The Iliad – Summary Book I (1)
As is the tradition with epic poetry, the Iliad opens in medias res,
meaning ‘in the middle of things’. The poet, Homer, first asks the
muse (goddess) of poetry to help him. In this invocation, Homer
states his theme – the wrath, or anger of Achilles and its
effects. The reader is then carried to the point where the trouble
originally arose, which is where the story of the Iliad actually
begins: in the middle of war. (The tenth year.)
The Greeks (Achaians) are suffering a deadly plague from Apollo
as their commander-in-chief, King Agamemnon, insulted a priest of
Apollo, Chryses.
Apollo.
Apollo sends a plague.
After a raid of a city near Troy, the Achaians captured two beautiful
women, Chryseis and Briseis. They gave Chryseis to Agamemnon
and Briseis to Achilles, the Achaians’ greatest warrior.
Chryses, the priest of Apollo and father of Chryseis, offers a great
ransom for his daughter which Agamemnon rejects. Chryses then
prays to Apollo to bring about the plague.
Chryses supplicates Agamemnon.
On the tenth day of the plague, Achilles calls an assembly to find
out the cause of Apollo’s anger. The prophet Calchas asks for
protection from Achilles first before he explains Apollo’s anger as
he will be blaming Agamemnon, who would have the power to hurt
him. Achilles agrees.
Calchas tells the assembly that by refusing Chryses Agamemnon
insulted Apollo. The only solution is to give back the priest’s
daughter, Chryseis, along with an offering to the priest’s town.
Agamemnon is furious that he must give up his prize while
everyone else gets to keep theirs. A quarrel breaks out between
Agamemnon and Achilles.
Achilles is disgusted that Agamemnon is so unwilling to give up the
girl in order to save his army. Achilles says it is not right to take
from the soldiers that fight for him, especially when all the prizes
have already been handed out. Achilles suggests that
Agamemnon gets his first choice of prize from the next town they
sack.
Agamemnon refuses and wants immediate compensation from
one of the other Achaian leaders. Achilles threatens to sail home
with his Myrmidons (his troops) and leave the war.
Agamemnon provokes Achilles and demands Achilles’ own prize,
the girl Briseis. Achilles is stunned by this public disgrace. In
Achilles’ eyes Agamemnon abuses his power ad is guilty of
‘hubris’, arrogant behaviour that offends the gods.
Achilles is just about to kill Agamemnon with his sword when
Athena, sent by Hera, comes to stop him. She grabs him by the
hair and tells Achilles to insult Agamemnon with words only and
not to harm him. Achilles does as she wishes.
Athena stops Achilles from killing Agamemnon.
Nestor, a wise old man, tries to persuade both Agamemnon and
Achilles to calm down. He does not succeed. Achilles leaves with
his friend Patroclus and the Myrmidons.
Odysseus returns Chryseis to her father. Agamemnon sends his
two heralds, Talthybius and Eurybates, to get Achilles’ girl Briseis.
Achilles treats them with respect when they come, as he says his
quarrel is not with them.
Briseis is taken from Achilles by the two heralds, Talthybius and Eurybates.
Achilles asks his mother, the goddess Thetis, for help. He asks her
to get Zeus to ensure that the Trojan armies defeat the Achaians
until they come begging for his return to battle. Achilles hopes that
this result will cause disgrace to Agamemnon and repay the wrong
done to Achilles.
Thetis agrees. She visits Zeus on Olympus. He reluctantly agrees
as he does not want his wife bothering him about helping the
Trojans. Hera suspects what is happening and does quarrel with
Zeus. Her son, Hephaestus, restores the peace and the gods
continue with feasting.
Thetis supplicates Zeus.
(The scene on Olympus has a strong comic element. Their quarrel
does not seem as serious as the quarrel that has just taken place
between Achilles and Agamemnon. Zeus and Hera carry on like a
domestic couple, picking arguments with each other. However,
once Zeus has made his mind up on something the gods fall into
place as he is a power to be reckoned with.
When dealing with mortals there is no trace of humour, e.g. When
Apollo sends the plague to the Greek camp or when Athena has to
calm Achilles down.)