In the movie Troy, legendary Greek warrior Achilles (played by Brad Pitt) becomes upset at the ancient Greek king, Agamemnon, who is leading the Greek army against Troy at the Trojan War.
The Trojan War may have been a real battle or war in the 9th or 10th century BCE (800-1,000 years before 0). But we know about the Trojan War mostly from stories about it. One of the most famous is Homer’s ancient Greek epic The Iliad, which was written around 700 BCE, but it was also sung to audiences many years before then. Achilles is the main character of The Iliad, and the poem tells the story of what happens to him during the last year of the war.
At the beginning of The Iliad, Achilles becomes upset at King Agamemnon. Here is the scene in the movie:
Okay, so Achilles becomes upset because Agamemnon’s soldier’s take Briseis (the girl in the movie). Briseis is a girl Achilles has captured as his “prize” in the war. She is probably from a village near Troy, and he probably saved her life (captured her) during a pillaging expedition (a theft of food and supplies) in her town.
He is probably holding her captive, and she is probably helping with cooking and cleaning and healthcare in his military camp. He is also probably having a sexual relationship with her.
Background
There is more background to this story. King Agamemnon also had a captive girl. Her father was a priest, and he begged Agamemnon to return his daughter. When Agamemnon refused, the priest prayed for revenge, and a plague fell upon the Greek army. Agamemnon eventually relented. He gave back his captive girl.
Then he took Briseis from Achilles. Why?
There is no clear answer as to why he took Achilles’s captive … instead of finding another captive girl or taking a captive from another soldier or military leader. There was probably some history or connection between the two girls that made Agamemnon think of Briseis as a replacement for his captive.
Achilles’s Pride
When Agamemnon takes Briseis from Achilles, Achilles becomes very upset, and he pulls his army out of the war. This was no small issue! Achilles was the best warrior in ancient Greece, and he led an army of highly trained and skilled warriors. Without Achilles, the Greeks started to lose the war.
Achilles does this to punish Agamemnon. Without Achilles, Agamemnon cannot win the war, and he cannot become the legendary king who defeats Troy. Without Achilles, there will be no great Agamemnon.
Did Briseis mean that much to Achilles? Could Achilles really disobey and punish Agamemnon?
If Achilles did not “love” Briseis, she probably represented his strength. When Agamemnon took Briseis, it was as if he had defeated Achilles. It’s as if Achilles was not man enough to defend Briseis. So the taking of Briseis represents a symbolic defeat for Achilles.
That’s very bad news if you’re Achilles, the best warrior in ancient Greece. If you’re Achilles, you’re not supposed to lose. And here he is – unable to defend his captive against Agamemnon.
It’s a Matter of Personal Pride
Agamemnon’s ability to take Briseis can make sense if we see Agamemnon as the supreme leader of the Greek forces, which he was. In the movie, Achilles calls Agamemnon “King of Kings.” This is because many of the military leaders (Achilles, Nestor, Ajax, Odysseus, Menelaus) were kings of their own Greek community, and they elected Agamemnon as the supreme commander for the war.
But that doesn’t make Agamemnon a supreme monarch. He may be able to lead a council of war and make decisions about battle strategies, but he can’t take another king’s captive. That’s too much power. Too much disrespect.
Achilles’s Revenge
In response to Agamemnon’s show of disrespect, Achilles pulls his forces out of the war. By doing this, he shows his strength. He shows that his fighting and his army – not Agamemnon’s command – is what’s going to win the war. By pulling his forces out of the war, Achilles shows his strength, and he shows who is the greatest warrior.
Achilles’s plan is to make Agamemnon apologize for his disrespect, return Briseis, and beg Achilles to re-join the war and “save” the Greeks.
Another Option?
Is this really what Achilles wants? Does he really want to re-join war and save the Greeks?
Earlier in his life, Achilles was given a choice about his destiny.
He could be known forever as the greatest warrior of his time, but it would cost him his life at a young age.
Or, he could live a long and peaceful life, but he wouldn’t have an ever-lasting reputation. He would be a nobody.
In a way, this is the choice we all face. We could be “great” in our own way, but it would require a lot hard work and sacrifice. Or, we could live comfortably and never become great. I love The Iliad for focusing on this important life choice.
By being in the war, it’s clear that Achilles is pursing ever-lasting greatness as the best warrior of his time. He is on way already towards greatness.
But why pull out of the war now?
One possibility is that Agamemnon’s show of disrespect needs to be corrected. Achilles may fear that he won’t be perceived as the “greatest warrior” with this symbolic defeat. So, he needs to symbolically defeat Agamemnon to restore his ever-lasting reputation.
Another possibility could be that he is changing his mind. He has been fighting in the Trojan War for 10 years already, and he has not found his “glory.” Deep down, he may not be ready to give up on life. He may secretly want the war to go on and on so he could continue living. Deep down, he may be afraid or uncertain of his immortality.
He may have decided to take the second option – to settle down into a long life of happiness and obscurity – and Briseis may be his chosen life partner, the person who made him fall in love and showed him that life is actually worth living.