Iliad Assignment 1

DUE TUE 2/27 – Iliad Assignment

Read Book 9 - “The Embassy to Achilles” pp. 251-266 lines 1-522
You should answer these on your blog AND print them out and add them to your Iliad notes. If you don’t have a three-hole punch at home you can use the one at school. I would like to emphasize once again the importance of keeping your notes in one place – your binders. If you have notes scattered in your binder, your blog, and in a random notebook, they will be of no use to you when it comes time to prep for debate or write an essay. The same holds true if you don’t label your notes with the book number, page number, and line numbers etc…

1. Write a question. It can be an interpretive question that you have an opinion on or something about the text that you don't understand. You do not need to write the answer.

Question:
If you were Achilles What would be the reason for you to go and fight for your name would live on long after you die? Why would this be more important than haveing a full life with a family and happiness.

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2. What was your opinion of Agamemnon before reading this section? Does your opinion of him change after reading it? Why or why not? Aone paragraph reply is fine, minimum of 6 solid setneces, but you are encouraged to write more.

Before reading this section my opinion of Agamemnon was that he was this roothless king that cares so much about was prizes. Although in this section he says that he would rather five up his was prizes to have peace and have Achilles come back to fight for the Greeks. I think by doing this he is shown as weak and I don't think Achilles will, or for that matter should, agree, which he doesn't, because of how ignorantand expectant Agamemnon was of Achilles in book one. Another reason why I think Achilles will not take his gifts for an appology, which in fact Agamemnon is still not apologizing and saying he is the better man, mainly because he has already made up his mind about the war, and he deffinately isnt going to back down and change his mind for someone he hates, Agamemnon. Agamemnon is acting as if he is better than Achilles yet he is basically begging him to fight. Agamemnon doesnt realize he can't be forgiven that easily if even at all. He was clearly a coward because of his actions in book one, and quite frankly still is in book two.
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3. At various points in the text some characters attempt to persuade other characters to take a course of action. Examples of characters using persuasion include Nestor, Odysseus, and Ajax. Make a list of the persuasive strategy used by these characters, following this format:
Who is speaking?
What does that person say and to whom does he say it?
What persuasive strategy is it?
Why is it an example of that strategy?
Do this at least three times with different examples.
Remember the persuasive strategies include:
1. Appeal to reason (logic - does it “make sense” to do what the speaker says)
2. Appeal to emotion (does it try to make you happy, sad, angry etc… in an attempt to get you to act or think a certain way)
3. Appeal to ethics (right and wrong, moral principals - does it get you to think that a particular thought is morally right or wrong to get you to act or think a certain way)

1) on page: 252...
Diomedes tells his people, the Greeks, to stay on the beach of Troy, against Agamemnon's wishes. He appeals to the men's emotions and makes sure they know if they leave the will lose some of their pride and honor.

2) on page: 255...
Agamemnon tries to make Achilles join the war once again by appealing to his ethics and telling him it is what is right and what he should do to help his people. He also uses the greed that Achilles ahs to his advantage, although he fails, because Achilles refuses the offer.

3) on page: 261...
Agamemnon sends Odysseus (one of Achilles' friends) to talk to him and knock some sense into him, with more rational reasons to fight again. He uses logic to appeal to Achilles.