Agamemnon Character Analysis in The Iliad

King of Mycenae and leader of the Achaean armies. Agamemnon is the wealthiest of any of the Achaean kings and also commands the largest army. However, his leadership can be questionable at times. He quarrels with Achilles, and more than once he suggests that the Achaeans should sail for home in defeat.

Agamemnon Quotes in The Iliad

The The Iliad quotes below are all either spoken by Agamemnon or refer to Agamemnon. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:

Rage—Goddess, sing the rage of Peleus’ son Achilles,
murderous, doomed, that cost the Achaeans countless losses,
hurling down to the House of Death so many sturdy souls,
great fighter’ souls, but made their body carrion,
feasts for the dogs and birds,
and the will of Zeus was moving toward its end.
Begin, Muse, when the two first broke and clashed,
Agamemnon lord of men and brilliant Achilles.

Related Characters: , ,

Page Number and Citation: 1.1-8

Explanation and Analysis:

I and Achilles…Ah if the two of us
could ever think as one, Troy could delay
her day of death no longer, not one moment.

Related Characters: (speaker),

Page Number and Citation: 2.448-452

Explanation and Analysis:

But about the dead, I’d never grudge their burning.
No holding back for the bodies of the fallen:
once they are gone, let fire soothe them quickly.

Related Characters: (speaker)

Page Number and Citation: 7.471-473

Explanation and Analysis:

Cronus’ son has entangled me in madness, blinding ruin—
Zeus is a harsh, cruel god.

Related Characters: (speaker),

Page Number and Citation: 9.20-21

Explanation and Analysis:

Ruin, eldest daughter of Zeus, she blinds us all,
that fatal madness—she with those delicate feet of hers,
never touching the earth, gliding over the heads of men
to trap us all. She entangles one man, now another.
Why, she and her frenzy blinded Zeus one time,
highest, greatest of men and gods, they say

Related Characters: (speaker),

Page Number and Citation: 19.106-111

Explanation and Analysis:

Agamemnon Character Timeline in The Iliad

The timeline below shows where the character Agamemnon appears in The Iliad. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.

...ransom back his daughter, whom the Achaeans had captured and gave to the Achaean chief Agamemnon as a spoil of war. All the Achaeans advise Agamemnon to give up the girl,... (full context)

Agamemnon protests, saying he prefers the girl to his wife, but gives in for the good... (full context)

Agamemnon tells him that he doesn’t care if Achilles leaves, and that he will take Achilles’... (full context)

Agamemnon calls two heralds and tells them to go to Achilles’ camp and take away Briseis.... (full context)

...Achilles prays to his mother Thetis, a sea goddess, to help him get revenge on Agamemnon. He says that because he knows his life will be short, he should at least... (full context)

...the captain Odysseus sails to the island of Chryses, returns the priest’s daughter, and conducts Agamemnon’s sacrifice to Apollo. The men feast and then sail back to the Achaean camp. (full context)

...to honor Achilles by harming the Achaeans. He decides to send a treacherous dream to Agamemnon. The dream, taking the form of the wise Nestor, tells Agamemnon that Troy will fall... (full context)

Agamemnon repeats his dream to the assembled captains, and Nestor supports his plan. Before attacking, Agamemnon... (full context)

...ranks. He is described as obscene, ugly, and insubordinate. In front of everyone, he criticizes Agamemnon for hoarding treasure while the soldiers of Achaea are slaughtered, and suggests that the Achaeans... (full context)

Odysseus makes a speech to Agamemnon and the troops. He criticizes the men for being so ready to depart from Troy... (full context)

...organize themselves by tribe, as men fighting with their kin will show their true bravery. Agamemnon agrees and also expresses some regret for quarreling with Achilles, stating that the argument came... (full context)

Agamemnon orders the men to eat and then ready themselves for battle. The armies disperse and... (full context)

...happily agrees and strides out in front of the battle to declare a temporary truce. Agamemnon sees Hector come forward and tells his archers to stop firing. Hector asks all of... (full context)

Helen names for him Agamemnon, Odysseus, Great Ajax, and Idomeneus, noting the strength and special qualities of each man. Priam’s... (full context)

...call Priam out to the battlefield to oversee it. Shuddering, Priam reaches the front, where Agamemnon consecrates the sacrifice and swears again that the war will end when the duel is... (full context)

...graze its target. Menelaus sees his own blood, but realizes the wound is not serious. Agamemnon also sees the bleeding and curses the Trojans for breaking their oath. Menelaus reassures Agamemnon... (full context)

Agamemnon goes out on foot among the troops, rousing them to battle. He praises the Cretan... (full context)

Agamemnon meets Diomedes and similarly prods him for shirking his place in battle. He compares Diomedes... (full context)

...Athena further assists Diomedes by luring Ares away from the battlefield. Multiple Achaean captains, including Agamemnon, Idomeneus, and Menelaus, kill their Trojan counterparts. (full context)

...by Diomedes, Odysseus, and the Aeantes (the plural of Ajax). The two sides trade kills: Agamemnon kills a comrade of Aeneas, and Aeneas kills two Achaean captains. Next, Nestor’s son Antilochus... (full context)

...kill several Trojans. Menelaus almost spares the Trojan Adrestus’ life in exchange for ransom, but Agamemnon convinces Menelaus to kill him. The Achaeans push forward. (full context)

...brave enough to accept the challenge until Menelaus stands up on behalf of the Achaeans. Agamemnon checks him, knowing that Menelaus is not strong enough of a fighter to battle Hector.... (full context)

...On the battlefield, the Achaeans are pushed back to their fortifications. Hera sends inspiration to Agamemnon, who encourages his troops to stand fast. Agamemnon prays to Zeus to save the Achaean... (full context)

...together as a team, with Teucer hiding behind Ajax’ massive shield. Teucer kills several Trojans. Agamemnon praises Teucer’s bravery. Teucer aims for Hector, but is only able to kill the men... (full context)

The Achaeans, sensing defeat, are panicked and despondent. Agamemnon summons a meeting of the armies and tearfully declares the war a failure, stating that... (full context)

At the meeting of captains, Nestor proposes that Agamemnon make peace with Achilles in order to bring him back into battle. Agamemnon agrees with... (full context)

Agamemnon’s emissaries reach Achilles’ camp, where they find Achilles playing the lyre and singing. Achilles’ friend... (full context)

The embassy returns to Agamemnon’s camp. The embassy gives Agamemnon the news of Achilles’ refusal. The soldiers are dispirited by... (full context)

As night falls, the Achaeans sleep soundly, except for Agamemnon, who watches the Trojan fires. Restless, he seeks out Nestor to create a new plan... (full context)

Agamemnon goes to Nestor and tells him about his anguish. Nestor tells him to wake other... (full context)

As dawn rises, Zeus sets the goddess Strife upon the Achaeans, encouraging them to fight. Agamemnon puts on his exquisite armor and shield. Zeus causes the sky to rain blood and... (full context)

The Achaeans begin to make progress against the Trojan lines. Agamemnon begins to kill many men, including two sons of Priam. Agamemnon is described as being... (full context)

...messenger Iris to Hector, telling the soldier to hold back and command his men until Agamemnon is wounded. After Agamemnon’s injury, Hector will be given the strength to drive the Achaeans... (full context)

Agamemnon’s charge continues, but soon Coon, a son of Antenor, slashes his arm. Agamemnon kills Coon,... (full context)

...tent and immediately sees the carnage surrounding the Achaean camp. He meets the wounded captains Agamemnon, Odysseus, and Diomedes. Agamemnon, afraid that Hector’s forces will prevail, suggests again that the Achaeans... (full context)

Poseidon comes to Agamemnon’s side and reassures him that the Trojans will be turned back. On Olympus, Hera watches... (full context)

...for the Achaean losses. Achilles tells him he has no reason to grieve, saying that Agamemnon’s men are “repaid for their offenses.” Patroclus replies that Achilles’ anger is too stubborn. Patroclus... (full context)

Achilles calls an assembly of the Achaean troops. Agamemnon comes to the meeting, and Achilles says the time has come to reconcile. Agamemnon agrees,... (full context)

...Odysseus replies that the men must eat first, so as to fortify themselves for battle. Agamemnon agrees, but Achilles says he has no taste for food until he satisfies himself in... (full context)

Agamemnon’s gifts are brought to Achilles’ camp. Briseis, returned to Achilles, sees that Patroclus has died... (full context)

...not pray to Apollo. Last, the men begin the spear throwing competition. Achilles intercedes, telling Agamemnon that he is the greatest spearmen by far. Agamemnon is automatically awarded first prize. (full context)

Everything you needfor every book you read.

Everything you need for every book you read.

Everything you need for every book you read.

Agamemnon Character Analysis

Agamemnon Quotes in The Iliad

Agamemnon Character Timeline in The Iliad

Everything you need
for every book you read.