Question

from the iliad of homer
translated by richard lattimore
book twenty-two
so along the city the trojans, who had run like fawns, dried
the sweat off from their bodies and drank and slaked their thirst, leaning
along the magnificent battlements. meanwhile the achaians
sloping their shields across their shoulders came close to the rampart.
but his deadly fate held hektor shackled, so that he stood fast
in front of ilion and the skaian gates. now phoibos
apollo spoke aloud to peleion: \why, son of peleus,
do you keep after me in the speed of your feet, being mortal
while i am an immortal god? even yet you have not
seen that i am a god, but strain after me in your fury.
now hard fighting with the trojans whom you stampeded means nothing
to you. they are crowded in the city, but you bent away here.
you will never kill me. i am not one who is fated.\

deeply vexed achilleus of the swift feet spoke to him:
\you have balked me, striker from afar, most malignant of all gods,
when you turned me here away from the rampart, else many trojans
would have caught the soil in their teeth before they got back into ilion.
now you have robbed me of great glory, and rescued these people
lightly, since you have no retribution to fear hereafter.
else i would punish you, if only the strength were in me.\
he spoke and stalked away against the sky with high thoughts

which statement best describes why homer includes this speech from
achilleus’s perspective?

the speech establishes achilleus’s quest for
revenge.

the speech illustrates achilleus’s admiration of
athene.

the speech exposes achilleus’s feelings of
sadness.

the speech reveals achilleus’s sympathy for his
enemy.

Explanation:

1. Analyze Option 1: The speech has Achilleus expressing anger at Apollo for thwarting his chance to gain glory by killing more Trojans, showing his desire for revenge (since he was prevented from achieving what he wanted and is upset, wanting to punish Apollo if he could).
2. Analyze Option 2: The speech is directed at Apollo, not Athena, so this is incorrect.
3. Analyze Option 3: The speech shows anger/frustration, not sadness. Achilleus is vexed about being robbed of glory, not sad.
4. Analyze Option 4: Achilleus is angry at the Trojans' escape and at Apollo; there's no sympathy for enemies here.

Answer:

The speech establishes Achilleus’s quest for revenge.