How the theme is developed in the Iliad through the character Achilles
(Pg.#131) “-So please help me now”, Achilles pleaded. “Go to Zeus, lord of council, ask him to help the
Trojans for my sake. Letting the Greeks die by their ships, only through disaster will Agamemnon the
arrogant son of Atreus discover how blind he was, when he refused to honor the best of Greeks.”
(Pg.#146) “So now that Petroclesis is dead Achilles could feel not pity, when one of the Trojan warriors
begs for his life Achilles explains “until perticilis died I enjoyed sparing Trojan lives, many I had captured
had lived and sold across the sea but now no Trojan who comes into my hands will avoid death. Great
hearted patrocleas died. And when he was a far better man than any of you. Even I the goddess and
hero mourn and as skillful as I am will die in war either by a Trojan spear or an arrow from a well-aimed
bow
(pg.#129) “you threaten to take away my prize of honor which I earned and which the greeks gave to
me, whenever I sack a town my prize is never as great as yours, even though I am the greatest greek
soilder. Even though my small prize is my own, so now I will return to my homeland I refuse to stay here
dishonor in order to win greater wealth for you”
(Pg.#130) “ by the staff I am holding in my hands I swear before you might oaks when hundreds of greek
fall to their deaths before man slaying hector and you cannot defend them, all the greeks will long for
Achilles help then you will sorrow in your heart knowing that by refusing to honor the best of greeks you
have caused their destruction”
(pg.131)”yes for people would call me a coward and a mouse if I gave in to your demands order others if
you will but not me, for I will obey you no longer, I will not fight for besaus because you gave her to me
however if you attempt to sieze anything else that is mine then my spear will invite your dark blood
(pg.# 133) “let the two of you be my witness before the immortal gods and mortal men and before that
foolish king if the day comes that the greek need me to save them from destruction for the wide ruling
son of Atreus doesn’t have the sense to look ahead and see the consequences of his actions”
Wyatt Allemann, Chris Ryder, Casey Belson, Tyler Rizzuto
Period 3
12/12/11
How is theme developed in The Iliad through the character of Achilles?

Achilles defies Agamemnon’s power,
“You drunkard! You with the face of a dog but the heart of a deer! You have
never been brave enough to arm yourself for battle with your countrymen or to take part
in an ambush with the other Greek Kings. You are as afraid of that as you are of dying.
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Instead you must prefer the seize for yourself the prize of any Greek who disagrees with
you. You must rule over mice not men otherwise you wouldn’t think you could treat
people in this way.”
Achilles does not fight in the Trojan War
o Achilles asks his Mom asks Zeus to let Trojans win war
 So that Agamemnon can apologize to Achilles
Finally Agamemnon apologizes to him and gives him the goods
o Achilles then goes to war
Patroclus gets killed by Hector afterwards
Achilles is determined to kill Hector
o Hector kills Patroclus
 Settle quarrel with Agamemnon
 Chases Hector around the walls of Troy
Hector wants to be buried with Honor
o Drags Hectors body around with chariot, “Achilles furiously responded “ do not
implore me you dog! So great is my anger at what you have done to me that if I
could, I myself would tear apart your flesh and eat it raw. Therefore, no one can
keep the dogs away from your head, not for ten or twenty times the proper
ransom, not even if Priam would pay me your weight in gold. Your mother would
not even be able to mourn before your body, for you will be completely devoured
by dogs and birds far from Priam’s great city.”

·
Theme in Iliad changes through Achilles by the fights he does and
how he communicates with Agamemnon-at first it seems like a hate
relationship but they have to work together
·
Achilles and Agamemnon always fight
·
The emotion that drives Achilles to repeat the theme is anger-the
anger towards Patroclus dying and anger towards Agamemnon
·
Achilles mom isn’t really there for Achilles throughout his life
because she is a goddess and he is doomed to die due to the fact that his
father is a mortal. When he does need her to help him, she does come but
there could be some anger towards his mother for the feeling of abandonment
·
Everyone is trying to go for the glory but no one will be there
to experience their glory being honored-Achilles mom is saying she wants
Achilles to go to war so he will be remembered but he will die young-this
could make Achilles mad. It’s like one of our moms saying she wants us to
die so we will be remembered but we have to die tomorrow in order to be
remembered.
·
Most of the fights he fights for are for Agamemnon until his best
friend dies and he goes into the war to fight for his friends
remembrance-this could put anger towards Hector who killed Patroclus and
anger towards Agamemnon for making him fight the wars for his sake not
Achilles sake
·
Achilles is ordered by the gods to return Hectors body to the
Trojans but he doesn’t want to so that could lead to anger towards the gods
and Achilles mother
Notes from Lauren Haney, Joscelyn Princesa and Sarah Smith
Your Name: Alicia Smith
Your Email: aliciawuzhur@hotmail.com
Subject: Achilles Theme Development
Message: Alicia Smith, Katie-Beth Higgins, Ethan McGregor, Yosan Michael “When wide ruling
Agamemnon and godlike Achilles parted in anger. The wrath of Achilles brought numerous troubles upon
the long haired Greeks and sent down to Hades the shades of many brave warriors.” (Pg. 128)
“Meanwhile back at his hut, Achilles was filled with forbidding.” (Pg. 145) “These enveloped Achilles in a
black cloud of grief. With both hands he covered his head and clothing with black soil, then he lay himself
in the dirt and tore his hair.” (Pg. 145) “Now, Achilles has sent the shades of many fine Trojan warriors
down to the kingdom of Hades.” (Pg. 147) “When I sack a town my prize is never as great as yours even
though I am the greatest Greek fighter.”(Pg. 129) “Achilles continued, ‘Summon all your courage,
strength, and skill as a spearman, for you are about to die.’” (Pg. 149) “As Hector stood thinking, Achilles
approached him, the godlike son of Peleus, was a terrifying sight.” (Pg. 147) “Yet he sorely missed the
war cry and the fighting.” (Pg. 132) “The godlike son of Peleus wanted to win that glory for himself.” (Pg.
148) “’Let me die then,’ said Achilles.” (Pg. 145) “Achilles angrily replied, ‘Do not enact my fury old sir, or
I may harm you, even as you are a guest inside my hut.” (Pg. 152) “I will go forth to slay Hector, who
killed the man I love.” (Pg. 145) “Achilles however leaped forth like a lion.” (Pg. 153)
Dylan Tracy, Jack Owens, Peter Kidane
Period 4
December 12, 2011
Theme of The Iliad and 300
-Pg. 131: “Achilles interrupted him. Yes, for people would call me a coward and a mouse if I
gave into your demands. Order others if you will, but not me, for I will obey you no longer. I
will not fight you for Briseis because you gave her to me. However, if you attempt to seize
anything else that is mine, my spear will invite your dark blood.”
-Pg. 131: “So please help me now, Achilles pleaded. “Go to Zeus, lord of the counsel, and ask
him to help the Trojans for my sake, letting the Greeks die by their ships. Only through disaster
will Agamemnon, the arrogant son of Atreus, discover how blind he was when he refused to
honor the best of the Greeks.”
-Pg. 140: “Achilles replied, Phoneix, old sir, father, I do not need the long haired Greeks to
honor me. Zeus, lord of the Olympus, has honored me, and his honor will be mine long as I live.
Do not annoy me by taking Agamemnons part against me, or I will hate you as I hate him. Let
the others return to the son of Atreus with my message. Meanwhile, spend the night with me,
and in the morning we will discuss whether we should remain here or return home.”
-Pg. 142: “Win enough glory that the Greeks will return Briseis to me along with many
impressive gifts, but not so much glory that your success will lessen my own value and my own
honor.”
-Pg. 141: “Achilles answered, I would agree with you, Ajax, except that I am furious to think of
how the arrogant son of Atreus has dishonored me among the Greeks as though I was some
worthless stranger.”
Question c: how the theme developed through the Iliad through the character a
Achilles?
1)-page 130 Achilles says “you drunkard! You with the face of a dog but the heart of a deer! you have
never been brave enough to arm yourself for battle with you countrymen or to take part n and ambush
with other Greek kings”
2)-page 131 Achilles pleaded “go to Zeus, lord of counsel, and ask him to help the Trojans for my sake,
letting the Greeks die by their ships.”
3) - pag149e “Achilles me hectors attack with rage in his heart”
4)-page 141“I would agree with you Ajax, except that I am furious to think of how he arrogant son of
Atreus ash dishonored me among the Greeks as though I were a worthless stranger.”
5) – page 142 “I simply could not let a man of who is my equal size my prize of honor more powerful
because he is more powerful than I am.”
6) – page 145 “I no longer care to live unless I slay the godlike son of Priam who killed my friend!”
7)-page 145“Hector flees from and Achilles chases him around the walls of troy”
8)- page 151 “many days after the funeral, Achilles still kept his body of Hector, un buried, by his hollow
ships. Whenever he felt the desire, he would attach hectors body to is chariot, drag in around and around
Patroclus’s tomb, and then leave it lying face down in the dust.”