In this episode, we dive into the opening chapter of Homer’s The Iliad, where the stage is set for an epic conflict. The Achaeans are battling the Trojans, but a bitter quarrel between two of the greatest Greek warriors, Achilles and Agamemnon, threatens to unravel their efforts. The conflict begins over a prize of war, the captive woman Briseis, which Agamemnon takes from Achilles, sparking Achilles’ wrath. 

As Achilles withdraws from the battlefield in a fury, he calls on his divine mother, Thetis, to seek vengeance from Zeus. Meanwhile, Agamemnon’s arrogance and disrespect towards Achilles bring devastation to the Greek army.

Tensions rise, and the battle for honour, pride, and power takes centre stage. The episode concludes with Achilles’ decision to stay out of the fight, leaving the Greeks vulnerable and setting the stage for the war’s unpredictable next moves.