The Iliad tells os the story of the quarrel between Agamemnon and Achilles in the tenth and last year of the war. Agamemnon took an attractive slave, as a prize, Briseis , from Achilles. Achilles, the greatest warrior of the age, withdrew from battle in revenge and nearly cost the Greek armies the war. Later however Achilles returned when Patroclus his friend had died wearing Achilles' armor.
Although not the equal of Achilles in bravery, Agamemnon was a representative of kingly authority. As commander-in-chief, he summoned the princes to the council and led the army in battle.
He took the field himself, and performed many heroic deeds until he was wounded and forced to withdraw to his tent. His chief fault was his overwhelming haughtiness; an over-exalted opinion of his position that led him to insult Chryses and Achilles, thereby bringing great disaster upon the Greeks.
After the capture of Troy, Cassandra , doomed prophetess and daughter of Priam , fell to Agamemnon's lot in the distribution of the prizes of war. Agamemnon was afterwards slain by Clytaemnestra and her lover, Agisthos, in Argos after his grand return from Troy, in his house. Odysseus took this advice. Myths and Folklore Wiki Explore. Top Content. Forum Blog posts. Explore Wikis Community Central.
Register Don't have an account? Edit source History Talk 0. The Chorus sings of the terrible destructive power of Helen's beauty. Agamemnon enters, riding in his chariot with Cassandra, a Trojan Princess whom he has taken as his slave and concubine.
Clytemnestra welcomes him, professing her love, and orders a carpet of purple robes spread in front of him as he enters the palace. Agamemnon acts coldly toward her, and says that to walk on the carpet would be an act of hubris, or dangerous pride; she badgers him into walking on the robes, however, and he enters the palace.
The Chorus expresses a sense of foreboding, and Clytemnestra comes outside to order Cassandra inside. The Trojan Princess is silent, and the Queen leaves her in frustration. Then Cassandra begins to speak, uttering incoherent prophecies about a curse on the house of Agamemnon. She tells the Chorus that they will see their king dead, says that she will die as well, and then predicts that an avenger will come.
After these bold predictions, she seems resigned to her fate, and enters the house. The Chorus' fears grow, and they hear Agamemnon cry out in pain from inside. He pleaded with Agamemnon to free his daughter but was met with little success.
Chryses then prayed to Apollo for the safe return of his daughter, which Apollo responded to by unleashing a plague over the Greek Army. After learning from the prophet Calchas that the plague could be dispelled by returning Chryseis to her father, Agamemnon reluctantly agreed and released his prize. However, as compensation for his lost prize, Agamemnon demanded a new prize.
As a result, Agamemnon stole a slave called Briseis, one of the spoils of war, from Achilles. Back to Heroes. Skip to content. Roman fresco of the sacrifice of Iphigenia. From Pompeii.
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