Iliad Book 9

• What does Agamemnon do at the start of Book 9?

  Calls Achaeans together to declare their fighting a failure
• Who disagrees with Agamemnon calling their efforts a failure and what do they do?

  Diomedes -> he shames Agamemnon for being a coward then says he will fight on even if Agamemnon doesn't
• Who agrees with Diomedes about not giving up?

  Nestor -> tells soldiers to eat then call meeting with captains to make a plan
• What does Nestor propose at the captains' meeting and why?

  That Agamemnon makes peace with Achilles so he will return because they could lose without him
• who does Agamemnon blame for his anger towards Achilles?

  Zeus
• What does Agamemnon vow to give Achilles?

  Tripods, land, women, a daughter of Achilles' choice, Briseis, etc
• What is the one condition of Agamemnon's gifts to Achilles?

  That Achilles apologises
• Who goes to speak to Achilles on Agamemnon's behalf?

  Odysseus, Ajax + Phoenix
• What does Achilles do about Agamemnon's offer?

  He rejects it immediately
• What is the fate that Achilles tells the three men in his hut and who gave him this prophecy?

  He would either die early in battle with a lot of kleos or go home now and live peacefully without kleos for a long time; Thetis
• What does Phoenix try to convince Achilles to not do?

  Sail home
• What does Phoenix recall to persuade Achilles?

  Peleus sent Achilles to battle at a young age which meant that Phoenix was put in charge to raise him

  Phoenix relates it to conflict with his own father
• What does Phoenix tell Achilles to overcome?

  His anger
• What story does Phoenix tell Achilles to persuade him not to leave and why?

  Meleager's story -> saved his city by eventually agreeing to fight even though he received no reward because he waited too long

  Meleager had parallels with Achilles + Phoenix was telling him to accept the gifts and fight now instead of fighting later and receiving nothing
• What does Achilles ask of Phoenix?

  To support him instead of being Agamemnon's errand boy
• What does Ajax tell Achilles before leaving?

  Achilles needs to lessen his pride + Ajax reminds him of the respect he will gain by fighting
• What compromise does Achilles make after Ajax speaks to him?

  He won't sail home anymore but he won't fight until the battle reaches his ships either
• What does Diomedes say when the party gets back to the Greek camp at the end of Book 9?

  Achilles will fight when he's ready + is too proud right now

  They can fight without him
• What does everyone in the Greek camp do at the end of Book 9?

  Go to sleep