44 Ancient Ideals
But there must be limits to the true hero’s rage. When he has
taken his retribution— and war is always based in some mea sure on
retribution—he must know how to arrive at equanimity.
After he defeats Hector, Achilles still will not dismiss his Myrmi-
dons, for Patroclus has not received proper funeral rites. Fighting
must stop until Achilles’ dear friend has what he deserves. There
follows the burning of the body, along with the sacrifi ce of horses
and also of twelve Trojan young men, whose throats Achilles cuts
at the funeral pyre. But after the ceremony come the funeral games,
and here Achilles takes another step toward his restoration.
There is boxing, running, a chariot race, and Achilles presides
over them all, making the fi nal judgments and off ering prizes from
his store. He determines who will compete and passes out the tro-
phies to the victors. Achilles is monarch of the scene. He is ruler
here, not Agamemnon.
The fi nal match is in spear throwing, and Agamemnon is to be
one of the contestants. Against him will be matched at least one
other expert in the art. Stop, says Achilles. It is unnecessary to go
further. We all understand that no one can throw a spear like
Agamemnon. “Atrides— well we know how far you excel us all; / no
one can match your strength at throwing spears” (XXIII, 986–987).
Agamemnon is the winner by my decree, Achilles declares. He will
have the prize, the prize I have set aside. The act is one of aggressive
deference. Agamemnon wins, but he wins only at the plea sure of
Achilles. He does not get to demonstrate his excellence to the army.
He doesn’t have the chance to regain some of the prestige he has
sacrifi ced to the slayer of Hector. As it is now, Agamemnon could
have lost the contest. No one really knows. The king is honored, yes,
but the honor is received at the hands of Achilles, the monarch of the
moment. It is a brilliant stroke. By exalting Agamemnon, Achilles
humiliates him. But this is what a man can do who has restored
himself to the full glory of his fi ghter’s pride.