After receiving his new armor, Achilles calls for an assembly of the Achaian army. Then he announces that his quarrel with King Agamemnon is ended and that he is ready to return to war. This speech is applauded with great joy by all the troops. Agamemnon rises and welcomes Achilles back to the army. He says that at the time of their disagreement, he had been blinded and robbed of his wits by Zeus. He states that in compensation to Achilles, he will return Briseis to him, as well as shower upon him many other presents.
Achilles accepts the offer, but clearly he is more eager to attack the Trojans than he is to collect gifts. He demands that the army go into action at once. Odysseus sympathizes with Achilles’ zeal, but he points out that the troops are tired and hungry and that they need some time to renew themselves before fighting again. Achilles agrees to wait. He announces that the troops may eat if they wish, but he himself is going to fast until Patroklos is avenged.
When the Achaian troops are once more ready to fight, Achilles puts on his splendid new armor, and then, mounting his chariot, he prepares to lead the army. But first, he reproaches his horses for allowing Patroklos to be killed. One of the horses answers, saying that Patroklos’ death was not their fault, but that it was caused by Apollo and Destiny. The horse then prophesies the eventual death of Achilles on the battlefield. Achilles answers that he already knows about his doom, but that nothing will prevent him from avenging Patroklos. With this, Achilles shouts his mighty war cry and gallops into battle.
Throughout the Iliad, Achilles has been a creature of extremes—a man of absolute feelings and absolute reactions. Now that he is finally reconciled with Agamemnon, his passion to avenge Patroklos becomes as intense and impatient as was his former, selfish desire for the satisfaction of his honor. No longer concerned with such human “trivialities” as eating or resting, Achilles is transformed into a kind of cosmic figure, an archetypal hero sweeping through all opposition, divine and human, to achieve his ends.
