Why Does Achilles Finally Enter The Battle? Unraveling The Warriors Motivation

“Why didn’t Achilles engage in battle when the Trojan War first began?” This question stems from a significant event during the early stages of the war. Agamemnon, the leader of the Greek forces, was compelled to return a priest of Apollo’s daughter, whom he had taken as a war prize. To compensate for this loss, Agamemnon made the controversial decision to seize Achilles’ own war prize, Briseis. Achilles had a deep attachment to Briseis and, in response to Agamemnon’s action, he not only refused to participate in the ongoing conflict but also contemplated returning to Greece in protest of this perceived injustice. This conflict over war prizes and honor played a pivotal role in shaping the events of the Trojan War.

When Paris abducted Helen and took her to Troy, her husband Menelaus, seeking to recover his wife, reached out to the Greek leaders for assistance. This appeal triggered the prospect of war, a notion that met with resistance from some leaders who were hesitant to put their lives and the lives of their soldiers in jeopardy for this particular cause. However, it was Odysseus who managed to convince several reluctant leaders to join him in the war effort, and among those persuaded was the formidable warrior, Achilles.

Achilles’ refusal to rejoin the Greek army was prompted by a series of events. Initially, Agamemnon, the leader of the Greeks, angered Achilles by taking Briseis, a woman who had been awarded to Achilles as a prize of war. This action came after Briseis’ father, who served in Apollo’s temple, successfully negotiated for her release, thereby stripping Agamemnon of his claim to her. This move by Agamemnon left Achilles feeling dishonored and resentful. As a result, he withdrew from the battlefield, retreating to his tent in a fit of anger, and adamantly refused to participate in further combat. This significant rift between Achilles and the Greek forces had far-reaching consequences for the course of the Trojan War.