http://isc.temple.edu/pericles/ih51.htm

Note: On exams, you are required to remember only the names and words listed in the "Words and Names to Remember" section of the study guides. Don't drown yourselves in detail.

In Book I, we cover the development of the quarrel that is basic to the plot of this epic. In a public assembly, Achilles forces the Greek Commander Agamemnon to return his captive mistress, Chryseis, to her father, a local priest. To replace her, Agamemnon requisition Achilles' captive Briseis. Agamemnon's superior rank enables him to do this, but the action leads to a dispute about power and authority. Achilles now withdraws from combat and asks his goddess mother Thetis to persuade Zeus (king of the gods) to help the other side--the Trojans.

After Odysseus returns Chryseis to her father, Zeus begins to do as Thetis requested, which leads to an argument on Mt. Olympus with the ill-tempered queen of the gods, Hera.

The plot falls into three long sections:

Lines     1-430        The quarrel and its immediate consequences.
             431-492     Interlude showing the passage of time, return of Chryseis
             493-611     The gods on Olympus

Please read pages 1-10

These pages introduce you to the key themes and characters of this immense and moving work.

Suggestions and Study Questions:

The Greek army has been encamped at Troy (map, pages vi-vii) for nine years, seeking the return of Helen (wife of Menelaus, sister-in-law of Agamemnon), who has run off with the Trojan Paris (also called Alexander). They're on the beach outside the city.

Where do the gods in this poem live, and what is your impression of them? For instance, why do they act? How do they affect the feelings and behavior of humans?

Always keep in mind the first word of the epic: "Rage." You should be able to explain why this rage arises and what events it brings about.

Note how quickly we move into the action: the dispute arises in the first two pages, and we have some sense of the major characters.

After ten pages, what can you say about the personalities of Agamemnon and Achilles?

Why is Achilles unhappy with Agamemnon?

Why is Agamemnon unhappy with Achilles?

What does Achilles mean when he talks about honor (line 259 and other places)?

Four particularly important questions: