From the onset of Book 1 in the Iliad, Homer portrays Achilles as a god among men. Achilles serves as an Achaean soldier under King Agamemnon, the lord of men, who refers to Achilles as quick, brave, and godlike ( Iliad, 83. 153-154). In the interaction between Achilles and Agamemnon, Homer presents the former as a hero among his peers and enemies. The Achaeans and the Argives, the latter who comprise the Trojans, hold Achilles in awe. Achilles is already an established hero, but not an angry one. Achilles involvement in battle is for the benefit of Agamemnon, his commander, whom he calls shameless for he advances his personal interests, calling upon the Achaean soldiers to fight for him. Achilles engages in battle not out of anger or hate, but to do the bidding of his King, Agamemnon. Achilles clarifies his role in the war when he observes, “lt wasn't Trojan spearmen who brought me here to fight. The Trojans never did me damage, not in the least …” ( Iliad, 84. 179-180). Achilles observation is in reference to the accusations he levels against Agamemnon for being selfish and shameless in his exploitation of the soldiers at his disposal. Achilles makes Agamemnon aware of the predicament he faces as the king in relation to the loyalty of his soldiers. He notes, “Always shrewd with greed! How could any Argive soldier obey your orders, freely and gladly do your sailing for you or fight your enemies, full force? Not I, no” ( Iliad, 82. 174-178). The exchange between Achilles and Agamemnon escalates into an altercation that Homer uses to highlight Achilles’ negative attributes. The thematic presentation of Achilles as angry and a model for heroism emanates from the altercation.
Homer presents Achilles in conflicting situations. At one time, Achilles is excessively angry towards Agamemnon that he starts to draw his sword intent to cut him down. In another situation, Achilles appears distraught and helpless when his Briseis is taken away from his tent under his watch. King Agamemnon sends Talthybius and Eurybates to Achilles camp with strict orders: “Go to Achilles' lodge. Take Briseis at once, his beauty Briseis by the hand and bring her here. But if he will not surrender her, I'll go myself, I'll seize her myself, with an army at my backand all the worse for him!” ( Illiad, 88. 378-381). Contrary to the kings’ expectations, Achilles yields to his demands and allows Briseis to be taken. Instead, he welcomes Talthybius and Eurybates: “Welcome, couriers! Good heralds of Zeus and men, here, come closer. You have done nothing to me. You are not to blame. No one but Agamemno …” (394-396). In these developments, Homer presents Achilles as having control of his anger. Readers get to understand that Achilles is not destructive from his anger because he never channels it to the wrong person. He justifies his position as a role model of heroism because he opts to reserve his cool against the couriers and Agamemnon in obedience of the command of the gods. Agamemnon is provocative and insistent in his approach to rile Achilles, but Achilles seeks the wisdom of the gods and distances himself from the king. Achilles demonstrates how heroes act under pressure, and also that his anger is not in vain, but an outcome of the mistreatment he faces from Agamemnon. Achilles stands up for the Argive soldiers who are too fearful to express their feelings the kings treatment. He loses Briseis, but emerges as the hero of the altercation with Agamemnon.
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The exchange between Achilles and Agamemnon reveals the deep hatred between the two men and warlords. Achilles blames Agamemnon for his heartlessness, shamelessness, egocentrism, and exploitation of the Argives to fight for him and win his honor from the Trojans. Achilles anger originates from Agamemnon threat to take away Briseis, Achilles’ own prize, handed to him by the sons of Achaea for his hard and long commitment in battle. Achilles also accuses Agamemnon of inconsiderate treatment in the division of the plunders of war. Achilles laments, “My honors never equal yours, whenever we sack some wealthy Trojan stronghold my arms bear the brunt of the raw, savage fighting, true, but when it comes to dividing up the plunder the lion's share is yours, …” ( Iliad, 82. 192-197). Homer presents Achilles as envious of Agamemnon, and despiteful of his unfair treatment. Achilles is apprehensive of his own status as a war hero, but reproaches himself for being easy to manipulate and exploit. His resolve is to cease being King Agamemnon handyman. When Achilles decides to abandon the war and its associated disgrace and return to Phthia, he invokes Agamemnon wrath in the process. The author presents Agamemnon’s reaction as an act of jealousy. Agamemnon portends that Achilles departure has no significant detriments on his position as a king. He would simply replace Achilles with soldiers loyal to him and ready to fight for their king.
Agamemnon reveals why he harbors deep hatred for Achilles when he observes, “You-I hate you most of all the warlords loved by the gods. Always dear to your heart, strife, yes, and battles, the bloody grind of war. What if you are a great soldier? That's just a gift of god” ( Iliad, 84. 208-211). The statements corroborate the assertion about Achilles being a model for heroism. He had the blessings and the gift of the gods, who exalt him above other men. Achilles heroism is a consequence of the gifts of the gods, a fact that riles Agamemnon deeply. Homer depicts that Achilles’ heroism leads Agamemnon to believe they are rivals. Therefore, he threatens Achilles that his departure would be enough justification to take Briseis, in all her beauty, way from him. Achilles anger and anguish lead him to contemplate killing Agamemnon. He draws his sword from the sheath, but the goddesses Athena and Hera, sweep down from the heavens and stop him from committing the heinous act. Athena tells Achilles she comes from the sky to check his rage, if he would yield. The goddess asks Achilles to obey them, and promises him a future where he would receive glittering gifts three times of what Agamemnon deprives him. Achilles reaction to the gods shows his fitting role as model of heroism. Achilles recognizes the exploits in the war and victories in battle are not of his own making, but consequences of the desires of the gods. As a result, Achilles is quick to obey the gods, as he acknowledges their role in his life. He responds, “…when the two of you hand down commands, Goddess, a man submits though his heart breaks with fury. Better for him by far. If a man obeys the gods they're quick to hear his prayers” ( Iliad, 84. 252-255). The author shows that Achilles could control his anger with a nudge from the gods. He shelves his pride and listens to the gods. Achilles knows that he could strike Agamemnon down with a shift blow from his sword, but vengeance does not drive him. The compromising character of Achilles qualifies him as model of heroism in the epic.
Achilles stature as an angry warlord and a model of heroism in the Iliad extends beyond the realm of men. By virtue of his birth as the son of Zeus, the father of men and gods, and Thetis, Achilles predicament resonates among men and gods. The altercation with Agamemnon results to bitter exchange of words, after which Agamemnon fulfills his threat of taking Briseis away from Achilles. Achilles does not respond with anger. Instead, he is desolate and turns to the gods, specifically his mother Thetis, who he beseeches to vouch for him in Zeus presence. After Briseis is taken away from Achilles’ camp, he cries to his mother, “But you, mother, if you have any power at all, protect your son! Go to Olympus, plead with Zeus, if you ever warmed his heart with a word or any action . . .” ( Iliad, 90. 467-469). Achilles seeks refuge in the solace of the gods. After Athena and Hera intervene to remedy the situation and save Agamemnon from his sword, Achilles realizes that being a mortal god himself, he could not go against the whims of the other gods. Achilles is wise enough not to attract the wrath of the gods. Alternatively, he exploits his link to them to bring down Agamemnon. After failure to exact revenge against Agamemnon for disgracing him, Achilles uses his position strategically to set the gods against each other. His knowledge of familial love for him and Agamemnon from the goddess Hera, proves crucial in this quest. The intent is to pity Hera the Queen against Zeus, resulting to the quarrel between the two. Hera castigates Zeus because he favors Achilles over Agamemnon, and Zeus retaliates by threatening to choke her. The other gods express concern about the deteriorating relationship between the two. Hephaestus the Master Craftsman proclaims, “Oh disaster ... that's what it is! And it will be unbearable if the two of you must come to blows this way, flinging the gods in chaos just for mortal men” ( Iliad, 97. 691-693). The escalation in the situation between the gods implies Agamemnon losses favor of the goddess Hera, a development that exposes him, increasing his vulnerability as a mortal. Achilles strategy to channel his anger through the gods, shows astute management of personal feelings. By using an alternative option, Achilles avoids staining his hands with the blood of Agamemnon, and presents himself as a perfect model of heroism in the process.
References
Homer, B. (n.d.) Iliad – Book 1: The Rage of Achilles.
