Diomed's speech to Agamemnon and his fellow fighters while in council

Edward McAuley

Kwan Ha

Rhetoric 103a

10/18/16

Illiad Book IX: Diomed's speech to Agamemnon and his fellow fighters while in council

            Diomed holds that the goal of the Acheans is a goal ordained by the gods in the heavens. He believes it is the destiny of the Acheans to win the present battle against the Trojans. He argue that to abandon the battle is to embrace cowardice and that even if every last man leaves the battleground, he and Sthenelus will continue the fight until they reach Ilius.

            Diomed rises to address Agamemnon, referring to Agamemnon as "Son of Atreus." In doing so, he refers to Agamemnon's lineage in which he is descended from the Greek God, Zeus. He appears to refer to Zeus in this manner in order to remind him and the council of Agamemnon's family lineage, because Agamemnon has just wept openly to the council and suggested they return to Achaea as a defeated army. Diomed states clearly that he has risen to "chide" Agamemnon, which he claims is his right while the council is in chambers. That is to say he announces his plan to find fault with Agamemnon and scold and censure him for the argument Agamemnon put forward to the army's leadership while in council.

            Diomed refers to Agamemnon's argument as "folly." Here Diomed is indeed chiding Agamemnon with the term folly; by using this term he derides Agamemnon's words as foolish, thoughtless, and unwise. He cautions Agamemnon to allow himself to become "aggrieved" by Diomed's words and he gives reasons for why Agamemnon should not be aggrieved, implying that his words are justified. First he recounts Agamemnon's verbal attack on Diomed while in front of the Danaans where Agamemnon called Diomed a coward and claimed he was not of the character or courage to be a soldier, and was th­­­erefore "no soldier." He gives evidence for this by claiming the Argives, "young and old," are aware of the event in which Agamemnon attacked Diomed and made these charges. Then Diomed makes his attack personal against Agamemnon's character and abilities.

            Diomed then asserts that while Agamemnon has honor as a ruler, this is useful only in his leadership and administrative capacities. But when it comes to battle, Diomed argues, Agamemnon lacks courage in the face of danger. "Valor" Diomed argues, is the highest "might" and the highest "right," but he claims Agamemnon does not possess valor and therefore is not qualified to lead such men as the Achaeans in battle. In a multi-themed rhetorical question intended to set-up his own answer, Diomed asks Agamemnon if he thinks the sons of Achaeans are "unwarlike" and "cowardly" as he claims Agamemnon has implied. The first themeatic  implication of the rhetorical question is one in which Diomed has now turned the implications of the words against Agamemnon, implying that it is Agamemnon who is unwarlike and cowardly, the evidence for which may be found in his desire to flee the battle and return home. He then answers his rhetorical question by stating that he and the rest of his fighters will stand and fight; they will not return with Agamemnon. Diomed tells Agamemnon that if his sights are set on returning home, then he ought to take his ships an flee. But as for he and his fellow warriors, they will stay and fight. Even, he says, if the other Achaeans fell and leave only himself and Sthenelus, then he and Sthenelus will stand alone and fight until they reach Ilius because heaven was with them from the outset.

            I chose this argument made by Diomed because it shows exemplary courage of conviction in the face of defeat and harsh odds. It is the argument of a man who absolutely believes in his cause and whose charisma is so powerful and convincing that he is able to reinvigorate a wholly dejected and defeated army council, deriding defeatism, exalting valor and courage,  and rallying them to belief in possible victory.