The Iliad, Book IX

At the beginning of this book, the Greeks are completely demoralized and certain that they will lose, so much so that Agamemnon is ready to quit and go home:

Friends, who are leaders of the Argives and keep their counsel:

Zeus son of Kronos has caught me badly in bitter futility (IX.17-18).

The central issue in this book turns on the attitude of Achilleus. He has been smarting from Agamemnon's actions and is a sympathetic figure because it is clear Agamemnon was wrong. Now, however, he rejects the reconciliation offered to him and places his wounded pride above the safety of other Greeks, insisting that he will not join the fight and will take his men and sail home. There is thus a shift here as the delegation seeks reconciliation and is rebuffed.

The three speakers sent to persuade Achilleus are Odysseus, Phoinix, and Aias (Ajax). Odysseus first praises Achilleus, beginning with a toast. His argument is that unless Achilleus helps, he fears that the Greeks will die far from home on foreign land:

Up then! if yo are minded, late though it be, to rescue

. . .
Some common words found in the essay are:
IX Embassy, IX640 Achilleus, Achilleus Odysseus, Ajax Odysseus, Achilleus Aias, Trojans Phoinix, IX249-250 Odysseus, Trojans Greeks, IX247-248 Odysseus, IX244-246 Odysseus, persuade achilleus, achilleus helps, achilleus odysseus, sending messenger, unless achilleus helps, unless achilleus,
Approximate Word count = 948
Approximate Pages = 4 (250 words per page)

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