Book 14 Summary

Nestor meets with Agamemnon, Diomedes, and Odysseus, who were all wounded in Book Eleven, to discuss what they might do now that they are wounded and cannot fight. Agamemnon is discouraged and suggests the best thing would be for them to gradually move all the ships out into the sea, so that at nightfall they can all abandon the war and go home.

Odysseus is indignant that Agamemnon would even let such words escape his teeth, and Agamemnon is hurt but asks if anyone has any better ideas. Diomedes, the youngest among them, speaks. He suggests they all go to the battlefield, holding themselves out of reach of arrows to avoid becoming further wounded, but remaining clearly visible to their own troops to drive them forward. The others agree, and Agamemnon leads them on their way. Poseidon then appears to Agamemnon, encouraging him...