ARGUMENT OF THE FIRST BOOK. by Homer: Summary, Meaning & Analysis
This is the prose "Argument" — a brief plot summary — that introduces Book One of Homer's *Iliad*.
The poem
The book opens with an account of a pestilence that prevailed in the Grecian camp, and the cause of it is assigned. A council is called, in which fierce altercation takes place between Agamemnon and Achilles. The latter solemnly renounces the field. Agamemnon, by his heralds, demands Brisëis, and Achilles resigns her. He makes his complaint to Thetis, who undertakes to plead his cause with Jupiter. She pleads it, and prevails. The book concludes with an account of what passed in Heaven on that occasion. [The reader will please observe, that by Achaians, Argives, Danaï, are signified Grecians. Homer himself having found these various appellatives both graceful and convenient, it seemed unreasonable that a Translator of him should be denied the same advantage.—Tr.]
This is the prose "Argument" — a brief plot summary — that introduces Book One of Homer's *Iliad*. It explains that a plague has struck the Greek army, that Achilles and Agamemnon have a fierce argument over a captive woman named Brisëis, and that the sea-goddess Thetis approaches Zeus to ensure her son Achilles gets his revenge. You can think of it as the back-of-the-book blurb for the most renowned war epic ever created.
Line-by-line
The book opens with an account of a pestilence that prevailed in the Grecian camp…
A council is called, in which fierce altercation takes place between Agamemnon and Achilles.
The latter solemnly renounces the field. Agamemnon, by his heralds, demands Brisëis, and Achilles resigns her.
He makes his complaint to Thetis, who undertakes to plead his cause with Jupiter.
She pleads it, and prevails. The book concludes with an account of what passed in Heaven on that occasion.
Tone & mood
Brisk and functional — this is a prose summary, not a lyric poem, so the tone resembles that of a theatre program rather than poetry. Yet, there's a hint of controlled drama: phrases like "fierce altercation" and "solemnly renounces" have a certain gravity. The translator's bracketed note at the end feels friendly and straightforward, reflecting a scholar who aims for the reader to appreciate the journey without stumbling over unfamiliar names.
Symbols & metaphors
- The pestilence — The plague isn’t just random bad luck — it’s Apollo punishing a particular act of disrespect. It represents the idea that human arrogance leads to direct, catastrophic consequences, which is a central theme throughout the *Iliad*.
- Brisëis — As a captive woman caught between powerful men, Brisëis symbolizes honor and status within the Greek warrior code. The man who possesses her demonstrates his dominance. In this Argument, she seems more like a token in a contest of pride, although Homer’s complete text provides her with greater depth as a character.
- Thetis rising from the sea — The sea belongs to Thetis and represents the line between the mortal and immortal realms. When Achilles summons her from the waves, it signifies the point at which the gods get directly involved in human conflicts — leading to significant consequences.
- Jupiter (Zeus) granting the request — Zeus's nod is the crucial moment that drives the entire epic. It marks the point where fate begins to unfold: once the king of the gods gives his approval, the suffering of thousands is sealed. When divine favor is granted, it’s not something that can be easily reversed.
Historical context
The *Iliad* is one of the oldest works of Western literature that we still have today. It was composed in the ancient Greek oral tradition and is attributed to Homer, a poet whose existence is still debated among scholars. The story is set during the Trojan War, a ten-year siege of Troy by a coalition of Greek city-states, and it focuses on just a few weeks in the war's final year. In Book One, we see the central conflict unfold—not between Greeks and Trojans, but between Achilles and Agamemnon. The "Argument" included here is a prose summary added by translators and editors to help readers navigate the epic's twenty-four books. The translator's note regarding "Achaians, Argives, Danaï" highlights a real challenge: Homer uses different names for the Greeks, and English readers needed some guidance. This specific Argument and note are from William Cowper's late-18th-century translation of the *Iliad*.
FAQ
An Argument is a brief summary at the beginning of a book or canto that gives readers a preview of what’s to come. This was a common practice in classical and Renaissance publishing—essentially a chapter summary before the concept of chapters even existed.
Agamemnon seizes Brisëis, a captive woman who was Achilles' prize of honour, to compensate himself for surrendering his own captive. For Achilles, this act is a public humiliation that robs him of the respect he has gained as the finest fighter among the Greeks. He decides not to continue fighting for a commander who shows him such disdain.
Thetis, a sea-nymph, is also Achilles' mother. Her significance lies in her connection to Zeus; she once assisted him during a rebellion by the other Olympians, creating a bond that means he owes her a favor. This unique ability to influence the king of the gods is what turns Achilles' decision to withdraw from battle into a monumental event, rather than just a simple tantrum.
Zeus decides to allow the Greeks to lose battles while Achilles stays out of the fight, intending to push Agamemnon into admitting his mistakes and pleading with Achilles to come back. In essence, he chooses to let thousands suffer just to resolve a matter of pride between two individuals.
Homer composed his works orally, and the various names he used for the Greeks provided him with metrical flexibility—each name occupies different positions in the dactylic hexameter line. All these names refer to the same coalition of Greek forces. The translator's note is included to clarify that these are not three distinct groups of people.
No. The *Iliad* starts in the tenth and final year of the war. Troy has still not fallen. The poem doesn’t cover the entire war; instead, it focuses on a few weeks of crisis that arise from Achilles' anger, which is actually the first word of the poem in Greek: *menis*, meaning wrath.
Hera, Zeus's wife, suspects he has struck a deal with Thetis and confronts him about it. Hephaestus, the smith-god, intervenes to ease the tension, and the gods wrap up the day by feasting and laughing together. This moment is intentionally humorous — a reminder that what may be tragic for humans is merely an evening's entertainment for the immortals.
The bracketed translator's note refers to William Cowper, the English poet known for his 1791 translations of Homer's *Iliad* and *Odyssey*. Cowper opted for blank verse and prioritized staying true to Homer's original text rather than the refined style of Alexander Pope's earlier translation.