Book 1 Flashcards
Name of Book
Plague and wrath
First word of the Epic
“Anger”
it is described as being destructive
From the very start re are reminded of the importance of the gods
“Sing, goddess, the anger of Achilles son of Peleus”
-sets up a relationship between Homer and the gods
Anger is the cause of many deaths
It was anger that left many bodies “as carrion for the dogs and a feast for the birds”
The relationship between the deaths of the many warriors and Zeus
"”and Zeus’s purpose was fulfilled”
God that made Achilles and Agamemnon quarrel
Apollo son of Zeus and Leto
What first angered Apollo
disrespected Apollo’s priest Chryses and refused to give his daughter Chriseis back
infuriated Apollo
What the Greeks warriors wanted to happen about Chryses
wanted him to be respected, wanted chriseis returned and to accept the ransom
What does Apollo do when Chryses prays to him
fires his arrows for 9 days, causes a plague
Hera’s influence on Achilles
gives him the idea to call the men to an assembly
Achnilles actions at the asssembly he calls
calls for a prophet to discover Apollo’s reasons for wrath
prophet Calchas
what does the prophet say
prophet calchas son of Thestor
says Chryseis must be given back
Agammemnon’s reaction to Calchas’s words
other than being initially furious
“I want my army alive and well not dead and dying”
agrees to return Chriseis but wants a prices in return
Why Achilles is to blame for the argument
instead of accepting Agamemnon’s desire for a prize in return
he insults him calling him “unequaled in your greed”
says it would be impossible to give another prize
Achilles good proposition to Agammemnon
despite insulting him he does make the proposition that once Troy is sacked he will recompense him four times over
Agammemnon takes the quarel further with Achilles, threatening him
threatens to take one of the heroe’s prizes
-does mention he will deal with that later
Achilles’s hot temper is shown
when his own prize is hreatened he has a long moan at Agamemnon, insults him “shameless swine”.
He argues that he does all the fighting but Agamemnon gets the lion’s share
Threatens to sail home for Pythia
mentions he had only come to Troy to please Agamemnon not because of a quarrel with the Trojans
Agamemnon’s personal threat to Achilles
tells Achilles that he can leave
Says that he will go to Achilles hut and take Briseis
What are Achilles’s actions towards Agamemnon
+interference of the Gods
about to kill Agamemnon
Athene sent by Hera stops him
Achilles stops and shows his respect for the gods mentioning it is best for the man who does
Why did Hera send Athene
because she felt equally “close” to both men and was “concerned” for them.
Achilles’s final insults
calls Agamemnon a coward
“heart of a doe”
he would rather die than join an ambush and then he never arms himself to go into the battle with the men
and that the Greeks will miss him when he is gone
Nestor’s introduction
“eloquent” Nestor
whose speech “flowed sweeter than honey of the tongue”
a good advice, advice that should be followed
Nestor’s advice
Agamemnon has the authority, don’t rob Achilles of the girl
Achilles stop desiring to cross swords with Agamemnon
Agamemnon derives his authority from Zeus and has the respect of the troops, he is thus his superior
Tells Agamemnon not to be angry against achilles
Agamemnon’s reply to Nestor’s advice
refuses peace because Achilles wants no superiors
Achilles reply to Nestor’s advice
threatens that anyone else who tries to take any of his possessions will lose their life
Agamemnon’s actions towards Chriseis
gives her back
makes a sacrifice
Achilles treatment of Agamemnon’s heralds
treats them kindly
delivers Briseis to them
where does Chriseis come from
Thebe, Eetion’s sacred town
Achilles demands of his mother THetis
to supplicate Zeus to get the Trojans to “MASSACRE” the Greeks
Zeus reaction to Thetis’s demand
he agrees
he seals his promise with a nod and Olympus shakes
The will of Zeus
“no failure to fulfill it, no going back, no deception”
Hera and Zeus
Zeus threatens Hera, who insults him about Thetis, Zeus shows that none can contend with him
End of the chapter
chapter ends with a feast of the gods, there is laughter
They go to sleep in beds, Zeus and Hera sleep together
very much like mortals
Briseis reaction to leaving Achilles
she leaves “unwillingly” -just a tool/prize
Overall what has Agamemnon done wrong
he has abused the heroic code
and his position as leader
Achilles says they will miss him when hes gone
“you will tear out your heart in remorse for giving no respect to the best of the GReeks”
