Odysseus presents Agamemnon's offer, but Achilles rejects it directly. He announces that
he intends to return to his homeland of Phthia, where he can live a long, prosaic life instead of the short, glorious one that he is fated to live if he stays
.
Why does Achilles refuse to fight Book 9?
The embassy returns to Agamemnon's camp. The embassy gives Agamemnon the news of Achilles' refusal. … Diomedes suggests that Achilles will
fight simply because it is his nature as a warrior, and that he can't hold back in anger forever
.
What was Achilles prophecy?
A prophecy
had foretold that Achilles would die at Troy
, so when the Greek leaders gather for their campaign to return the abducted Helen, Achilles' parents attempt to prevent him joining the expedition.
Who told Achilles about the prophecy of his death?
Achilles reveals the prophecy given to him by
his mother, Thetis
: “Two fates bear me on to the day of death. My journey home is gone, but my glory never dies.
What does the Iliad Book 9 describe?
In Book 9 of The Iliad,
the Achaeans are in bad shape and make a last attempt to get Achilles to rejoin the fight by both bribing him and appealing to his sense of honor and loyalty as a warrior
.
Why is Achilles sitting out of battle?
Achilles is
enraged when Agamemnon takes Briseis
, and this action threatens his pride. Achilles is egotistical and craves glory and fame. He would rather see the Greeks lose than allow Agamemnon to insult him, and this is Achilles' major flaw that eventually leads to his downfall.
Why does Achilles not accept Agamemnon's apology?
He tells Achilles that he
can achieve personal honor
and glory by saving the Achaians. Achilles response is swift and at first does not seem well thought-out. … They believe that Achilles' reasons for refusing the offer are psychologically and morally valid because he does not need the gifts that Agamemnon offers to him.
Why did Achilles cry?
In book 23 of the Iliad, after Achilles has killed Hector and had his corpse dragged back to the Greek ships, he cries
because he is mourning his beloved friend Patroclus, and he sees Hector's death as an act of vengeance
.
Is Achilles immortal?
Achilles became invulnerable everywhere but at his heel where his mother held him. Because Achilles was a half-god, he was very strong and soon became a great warrior. However, he was also half human
and wasn't immortal like his mother
. He would get old and die someday and he could also be killed.
Did Hector and Achilles really fight?
As depicted in Homer's The Iliad, Hector is one of the principal defenders of Troy, and he very nearly won the war for the Trojans. … As the Greeks stormed the Trojan castle,
Hector came out to meet Achilles in single combat
—wearing the fateful armor of Achilles taken off the body of Patroclus.
Are Achilles and Patroclus buried together?
Achilles did not allow the burial of Patroclus' body until the ghost of Patroclus appeared and demanded his burial in order to pass into Hades. … The
ashes of Achilles were said to have been buried in a golden urn
along with those of Patroclus by the Hellespont.
Did Briseis and Achilles have a child?
Despite rumors of his homosexual tendencies,
Achilles did have a child
—a son, born from a brief affair during the Trojan War. However, after Achilles entered the Trojan War, Briseis, the daughter of the Trojan priest of Apollo named Chryses, was given to Achilles as a war prize.
Is Troy real?
Most historians now agree that ancient Troy was to be found at Hisarlik.
Troy was real
. … There also survive inscriptions made by the Hittites, an ancient people based in central Turkey, describing a dispute over Troy, which they knew as ‘Wilusa'.
How is Hector's dead body abused by Achilles?
Achilles continues mourning Patroclus and abusing Hector's body,
dragging it around his dead companion's tomb
. Apollo, meanwhile, protects Hector's corpse from damage and rot and staves off dogs and scavengers. … Achilles weeps for his father and for Patroclus. He accepts the ransom and agrees to give the corpse back.
What advice does Phoenix give Achilles?
Phoenix says that he wants Achilles
to take Agamemnon's offer
, to stay, and to defend the ships of the Achaeans for the sake of those who are still fighting and for the sake of his own honour and glory. An emotional Phoenix speaks to Achilles through tears.
What finally causes Achilles to let go of his anger?
In Book One, Agamemnon has his war prize, a captured woman, taken away from him. … Not only is Achilles upset because he was fond of Briseis, he is also upset
because his pride took a hit in front of all the warriors who saw that
Agamemnon got the better of him. This causes him to stop fighting.
