This, the only occasion in the Iliad when furious Achilles smiles serves as a bittersweet reminder of the difference real leadership could have made to the events of the Iliad. Agamemnon's panicked prize-grabbing in Book One and even Nestor's rambling "authority" pale beside Achilles' instinctive and absolute command of himself and the dangers of this occasion.
About This Quote
Themes
- Leadership — Guiding others with vision, integrity, and purpose
- War — Reflections on conflict, peace, and the human cost of war