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The Annotated Edition

ARGUMENT OF THE NINTH BOOK. by Homer

Summary, meaning, line-by-line analysis & FAQ.

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This is the argument (a short prose summary) for Book Nine of Homer's *Iliad*, which tells the story of the Greek embassy sent to convince the warrior Achilles to return to battle against Troy.

Poet
Homer
Themes
anger, identity, sorrow
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The PoemFull text

ARGUMENT OF THE NINTH BOOK.

Homer

By advice of Nestor, Agamemnon sends Ulysses, Phœnix, and Ajax to the tent of Achilles with proposals of reconciliation. They execute their commission, but without effect. Phœnix remains with Achilles; Ulysses and Ajax return.

Public domain

Sourced from Project Gutenberg

§01Quick summary

What this poem is about

This is the argument (a short prose summary) for Book Nine of Homer's *Iliad*, which tells the story of the Greek embassy sent to convince the warrior Achilles to return to battle against Troy. Agamemnon, feeling the pressure from the heavy losses suffered by the Greeks, sends three of his top men — Ulysses (Odysseus), Phoenix, and Ajax — to present gifts and apologies to Achilles. However, Achilles firmly refuses their offers. Phoenix chooses to remain with Achilles, while Ulysses and Ajax return without success.

§02Themes

Recurring themes

§03Line by line

Stanza by stanza, with notes

  1. By advice of Nestor, Agamemnon sends Ulysses, Phœnix, and Ajax...

    Editor's note

    Nestor, the oldest and wisest of the Greek commanders, understands that the army is in crisis without Achilles and advises Agamemnon to set aside his pride. Agamemnon picks three envoys with care: Ulysses (Odysseus) for his eloquence, Phoenix as Achilles' former tutor and father figure, and Ajax as his closest rival in martial honor. This choice underscores the gravity of the situation for the Greeks — these are not just any messengers but their finest representatives.

  2. They execute their commission, but without effect.

    Editor's note

    The embassy fails. Each envoy takes a different approach — Ulysses appeals to glory and the gifts being offered, Phoenix to loyalty and their shared memories, Ajax to comradeship and the shame of abandoning friends to die. Achilles turns down all three, showing that his anger goes deeper than any bribe or call to duty can touch. This failure stands out as one of the most dramatic moments in the *Iliad* because the audience is already aware of the consequences: Greeks will continue to die without him.

  3. Phœnix remains with Achilles; Ulysses and Ajax return.

    Editor's note

    Phoenix's choice to stay is deeply poignant. He can't bear to abandon the young man he has nurtured, despite being turned away. Ulysses and Ajax return to deliver the disappointing news to Agamemnon and the gathered chiefs, wrapping up the scene with lingering unease. The mission has achieved nothing in terms of military gains, but it has enhanced our insight into Achilles' solitude and the personal toll of his fury.

§04Tone & mood

How this poem feels

The tone is serious and tightly packed — this is a prose argument that presents the facts without embellishment, yet even in this stripped-down style, the heaviness of failure is palpable. There's no editorializing and no sympathy extended to either side. The neutral, almost bureaucratic simplicity makes the outcome seem unavoidable, reflecting the fatalistic mood of the *Iliad* overall.

§05Symbols & metaphors

Symbols & metaphors

The embassy of three
Sending three envoys — a persuader (Ulysses), a father-figure (Phoenix), and a peer (Ajax) — captures the full spectrum of human appeals: reason, love, and solidarity. Their combined failure highlights that Achilles' anger has put him out of reach of normal social connections.
Phoenix remaining behind
Phoenix staying with Achilles instead of going back represents the unbreakable bond of parental love. It also highlights Achilles' ongoing isolation from the Greek community, as Phoenix's presence offers comfort but doesn't help him reintegrate.
The return of Ulysses and Ajax empty-handed
Their empty-handed return highlights the limits of words and honor in the face of a grief-fueled, pride-driven retreat. It hints at the additional suffering the Greeks will endure as a direct result of this refusal.

§06Historical context

Historical context

Book Nine of the *Iliad* takes place in the tenth year of the Trojan War. Achilles stepped back from fighting in Book One after Agamemnon publicly shamed him by taking his war-prize, the captive woman Briseis. By the time we reach Book Nine, the Greeks are facing a serious defeat, prompting Agamemnon to finally offer Briseis back along with a wealth of gifts, including treasure, land, and honor. The embassy scene is among the most studied parts of ancient literature because it highlights a deep philosophical dilemma: unlike other heroes in Homer’s works, Achilles openly questions if the heroic code of glory and mutual obligation is truly worth the sacrifices it demands. The "argument" included here is a later editorial addition—essentially a prose summary of the book's events—often found in early printed English editions of Homer.

§07FAQ

Questions readers ask

In earlier printed versions of lengthy poems, an 'argument' refers to a brief prose summary located at the beginning of each book or canto. It provides an overview of the events before diving into the verses, similar to a chapter synopsis. Milton employed this technique in *Paradise Lost*.

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