Phoenix, Achilles and a narrative pattern

Abstract

Book 9 of the Iliad, universally considered one of the most marvelous in the poem, has also been a bone of contention in many scholarly debates. Suggesting that an important aspect of the speech Phoenix gave as a member of Agamemnon’s embassy to Achilles has nevertheless been overlooked by scholars, the paper makes it the focus of its interest. Unlike most researchers, who have taken the side of the envoys, the author casts a different light on Achilles’ reasons for declining the embassy and suggests that the text invites the readers to share their sympathies between the characters.