The Illiad, 1.100-113 “Achilles, favorite of Zeus, you tell me To speak about the wrath of Lord Apollo, The distant archer god- and I will do so, If you will swear that you will keep me safe. Protect me with your actions and your words. I am afraid I may enrage a man Who has great power over all the Greeks, Whom everybody follows and obeys. A leader is more powerful and stronger When he is angry with a lesser man. He may consume his anger for that day, But he will keep the grudge inside his belly Until at last he acts on it. So tell me If you will keep me safe.” We were introduced to Calchas just a few lines earlier, where he was described as having a skill for interpreting ‘signs from birds’. In our contemporary era this sort of description reads as a frivolous skill, like palm readings, or reading tea leaves. Whether this was intended as a dismissive trade in the context for which it was written might be open for interpretation but understanding that many Gods often took the form of birds when communing with mortals lends a credence to his abilities. Therefore we can assume that the choice to use ‘birds’ here is an intentional nod to the divine. With only that line as our precursor, our Author(s) immediately show us the capabilities of Calchas. Here they have the character Not jump straight in to delivering the solution to their groups troubles- and his initial silence on the matter implies he is confident in his understanding of their trespass against Apollo. Here he is more concerned with the fallout of serving as the messenger for this obvious truth he has already grasped. Instead they have Calchas turn to Achilles and extract a promise from him. From this choice we learn much about Calchas in quick succession; he knows exactly how they have transgressed, he knows the price of making amends, he knows doing so will offend someone with more power than him, and he knows this person will direct their anger against him if he should tell them what they must do to appease Apollo. “You tell me to speak about the wrath of Lord Apollo/ … and I will do so… I am afraid I may enrage a man”. Calchas speaks here not just with confidence, but equally with a sense of honesty and duty. Our author might have chosen to have them soften their ultimate solution with a sense of false humility that would allow the man he fears enraging to second guess his coming assertion- but that would not have stopped the plague that was afflicting the Greek forces. This tells us Calchas feels a deep and abiding sense of duty to his comrades. He will not disguise the truth (and allow more men to die) to save his own skin. The second half of this quote also indicates there is a specific man to blame. From this we can infer that Calchas is keenly aware of not just the moods and will of the gods- but of everything that is happening around their camp. He is as well informed of the present as he is of the past or future. His pleading tells us that while he is respected for his skills of insight, he is not necessarily in a political position of safety. Whatever divine favor he may be privileged to is not something he intends to rely on for his immediate safety, Calchas is supremely aware of exactly where he sits in the social hierarchy. In the same breath as we determine where Calchas falls in his social hierarchy, we also learn the relative positions of the two other men invoked in this passage. “I am afraid I may enrage a man/ Who has great power over all the Greeks/ Whom everybody follows and obeys/ A leader is more powerful and stronger/ When he is angry with a lesser man” while the man Calchas fears is a great and powerful leader, Achilles is near enough to the other in status (or possibly stature, we know how the Greeks loved to equate height with beauty and character)to protect him from the fallout of angering this supremely powerful man. We learn as well- Calchas’ assessment of these other men's characters. Not only is the transgressor prone to anger (and potentially petulant in the face of accountability) but he has no qualms about punishing or harming those he considers to be “lower” than himself. Achilles- if Calchas’ assessment is a reliable basis for assumption- is not just socially and physically powerful; he is also a man of his word. Calchas requested Achilles give him his word in front of their gathered companions that he would protect him, and once he had it, he delivered the cause and solution to their encampments woes. His foresight is then immediately illustrated to be true in the following passage. The moment Calchas explains their transgression Agamemnon leaps from his seat and starts raining down petty insults on the prophet, accusing him of only ever delivering bad news, as if this were to spite him personally. This verse serves to reaffirm what we have insinuated from the former, that Calchas is a confident and capable prophet. A man who's skilled not just at interpreting the mystical, but understanding the practical ramifications of his power and position, and the nature of his peers. In this way our passage shows us Calchas’ skill for interpreting ‘signs from birds’ in action, as well as his understanding of consequence; this information comes together to paint a portrait of a singularly wise individual. It’s the culmination of understanding the gods, and in understanding them also understanding those around him and the way the world works. Most importantly he understands his place in this world, and in this hierarchical social system. Though all these affirmations do slightly change the nature of one of Calchas’ lines. The nature of the verse “He may consume his anger for that day/ But he will keep the grudge inside his belly/ Until at last he acts on it” once we’ve understood Calchas’ foresight to be accurate, changes from a simple statement of fact, to illustrating Agamemnon's rage to be something like Chekhov's gun. A threat that might sit and simmer for days or years until he can wring some semblance of petty revenge out of the prophet. Whether his vow from Achilles will be enough to truly protect him from this king will now hang over the characters ultimate fate, and keeps us invested in his future.