After reading the speech Agamemnon gives right before he sends the embassyto Achilles, I was almost sure that Achilles would turn down his plentiful offer. Agamemnon is willing to give him back Briseis, along with horses, women, and citadels. The problem is that he proposes all of this in lieu of an apology. From the little I gathered of Achilles" character, I was able to conclude that he is very protective of his pride. Agamemnon still addresses Achilles as his subordinate and this is where the problem lies.
The embassy meets Achilles and reveals to him Agamemnon's offer. They plea with him forget about Agamemnon, relent, and fight for them - his comrades. Achilles, like I predicted, quickly turns down the offer. In fact, he is outraged by it. Not once did the embassy mention Agamemnon feeling guilty or apologetic for humiliating Achilles in the first place. For this reason, Achilles is right for turning down the priceless ransom. .
In my opinion, Agamemnon is very hypocritical. Achilles believes that Agamemnon forces the men of Argos to battle with Troy for the sole purpose of winning Helen back. This shows that Agamemnon understands what love is and wants nothing more than to get his brother's wife back, even if it takes the lives of hundreds and thousands of his men. Achilles loves Briseis and Agamemnon rips her from him, without remorse. Not for one second does Agamemnon think that he is doing to Achilles what Paris did to Menelaus - stealing the love of his life.
Sometimes fighting for something one believes in is more important than being looked at as the strongest, most courageous, and greatest fighter. In this case, Achilles felt as though he was maltreated and humiliated. Why should he risk the rest of his life fighting for a cause he finds absurd? Although he sits on the sidelines and watches many innocent die, I think that he is honorable for not giving into Agamemnon.
