Students are to complete the following assignment:
The Iliad-“Peace Offerings to Achilles” Book 9-20pts
Agamemnon reluctantly agrees to bribe Achilles to return to battle. List the gifts he offers and the one condition that he attaches. Is this out of character? Explain.
"Mighty son of Atreus, Agamemnon,king of men, I'll begin and end my speechwith you, for you are lord of many men.Zeus gave you sceptre and laws to rule them.Thus, you, above all, should speak and listen, then act upon what other men may say, if their spirit prompts them to speak well.You'll get the credit for what they begin.So I'll say what seems to me the best advice.No one else has set out a better schemethan the one which I've been mulling overa long time now, ever since you, my lord,made Achilles angry by taking backthat young girl Briseis from his hut,against my judgment. Repeatedly,I urged you not to do it. But then you, surrendering to your arrogant spirit,shamed our strongest man, honoured by the gods. You still have that prize you took. So now let's thinkhow we may make amends, win him back with giftsand gracious speeches, and be friends once more."
Agamemnon, king of men, then answered Nestor:
"Old man, you expose my folly justly.I was deluded. I don't deny that.The man whom Zeus loves in his heart is worth whole armies. And this man Zeus now honours by destroying an army of Achaeans.Since my delusion made me followmy mistaken feelings, I'm now willingto make amends, to give in recompense immense treasures. I'll list these rich gifts in presence of you all—seven tripodswhich fire has not yet touched, ten gold talents,twenty shining cauldrons, twelve strong horseswhose speed has triumphed and earned them prizes.A man who has as much as I have won from racing these sure-footed animalswould not be poor, or lack possessions,or need precious gold. And then I'll give himseven women of Lesbos, skilled in crafts,whom I chose for myself when he capturedwell-built Lesbos. They surpass all women for their beauty. These I shall present to him.With them the one I seized from him, Briseis,daughter of Briseus. I'll solemnly swearI never once went up into her bed or had sex with her, as is men's custom,where men and women are concerned.All these things he will receive immediately.If gods grant we destroy Priam's great city,when we Achaeans allocate the spoils,let him come and load his ship with gold,with bronze, as much as he desires. He may choosetwenty Trojan women for himself,the loveliest after Argive Helen. If we get back to the rich land of Argos, he can then become my son-in-law.I'll honour him just as I do Orestes,my son, whom I dearly love. He's being raisedin great prosperity. In my well-built home,I have three daughters—Chrysothemis,Iphianessa and Laodice.He can take whichever one he choosesback home as his wife to Peleus' houseand pay no bridal gift. I'll give much more to bring about our reconciliation, a dowry bigger than any man so farhas ever handed over with his daughter.I'll give him seven populous cities,Cardamyle, Enope, grassy Hire, holy Pherae, fertile Antheia,lovely Aepea, and vine-rich Pedasus,all near the sea, beside sandy Pylos.People living in these places own a lot,many sheep and cattle. They will honour him and give him gifts, as if he were a god. Under his laws and sceptre they'll do well.I shall give all this if he will abatehis anger. Let him concede. Only Hadesis totally relentless and unyielding.That's why of all the gods, he's the onemen hate the most. And let him acknowledgemy authority, for I'm the greater king. In age I can claim to be his senior."
What is used to persuade Achilles to return besides the gifts? What aspect of his personality is Odysseus appealing to? What examples does Achilles offer to explain his rage towards Agamemnon? Provide a line that describes Achilles explaining his fate.
If you will hear the list, then I'll repeatwhat Agamemnon has promised to you.All gifts are in his huts—seven tripodswhich fire has not yet touched, ten gold talents,twenty shining cauldrons, twelve strong horseswhose speed has triumphed, earned them prizes—a man who's won as much as Agamemnonfrom racing these sure-footed animalswould not be poor or lack possessionsor precious gold. Then he will add to thisseven women of Lesbos, skilled in crafts, whom he chose for himself when you capturedwell-built Lesbos. They surpass all womenfor their beauty. These he will present to you,with them the one he seized from you, Briseis, daughter of Briseus. He'll solemnly swear he never once went up into her bedor had sex with her, as is men's custom,where men and women are concerned.All these things you will receive immediately.If gods grant that we destroy Priam's great city,when we Achaeans allocate the spoils,you may come and load your ship with gold,with bronze, as much as you desire. You may choose twenty Trojan women for yourself, the loveliest after Argive Helen. If we get back to the rich land of Argos,you can then become his son-in-law.He'll honour you just as he does Orestes,his son, whom he dearly loves. He's being raisedin great prosperity. In his well-built homehe has three daughters—Chrysothemis,Iphianessa, and Laodice.You can take whichever one you chooseback home as your wife to Peleus' houseand pay no bridal gift. He'll give much more to bring about your reconciliation,a dowry bigger than any man so farhas ever handed over with his daughter.He'll give you seven populous cities,Cardamyle, Enope, grassy Hire,holy Pherae, fertile Antheia,lovely Aepea, and vine-rich Pedasus,all near the sea, beside sandy Pylos.People living in these places possessmany sheep and cattle and will honour you and give you gifts, as if you were a god.Under your laws and sceptre they'll do well.He will give all this, if you will abateyour anger. But if your heart still resents Atreus' son and his gifts, then take pityon all Achaeans, our exhausted soldiers. They will pay you honours like a god.Among them you'll earn enormous glory,for now you might kill Hector, who may well approach you—he's so obsessed with slaughter, he thinks there's not a warrior his equal among Danaans brought here in our ships."
But mighty Agamemnon, Atreus' son, in his arrogance, seized back from me the prize which he awarded. Tell him that.Repeat in public everything I say,so other Achaeans will grow angry, if he, still clothed in shamelessness, hopesat any time to deceive some Argive.Cur that he is, he doesn't dare confront meface to face. I'll discuss no plans with him,no actions. He cheated me, betrayed me.His words will cheat no more. To hell with him. Let him march to his death by his own road, for Counsellor Zeus has stolen his wits.I hate his gifts. And he's not worth a damn.Not even if he gave me ten times, no, twenty times more than all he owns right now,or will possess in future, not even all the wealth amassed in Orchomenus,or Egyptian Thebes, where huge treasures sitpiled up in houses—that city of gates,one hundred of them, through each can ride two hundred men, horses and chariots all together—not even if he gave megifts as numerous as grains of sandbeside the sea or particles of dust,not for all that would Agamemnon winmy heart, not until he satisfies mein full for all my heartfelt bitter pain.I'll never take as wife any daughterof Agamemnon, son of Atreus,not even if her beauty rivals that of golden Aphrodite, or her skill in crafts equals bright-eyed Athena's. I will not marry her. Let him selectanother Achaean, someone like himself,a more prestigious king than me. For me,if the gods keep me safe and I get home, Peleus himself will find me a wife.There are plenty of Achaean womenin Hellas and in Phthia—daughters of lords,men who govern cities. From them I'll choose the one I want to make my cherished wife. My heart has often felt a strong desireto take a woman there as my own wife,someone suitable for marriage, to enjoythe riches which old Peleus has acquired. Life is worth more to me than all the wealththey say was stored in well-built Ilionsome time ago, when they were still at peace,before the sons of Achaea came, more than all the treasures of the archer, Phoebus Apollo, stacked on the stone floor in rocky Pytho. Men can steal cattle,fat sheep, get tripods, herds of sorrel horses.But no man gets his life back, not by theftor plunder, once it has flown out from him,passed beyond the barrier of his teeth.My goddess mother, silver-footed Thetis, has said two fates may bring about my death.If I remain here, continuing the fightagainst the Trojans' city, that means I won't be going home, but my glory will never die. But if I go back home,my fame will die, though my life will lasta long time—death will not end it quickly.And so I encourage all the rest of youto sail back home. You'll not attain your goal,steep Ilion, because far-seeing Zeus shields that city with his hand. Its people have confidence in that. Thus, you should go.Report this message to Achaean leaders—that's the privilege of senior men—their minds must come up with some better planto save the Achaean fleet and armybeside the hollow ships. The one they've gotwon't work, since anger still keeps me away.Let Phoenix stay here with me, sleep here,so tomorrow he may join our voyageto his dear native land, if that's his wish.For I will not take him back by force."
Ajax and Achilles argue. Explain each hero’s arguments. Who has the stronger case? Explain. Is Achilles being heroic in your opinion? Explain.
"Noble son of Laertes, resourceful Odysseus, let's be off. I don't think we'll bring this talkto a successful end, not on this trip. We must report this news, though it's not good, to the Danaans waiting to receive it. For Achilles has turned his great spirit into something savage in his chest. He's cruel and doesn't care for friendship of his comrades, how we honoured himabove all others there beside the ships. He has no pity. Any man acceptsreparations for a murdered son or brother.The man who killed them pays a large amountto stay there in his own community. The other man's angry heart and spiritare checked, once he takes the compensation.But with you, gods have put inside your chestunchanging evil passions, and all thisover a single girl. Now we are offeringseven of the best we have and much more. You should turn your passion into kindness,the hospitality of your own house. For we are guests here under your own roof, chosen from the Argive host. We believe that we, of all Achaeans, are the onesmost dear to you, your closest friends, far more so than all the others."
Swift-footed Achilles then said in reply:
"Ajax, noble son of Telamon, your people's leader,everything you say matches what I feel. But my heart chokes with rage when I recallhow that son of Atreus behaved towards me with contempt, as if he were dishonoringsome vagrant. But you'd better go, take back 820this message—I shall not concern myselfwith bloody war until lord Hector, murderous son of Priam, comes againstthe huts and sea ships of the Myrmidons, killing Achaean soldiers as he goes,until he starts to burn our ships with fire. I think that Hector will be held in checkaround my hut, around my own black ship, for all his eagerness to battle on."
