The Agency of Gods

I begin in humanities by talking about Agency and the lack of it’s possession within the mortals in The Iliad. Human agency is both acting with meaning and having the choice to withhold from acting, with the effect of having your actions affect others. In The Iliad however, mortals are subjected to the will of the gods and not their own.

The lack of agency is depicted early in Book 1 as we begin reading. The events preceding the display of the Achilles’ lack of Agency take place when Agamemnon is forced to return his prized procession, Chrysies to her father after the town is tormented by Apollo. This angers Agamemnon and hurts his pride, thus in an attempt to show he still holds power he states he will only give up Chrysies if he can have Achilles’ prize, Briseis. This infuriated Achilles thus he lashed out towards Agamemnon, setting the scene that displays of his lack of agency.

"Thrust through the ranks and kill Agamemnon now?-

Or check his rage and beat his fury down?

As his racing spirit veered back and forth,

The quote conveys how Achilles is faced with a decision. He considers his two options, he can simply lash at him killing him and in doing so take his rank, or he may reflect and make conscious decision when not blinded by rage. His pondering on his choice continues as his thoughts veer back and forth between the thoughts.

just as he drew his huge blade from its sheath,

down the vaulting heavens wept Athena,

the white-armed goddess Hera sped her down: [230]

Itt is evident that Achilles has made his decision as he draws his blade from his sheath. Just as Achilles is about to affirm his decision, descends Athena from heavens. This divine intervention is evident throughout The Iliad, and even in the beginning as it is stated that “will of Zeus” is running low. This divine intervention is what causes the conflict of Agency and whether or not mortals poses it.

Hera loved both men and cared for both alike,

Rearing behind him Pallas seized his fiery hair-

only Achilles saw her, none of the other fighters-

struck with wonder he spun around, he knew her at once,

Pallas Athena! the terrible blazing of those eyes,"

The intervention becomes physical as Athena pulls on Achilles’ hair in order to prevent him from making any unwise decisions. As he turns, he comes into a full realization of who has impeded his actions and recognizes her immediately. Trough this statement It becomes evident that immortals intervention is a common occurrence. She has blazing eyes that are described in a manner that makes us assume that they’re threatening and thus one must obey her orders. The whole reason of this intervention is Hera sending down Athena because she cares for both men, this care has caused a break in Achilles’ agency as he is now unable to attack Agamemnon. Such as depicted in the picture, Achilles is unable to go through with his choice as he is physically being held against his own will by Athena. In the picture Achilles choice is clear as he has one foot forward and is sheathing his sword ready to attack.

The Rage of Achilles, Giovanni Battista Tiepolo (1757)

and his winged words went flying: "why, why now?

Child of Zeus with the shield of thunder, why come now?

To witness the outrage Agamemnon just committed?

I tell you this, and so help me it's the truth-

he'll soon pay for his arrogance with his life!

Achilles of course wonders why Athena intervenes at the moment he is about to strike Agamemnon. He displays his rage as she detained him from striking Agamemnon, this makes it concrete Achilles decision was to kill Agamemnon and he was determined or he would not be angered by the intervention. A second display of his determination is his mention of Agamemnon paying his arrogance with his life.

Her gray eyes clear, the goddess Athena answered,

"Down from the skies I come to check your rage if only you will yield.

The white-armed goddess Hera sped me down:

she loves your both, she cares for you both alike.

Stop fighting, now. Don't lay hand to sword.

Lash him with threats of the price that he will face.

And I will tell you this-and I know it's the truth-

one day glittering gifts will lie before you,

three times over to pay for all his outrage. [250]

Hold back now. Obey us both."

Athena states her reason of intervention is to put his anger on check and retain him from making an incautious decision. This was Achilles second choice which was clearly not the one selected however, it was forced upon him by Athena’s intervention. She tells him not to lash out at Agamemnon and that he will receive enough glittering gifts to forget Agamemnon’s outrageous actions. If he kills him, then the empire might fall and create a chaos among the people, however by staying under his command, he can continue to progressively receive rewards as the empire stands tall. The most important aspect, is the last phrase of this passage where Athena tell him to obey them both, this completely contradicts Achilles agency as his intent was to kill Agamemnon and now he is being forced to fall under the goddess’ rule. There is the illusion of choice, where he is lead to believe that he may either lash at Agamemnon or obey the goddess’ yet it is clear that he is unable to go against them as they have already intervened once when he made the decision to lash out at Agamemnon.

So she urged

and the swift runner complied at once; "I must-

when the two of you hand down commands, Goddess,

a man submits through his heart breaks with fury.

Better for him by far. If a man obeys the gods

they're quick to hear his prayers."

Achilles now decides that he will not go against the commands of the goddesses. With his phrase to them, it is conveyed that he doesn’t do it out of his own will however, but because he is unable to go against them. Is it really free will when someone is forced to obey set rules by those of higher power? The freedom to make moral choices upon one’s will that have an effect is what makes agency, and what makes us humans and not simply a god’s pawn. Agency refuses to be present in this scene however as Achilles is simply put under their rule and simply obeys their decisions instead of making his own. The gods’ not only physically intervene here but especially, tend to greatly influence most of the decisions that take place in The Iliad, including having Apollo terrorize the town which lead to Agamemnon having to give back Chrysies. Agency is petty through the eyes of devious gods.

Works Cited

• Tiepolo, Giovanni Battista. Minerva Preventing Achilles from Killing Agamemnon, from "The Iliad" by Homer, 1757. Digital image. The Story the House of Agamemnon. N.p., n.d. Web. 2 Oct. 2015. <http://www.talesbeyondbelief.com/myth-stories/house-of-agamemnon.htm>.

• Homer, and Robert Fitzgerald. "Book 1." The Iliad. Garden City, NY: Anchor, 1974. N. pag. Print.