Agamemnon

After Persephone had sent the female ghosts away, Agamemnon’s breath-soul approached Odysseus in Hades. Other dead men who had perished in Aegisthus’ house surrounded him. Agamemnon recognised Odysseus after drinking the black blood. He wept bitterly and reached out his hands as if to embrace him, but his limbs no longer had the strength or substance they had possessed in life.

Odysseus pitied him and asked how he had died. He wondered whether Poseidon had destroyed him at sea, or whether enemies had killed him on land while he was taking cattle or sheep, fighting for a city, or contesting a woman. Agamemnon replied that Poseidon had not overcome him, and that his enemies had not killed him in battle. Aegisthus had invited him into his house and prepared a feast. There, Aegisthus and Clytemnestra killed him. Aegisthus butchered him among the mixing bowl and laden tables, while his companions were slaughtered around him.

Agamemnon said that he heard Cassandra cry out as Clytemnestra killed her nearby. He lay dying with a sword in his body and raised his hands towards Clytemnestra, the woman who had helped bring about his death. He said that Zeus had brought suffering upon the house of Atreus through its women’s decisions. Helen had already caused many deaths, and Clytemnestra had now betrayed him during his absence. She killed him before he could see his son.

He warned Odysseus not to trust his wife completely. Odysseus should return secretly to his homeland and reveal only part of what he knew. Agamemnon added that Penelope was a good and faithful woman, unlike Clytemnestra. When Agamemnon left for Troy, Penelope had been a young bride with an infant son. He then asked whether Orestes was still alive at Orchomenos, Pylos, or Sparta. Odysseus said that he did not know whether Orestes lived or had died. They stood together, mourning and shedding warm tears, until the shade of Achilles arrived.

Agamemnon killed Tantalus, Clytemnestra’s former husband, and killed their infant child. One telling named Tantalus as the son of Thyestes and the king of Pisa. Clytemnestra became a widow after the murders. Agamemnon then took her as his wife. The marriage was forced, and it began her tragedy.

Clytemnestra became the mother of Iphigeneia, whom some tellings called Iphianassa, Electra, whom some tellings called Laodice, Chrysothemis, and Orestes. Agamemnon later gathered the Greek forces at Aulis to sail against Troy. Adverse winds held the army there. Calchas said that Artemis had become angry because Agamemnon had killed a deer sacred to her. In another telling, Agamemnon had angered Artemis through his conduct as a hunter.

Agamemnon sent for Iphigeneia by claiming that she would marry Achilles. He intended instead to sacrifice her to Artemis. Clytemnestra learned of the deception and of Agamemnon’s willingness to sacrifice their daughter. She never forgave him for either act. The sacrifice followed as the remedy for the goddess’s anger, and the winds no longer kept the army at Aulis.

During Agamemnon’s long absence at Troy, Clytemnestra took Aegisthus, her husband’s cousin, as her lover. They plotted revenge against Agamemnon. After Troy fell, he returned to Mycenae with Cassandra, a Trojan priestess whom he kept as his concubine. Clytemnestra killed Agamemnon in the bath and arranged Cassandra’s death as well. Their son Orestes later avenged Agamemnon’s death.

After killing the Trojans, the Greeks burned Troy and divided its spoils. They sacrificed to all the gods, then hurled Astyanax from the city walls and slaughtered Polyxena on Achilles’ grave. Agamemnon received Cassandra, Neoptolemos received Andromache, and Odysseus received Hecuba. Laodice, the most beautiful of Priam’s daughters, was swallowed by a chasm before everyone’s eyes.

As the Greeks prepared to sail, Calchas warned them that Athene was angry because of Aias’ impiety. They intended to kill Aias, but he took refuge at an altar, so they spared him. The sons of Atreus then called an assembly at sunset, while the Achaeans were heavy with wine. Menelaus urged the army to sail home at once. Agamemnon opposed him and wanted to hold the Greeks back until they had offered hecatombs to appease Athene. They exchanged harsh words, and the Achaeans divided over what to do.

That night they rested in anger. At dawn, some Greeks drew their ships into the sea and loaded their possessions and women. About half remained with Agamemnon, while the others embarked and sailed away. The sea was smooth, and they reached Tenedos quickly. There they sacrificed to the gods, longing to return home. Zeus then brought about another quarrel. Some of the Greeks turned back and sailed under Odysseus to make peace with Agamemnon. Others continued their voyage. Diomedes, the son of Tydeus, sailed on with them. Later, at Lesbos, Menelaus joined the group and found them deciding which course to take.

Apollo sent a plague through the Greek camp after Agamemnon refused to release Chryseis, the daughter of his priest Chryses. Chryses had come carrying the sacred emblems of his office and had offered ransom for his daughter. Agamemnon insulted him. Chryses prayed to Apollo, asking him to afflict the Greeks until they returned Chryseis. Men sickened and died, and funeral pyres burned continually. These events are told in Book 1 of Homer’s Iliad.

Achilles called an assembly of the Greek chiefs. He said that the army could not withstand both the plague and the Trojans. They had to discover how to appease Apollo or sail home. The prophet Calchas feared speaking, so Achilles promised to protect him, even if his answer accused Agamemnon. Calchas then declared that Apollo had sent the plague because Agamemnon had refused to return Chryseis and had dishonoured her father.

Agamemnon agreed to send Chryseis back, but demanded another captive woman in return. He threatened to take Briseis, Achilles’ prize. Achilles accused him of taking the best rewards while others did the fighting. In anger, Achilles drew his sword and was about to kill Agamemnon. Athena appeared and restrained him. Agamemnon sent two heralds to seize Briseis. Achilles told them that they were not at fault and allowed them to take her. He then swore that Agamemnon would pay for the insult.

Achilles withdrew from the fighting. His mother Thetis, the silver-footed sea goddess, came to him. He asked her to persuade Zeus to give victory to the Trojans. Thetis went to heaven and made the request. Zeus was reluctant, because his support for the Trojans would renew the quarrel among the gods. Agamemnon returned Chryseis to her father, while Achilles remained apart from the battle.

Agamemnon sent out the summons from Mycenae. The other Greek rulers had sworn to help Menelaus if anyone broke up his marriage. Agamemnon called on them to honour that oath. The Iliad’s Catalogue of Ships names the forces that answered the call, including Ajax from Salamis, Diomedes from Argos and Tiryns, Odysseus from Ithaca, and Idomeneus from Crete, where he ruled at Cnossos. It also names forces from the western islands, Thisbe, Pytho, Pelasgian Argos, and Hellas.

Each ruler gathered ships and troops and joined Agamemnon. As king of Mycenae, he was the richest and most powerful of the Greek kings, and he took command of the expedition. A large war fleet sailed against Troy. It reached the city soon afterwards.

The Greeks went ashore before a wide, windy plain. The ground gave the soldiers and their siege devices a clear approach to the walls. Troy’s walls were very tall and strongly fortified. The Greeks expected victory because many skilled warriors stood among them. Ajax was one of the tallest and strongest men. Odysseus, ruler of Ithaca, was known for his cleverness. Achilles was the greatest of the Greek warriors who went to Troy. He was the son of the divine nymph Thetis and a mortal king. Under Agamemnon’s command, the Greek forces began their campaign against the city.

Apollo’s arrows struck the Greek army, and men sickened and died. Funeral pyres burned continually. The plague began after Chryses, a priest of Apollo at Chryse, came to the Greek camp to ransom his daughter. Chryseis had been taken during the capture of a small town and given to Agamemnon, who received the finest part of the plunder as chief king. Agamemnon refused to release her and insulted her father. Chryses prayed to Apollo, and the god heard him. Homer tells this episode in Book 1 of the Iliad.

After nine days, Achilles called an assembly of the Greek chieftains. He said that the army could not withstand both the plague and the Trojans. They had to appease Apollo or sail home. Calchas, the prophet, said that he knew the cause of the god’s anger, but feared to speak unless Achilles promised to protect him. Achilles gave that promise, even if the accusation concerned Agamemnon. Calchas then declared that Chryseis had to be returned because Agamemnon had refused her father’s ransom.

Agamemnon agreed to send Chryseis home, but demanded Briseis from Achilles as compensation. Achilles had received Briseis as his share of the plunder and was very fond of her. The quarrel became so bitter that Achilles drew his sword against Agamemnon, but Athena restrained him. Achilles then withdrew from the fighting. Agamemnon later returned Briseis after Patroclus’ death. Achilles returned to the battle and fought the Trojans.