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- answer this topic in 1000 – 1200 words
- THE ONE SOURCE REQUIRED IS THE BOOK ATTACHED
- argue that Achilles is either right or wrong in his decision not to accept the gifts from Agamemnon and reconcile with him and the troops (see Book 9, the Embassy to Achilles for details attached below). Take one side or the other and support your assertion of Achilles’ rightness or wrongness with evidence from the text. Remember, your thesis and your evidence are based on what the characters in the text say and do and NOT on your personal opinion about Achilles’ choice.
- Prompts (include 3 or more of the following below) *ANSWER THOUROUGHLY*:
- What do each of the three ambassadors (Odysseus, Phoenix, Ajax) appeal to in an attempt to persuade Achilles to reconcile? Achilles’ response to each?
- What about that part of Agamemnon’s speech that Odysseus leaves out when he relates Agamemnon’s offer to Achilles? How does this factor into your argument?
- What of Ajax’ argument that even someone who has lost a relative must ultimately accept some form of compensation (end of the embassy in Book 9)? Is that a fair argument?
- What are Achilles’ duties/responsibilities in regard to these close friends, to the army, to Agamemnon?
- What of Diomedes’ complaint about Achilles after Odysseus relates the embassy’s failure (end of Book 9)? Is his criticism fair? Does he understand Achilles’ position?
- What of Chryses’ attempt (in Book 1) to win back his daughter from Agamemnon? Does this incident and its ultimate results set up a pattern for us by which we can judge Achilles now?
- Do Achilles’ later statements (esp. beginning of Book 18) about regretting his decision to stay out of the fighting and sending Patroclus in his stead affect your position on Achilles’ rejection of Agamemnon’s offer in Book 9?
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