Book I: The Contention of Achilles and Agamemnon explained

What happens

Themes in this chapter

• Wrath and Its Consequences

  The poem opens with the wrath of Achilles, which leads to a deadly quarrel with Agamemnon and sets in motion a chain of devastating events for the Greeks.

• The Role of the Gods

  Apollo sends a plague, Athena restrains Achilles, and Thetis appeals to Zeus, demonstrating the gods' active involvement in mortal conflicts.

• Pride and Reconciliation

  Agamemnon's pride leads him to insult Chryses and later Achilles, while Achilles' pride prevents him from accepting Agamemnon's authority, leading to a rift that will require future reconciliation.

Characters to notice

• Achilles

  Calls the council, quarrels with Agamemnon over Briseis, and is restrained by Athena from killing Agamemnon.

• Agamemnon

  Insults Chryses, refuses to ransom Chryseis, quarrels with Achilles, and takes Briseis from him.

• Chryses

  Priest of Apollo who comes to ransom his daughter Chryseis and is rebuffed by Agamemnon.

• Calchas

  Seer who reveals that Apollo's wrath is due to Agamemnon's treatment of Chryses.

• Thetis

  Achilles' mother, who appeals to Zeus to avenge her son's honor.

• Zeus

  Promises Thetis to honor Achilles by aiding the Trojans, leading to conflict with Hera.

• Hera

  Sends Athena to restrain Achilles and later quarrels with Zeus over his promise to Thetis.

• Athena

  Sent by Hera to prevent Achilles from killing Agamemnon.

Key passages

• “O Goddess! Sing the wrath of Peleus’ son, Achilles; sing the deadly wrath that brought Woes numberless upon the Greeks, and swept To Hades many a valiant soul, and gave Their limbs a prey to dogs and birds of air— For so had Jove appointed—from the time When the two chiefs, Atrides, king of men, And great Achilles, parted first as foes.”

  The poet invokes the Muse to sing of Achilles' destructive anger, which caused countless Greek deaths and fulfilled Zeus's plan, beginning with the quarrel between Agamemnon and Achilles.

  This opening sets the central theme of the epic: the wrath of Achilles and its catastrophic consequences.

• “Old man, let me not find thee loitering here, Beside the roomy ships, or coming back Hereafter, lest the fillet thou dost bear And sceptre of thy god protect thee not. This maiden I release not till old age Shall overtake her in my Argive home, Far from her native country, where her hand Shall throw the shuttle and shall dress my couch. Go, chafe me not, if thou wouldst safely go.”

  Agamemnon harshly dismisses Chryses, threatening him and refusing to release Chryseis, whom he intends to keep as a concubine in Argos.

  Agamemnon's arrogance and disrespect toward a priest of Apollo provoke divine retribution.

• “Hear me, thou bearer of the silver bow, Who guardest Chrysa, and the holy isle Of Cilia, and art lord in Tenedos, O Smintheus! If I ever helped to deck Thy glorious temple, if I ever burned Upon thy altar the fat thighs of goats And bullocks, grant my prayer, and let thy shafts Avenge upon the Greeks the tears I shed.”

  Chryses prays to Apollo, reminding him of his faithful service and asking him to punish the Greeks for his mistreatment.

  Chryses' prayer is answered, leading to the plague that devastates the Greek camp.

• “The rage of Peleus’ son, as thus he spake, Grew fiercer; in that shaggy breast his heart Took counsel, whether from his thigh to draw The trenchant sword, and, thrusting back the rest, Smite down Atrides, or subdue his wrath And master his own spirit.”

  Achilles becomes so enraged by Agamemnon's threat to take Briseis that he considers killing him, but he hesitates and debates whether to control his anger.

  This moment of internal conflict highlights Achilles' struggle between wrath and reason, resolved by Athena's intervention.