates himself for this loss by taking Briseis from Achilles, an act that offends Achilles, who refuses to take further part in the Trojan War. Until the death of Patroclus.Chyseis had a son by Agamemnon named for her father, Chryses.Briseis had no known children by either Achilles or her husband Mynes.
What does agamemnon do to offend Achilles?
Agamemnon takes Achilles' war prize, Briseis, ater Agamemnon was forced to give back his own prize, Chryseis. He was forced to return Chryseis because of a plague that Apollo sent against the Greeks for refusing to allow Chryseis to be ransomed to her father. Achilles wants to kill Agamemnon because he is a pompous, power-hungry man who believes that no one except for him should get the spoils of war. Achilles' "Prize" (A woman whom was captured in the first battle in Troy) was taken from him by Agamemnon and Agamemnon was using her for his own pleasure and then threw her to the Men like a piece of meat to the bulldogs. After that, Achilles declares that he will kill him. Improve: Also it is about Achilles' pride as a warrior and his love for Briseis that makes him threaten Agamemnon to leave the war and with Agamemnons actions and brutish language (in order to gain the power his has back) he dismisses Achilles. Agamemnon "But here is a threat: in the same way as Phoesbus Apollo is robbing me of Chryseis, whom I propose to send off in my ship with my crew, I will come in person to your hut and take away fair-cheeked Brieseis, your prize, Achilles, to let you know how far I am your superior and to teach others to shrink from claiming parity with me and playing the equal to my face." (Book 1 lines 183-189) Achilles does not actually threaten to kill Agamemnon Athene comes down from Olympus and stops him.
The name of the story written by Homer that tells about King Agamemnon?
The Iliad as the book that told about Agamemnon The Iliad is the book that told about Agamemnon
Is polyphemus in the book homers Iliad?
The cyclops Polyphemus is not, no. But someone else named Polyphemus is. Godlike Polyphemus is mentioned by Nestor in his speech to Agamemnon and Achilles in Book 1 (Line 264). This is possibly the Polyphemus who is an Argonaut. It is probably not the cyclops.
How many wars did Achilles fight in?
Phthia, as he says in the first book of the Iliad in his rant to Agamemnon.
Why did agamemnon wants to get briseis?
In the first book of the Iliad, Agamemnon enslaves her, as a war prize and refuses to allow her father, a priest of Apollo to ransom her. An oracle of Apollo then sends a plague sweeping through the Greek armies, and Agamemnon is forced to give Chryseis back in order to end it, so Agamemnon sends Odysseus to return Chryseis to her father. Agamemnon compensates himself for this loss by taking Briseis from Achilles, an act that offends Achilles, who refuses to take further part in the Trojan War.
What are the reasons for killing Hector in the book of Iliad?
In a nutshell, Achilles (or Achilleus) kills Hector because Hector kills Petroklos, Achilles' friend. As a result of Agamemnon dishonouring Achilles by expropriating his slave girl, Briseis, Achills laments to his mother, the nymph Thetis, of the indignity he had suffered at Agamemnon's hands. Thetis instructs her son to withdraw his aid from the Achaean forces, while she endeavours to call upon Zeus, who promises her a means by which Achilles' honour can be restored. Zeus choreographs the following days of the Trojan war to allow the Trojans to come to the brink of destroying the Achaean army, thus emphasizing their need of Achilles and his armies to succeed in the war. Agamemnon relents and sends envoys to plead with Achilles to return, but Achilles is adamant and continues to withhold his assistance. At the most dire moment, Patroclos, Achilles' dearest friend, assumes Achilles' armour and leads his armies into battle, momentarily driving off the Trojans, but ultimately leading to Patroclos' death by the great Trojan prince Hector's sword. Achilles returns to battle to avenge Patroclos' death. To allow Achilles to regain the honour he had lost at the beginning of the epic, Zeus allows Hector to be killed by Achilles, thus satisfying the promise Zeus had made to Thetis.
What does Priam request of Achilles?
He drew on the universal themes of grief; his own for his son and Achilles' for Patroklos, and also asks Achilles to think of him as his own father, who has the hope that his son, Achilles will come back alive, yet Priam hasn't even got this. Priam also brings a large ransom with him.
What are the titles in the books of Iliad?
Book 1: The Rage of Achilles Book 2: The Great Gathering of Armies Book 3: Helen Reviews the Champions Book 4: The Truce Erupts in War Book 5: Diomodes Fights the Gods Book 6: Hector Returns to Troy Book 7: Ajax Duels in Hector Book 8: The Tide of Battle Turns Book 9: The Embassy to Achilles Book 10: Marauding Through the Night Book 11: Agamemnon's Day of Glory Book 12: The Trojans Storm the Rampart Book 13: Battling for the Ships Book 14: Hera Outflanks Zeus Book 15: The Achaean Armies at Bay Book 16: Patroclus Fights and Dies Book 17: Menalaus' Finest Hour Book 18: The Shield of Achilles Book 19: The Champion Arms for Battle Book 20: olympian Gods in Arms Book 21: Achilles Fights the River Book 22: The Death of Hector Book 23: Funeral Games for Patroclus Book 24: Achilles and Priam
In what book does Achilles die?
In Aethiopis by Arctinus. It is not in the Iliad.
In book 22 of trojan war Where does hector strike Achilles in his armor?
His heel on his foot. Hence the term Achilles heel
