Briseis
heroBriseis was the captive woman taken from Achilles by Agamemnon — the cause of Achilles' wrath that nearly destroyed the Greek army at Troy.
The Myth
Briseis was a Trojan woman captured by Achilles. When Agamemnon lost Chryseis, he seized Briseis to assert his authority. For Achilles, this was not about a woman but about honour (time) — his worth as the greatest warrior denied by an inferior man. Achilles withdrew from battle and asked Zeus to let the Greeks suffer. The resulting Trojan onslaught killed Patroclus and drove the plot to its tragic conclusion.
Parents
Briseus
Symbols
Fun Fact
Briseis has almost no voice in the Iliad — she weeps silently when led away. Modern retellings like Pat Barker's The Silence of the Girls give her a perspective.
Explore Further
Achilles
heroThe greatest warrior in the Greek army at Troy, nearly invulnerable thanks to being dipped in the...
Agamemnon
heroAgamemnon led the Greek coalition against Troy but was murdered upon return by his wife...
Chryseis
heroChryseis was the priest's daughter whose captivity by Agamemnon and forced return sparked the...
Patroclus
heroPatroclus was Achilles' closest companion whose death in borrowed armour at Hector's hands was the...
Zeus
godSupreme ruler of the Olympian gods and lord of the sky. Zeus overthrew his father Kronos and...
Actaeon
heroActaeon was a master hunter who accidentally saw Artemis bathing naked — she transformed him into a...