Agamemnon's Petition to Achilles
Iliad, Book 9
Disclaimer: I am not an ancient Greek scholar. For the full disclaimer, read here.
“Cruel Jove gave me his solemn promise that I should sack the city of Troy before returning, but he has played me false, and is now bidding me to go ingloriously back to Argos with the loss of much people… Now, therefore, let us all do as I say and sail back to our own country, for we shall not take Troy.”
Iliad, Book 9; Samuel Butler translation
Book 9 Summary
Agamemnon is distraught over the turn of events that have brought the Trojans up to the Achaeans’ ships. So much so, that he suggests they should give up on the war and leave. Diomedes chastises Agamemnon for this and Nestor advises him to make amends with Achilles and have him return to battle. Agamemnon concedes that this is the best course of action and sends Odysseus, Phoenix (Achilles’ mentor), Telamonian Ajax, and others, to petition Achilles to return. If Achilles would return, Agamemnon is willing to offer an exorbitant amount of gifts, including Briseis, the girl Agamemnon took from him which started the feud.
When the embassy visits Achilles and makes their case, Achilles flat out rejects the proposal. Even if Agamemnon offered everything he owned, or even the richest city in the world, it would not be enough to make amends for the humiliation Achilles endured.
After an impassioned plea by Phoenix and a rebuke from Ajax fails to change Achilles’ mind, the embassy returns to the Achaean camp with the bad news. Diomedes immediately brushes this aside, declaring they don’t need Achilles and to get a good night’s sleep so they can be refreshed for the coming battle.
For a list of the major characters, with Greek and Latin names, go here.
Agamemnon: A Case Study In How Not To Lead
I haven’t hidden the fact that I have a low opinion of Agamemnon. As the commander of the Achaean army, he seems to like the authority and rewards the position gives him, but not the responsibility it carries. He lets the power he wields get to his head.
Here is a recap so far of Agamemnon’s shortcomings as the commander:
Book 1: Agamemnon drove away Chryses, the priest of Apollo, despite his army saying the priest’s request should be honored. Apollo brings a plague upon the army as a result of Agamemnon’s actions. After days of this plague, Agamemnon calls a council. He finds out why the plague hit them, and is displeased about what he has to do. He concedes to give Chryses’ daughter back, but demands immediate compensation. Achilles raises an objection to this, and Agamemnon humiliates Achilles in front of the council by taking his war prize, another woman, as compensation. Achilles, angry, withdraws from the war and his revenge is put into motion.
Book 2: Agamemnon’s nonsensical loyalty test on the army, where he pretends to give up on the war, to see what his army would do.
Book 4: Agamemnon freaks out when Menelaus is shot. Menelaus has to tell him to calm down so as not to worry the army.
Book 8: When Zeus brings down his thunder and lightning on the Achaeans, Agamemnon is one of the first to run from the battlefield. However, when the Trojans have the Achaeans pinned down in their camp, Agamemnon calls the army cowards and tells them to get out there and push back on the Trojans.
And now we get to Book 9. It opens up with Agamemnon lamenting their situation and ends with:
“Now, therefore, let us all do as I say and sail back to our own country, for we shall not take Troy.”
Iliad, Book 9; Samuel Butler translation
One setback and Agamemnon is ready to give up. This is despite the prophecy, which he acknowledged in his lamenting, saying that the Achaeans would sack Troy.
Diomedes is having none of this.
“In the first place you attacked me before all the Danaans and said that I was a coward and no soldier. The Argives young and old know that you did so.”
Iliad, Book 9; Samuel Butler translation
Diomedes is referring to their exchange in Book 4. After the Trojans broke the truce, Agamemnon went among the army to check their readiness. He chastised Diomedes for not getting ready fast enough. Diomedes bit his tongue then, but he’s giving Agamemnon both barrels now.
“But the son of scheming Saturn endowed you by halves only. He gave you honour as the chief ruler over us, but valour, which is the highest both right and might he did not give you.”
Iliad, Book 9; Samuel Butler translation
Diomedes then tells Agamemnon he can run away if wants, but everyone else is staying to fight.
Agamemnon Learns Nothing
Nestor then intervenes and tells everyone to eat a meal. After eating, Nestor then rebukes Agamemnon.
“No man will be of a truer mind than that which has been mine from the hour when you, sir, angered Achilles by taking the girl Briseis from his tent against my judgment. I urged you not to do so, but you yielded to your own pride, and dishonoured a hero whom heaven itself had honoured—for you still hold the prize that had been awarded to him.”
Iliad, Book 9; Samuel Butler translation
We know Agamemnon is aware of this based on a comment he made to Nestor in Book 2.
“Achilles and I are quarrelling about this girl, in which matter I was the first to offend; if we can be of one mind again, the Trojans will not stave off destruction for a day.”
Iliad, Book 2; Samuel Butler translation
Agamemnon acknowledged his fault, but did nothing to rectify the situation. However, now that Agamemnon is beaten and humbled, does he change his ways?
No. No, he doesn’t.
Like in Book 2, Agamemnon acknowledges his fault in the situation. However, he decides to take this a step further. Per Nestor’s advice, an embassy will be sent to Achilles. If Achilles returns, Agamemnon will give him great riches, land, concubines, and one of his daughters as a wife. Even more, he will give back Briseis, the woman Agamemnon took from Achilles, with a promise that he did not touch her.
All of this sounds great until we get to the end of Agamemnon’s speech.
“Let him then yield; it is only Hades who is utterly ruthless and unyielding—and hence he is of all gods the one most hateful to mankind. Moreover I am older and more royal than himself. Therefore, let him now obey me.”
Iliad, Book 9; Samuel Butler translation
Agamemnon has learned nothing.
When the embassy arrives at the tent of Achilles, Odysseus tells Achilles about the offer. However, he noticeably omits Agamemnon’s call for obedience.
Achilles is not fooled though. He notices the lack of an apology and calls out Agamemnon’s hypocrisy.
“Why, pray, must the Argives needs fight the Trojans? What made the son of Atreus gather the host and bring them? Was it not for the sake of Helen? Are the sons of Atreus the only men in the world who love their wives? Any man of common right feeling will love and cherish her who is his own, as I this woman, with my whole heart, though she was but a fruitling of my spear. Agamemnon has taken her from me; he has played me false; I know him; let him tempt me no further, for he shall not move me.”
Iliad, Book 9; Samuel Butler translation
I read a really good observation about this lack of an apology. In the introduction to Robert Fagles’ translation of the Iliad, Bernard Knox writes:
Seen in this context, the gifts are no gifts, they are an insult. Gold, horses, women—he has no need of such bribes. And the offer of Agamemnon’s daughter is that of an overlord to a subject; without an apology, an admission of equal status, it is one more symbol of subordination.
Bernard Knox, Introduction to the Robert Fagles translation of the Iliad, p. 49; Penguin Classics; 1990
Despite Odysseus’ honeyed words, despite Phoenix’ plea (who practically raised Achilles), and despite Telamonian Ajax’ insults, Achilles is unmoved and the embassy returns empty handed.
Agamemnon’s leadership, or lack thereof, fails the Achaeans once again. In this, he is very much like King Priam.
All King Priam had to do to avoid this war was force his son Paris to give back Helen and compensate the Achaeans.
All Agamemnon had to do was put away his pride and apologize to Achilles and recognize his value as the Achaeans’ best warrior.
They both know what they needed to do and yet refused to do it—and their people are paying the price as a result.
Another Startling Revelation
During the meeting with Achilles, he tells the group something quite shocking:
“My mother Thetis tells me that there are two ways in which I may meet my end. If I stay here and fight, I shall not return alive but my name will live for ever: whereas if I go home my name will die, but it will be long ere death shall take me.”
Iliad, Book 9; Samuel Butler translation
Those who have read the Iliad before, or are familiar with the story, know the choice Achilles ultimately makes. And those who have read the Odyssey (specifically, Book 11) know how Achilles felt about that choice.
What choice would you make if you were offered? Die early, but have your name live on forever? Or die old, but be forgotten to history?
That’s all for Book 9 of the Iliad.
May your days be filled with grace.
-Andronikos
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Thumbnail: Achilles Welcoming Agamemnon’s Ambassadors by Gottlieb Schick. Created 1801. Public domain.
You make some great points. I had thought of Agamemnon's failures as being chiefly in the "Cherchez la femme" category (which lead to offending the gods and offering Iphigenia as a sacrifice - which led to his own death at the hands of Clytemnestra and Aegisthus), but you demonstrate quite convincingly that he is also arrogant and weak in character.