However, if Agamemnon was reasonable, Achilles would not be hiding away. Achilles is not pouting, but preserving his honor. Homer is just trying to show his readers that Agamemnon is a bully to Achilles and Achilles wants Agamemnon to apologize and beg for his restoration into war because of the way he treated him. Instead of coming in person to talk to Achilles, Agamemnon sends Odysseus to try and convince Achilles to come back to war. However, Odysseus leaves out Agamemnon's rude comments regarding Achilles. The most offensive comment Agamemnon said about Achilles was, "Let him bow down to me! I am the greater king, I am the elder born, I claim – the greater king" (256). Agamemnon's ill-mannered remarks portrays Achilles to look even better than he already does. Achilles does not know that Odysseus leaves out the spiteful comments, but the readers know he left it out. Homer uses other characters like Odysseus to help empathize with Achilles. If Odysseus thinks the harsh remarks from Agamemnon are unnecessary, then maybe the audience will as well. .
Homer describes Achilles and Patroclus to be brother-like, so Patroclus' death was heart breaking not only to Achilles, but the readers as well. Patroclus told Achilles that he saw him as a father and that he was his son because he did not feel like he should be an equal to Achilles. Patrolcus' death was fated; however, the reader develops an attachment to Patroclus and the role he takes in Achilles' place. Patroclus goes farther than what Achilles told him to, and then is killed by Hector. Achilles feels like it is his fault Patroclus died because Patroclus was fighting in his place. The reader knows it is not Achilles' fault that he died, rather Patroclus' fault for not listening to Achilles. Nonetheless, Achilles still feels that it is his responsibility for what happened, causing the audience to feel remorse and sympathy for him and his situation.
