In the middle of Book 9 of Iliad there are six little epic songs, which are the speeches of the three ambassadors, Odysseus, Phoinix, and Aias, and the reply of Achilleus to each one. Trying to persuade Achilleus to rejoin the fighting, all three ambassadors give their speeches. However, it is Phoinix' speech that contains the most compelling arguments because his speech is very personal to Achilleus.
             Odysseus is a spokesman for Agamemnon and therefore speaks first because of his rhetorical skills. In his speech, Odysseus repeats word for word most of Agamemnon's earlier speech, which mostly consists the list of the gifts that Agamemnon is offering to Achilleus but Odysseus purposely, adds a few things from himself. Il9. 244-246 "All this I fear terribly in my heart, lest immortals accomplish all these threats, and lest for us it be destiny to die here in Troy, far away from horse-pasturing Argos." What he says is that if Achilleus won't help them, the Trojans are going to destroy Achaians ships and they won't be able to go back home, and they would die in Troy. Then the counselor counts out all the gifts that Agamemnon offers to him. The last few lines of the Odysseus' speech are his own too. He says to Achilleus that if he really hates Agamemnon and he doesn't want to accept his gifts, he asks him to take pity on the Achaians because they will honor him as a god if he will help them. Il9. 300-303 "But if the son of Atreus is too much hated in your heart, himself and his gifts, at least take pity on all the other Achaians, who are afflicted along the host, and will honour you as a god. You may win very great glory among them."
             Achilleus' reply to Odysseus is the most powerful speech in the Iliad. Achilleus' speech is very significant because he says things that the ambassadors never heard before. Up to this point "honor" was the most important...