The Iliad tells the story of the quarrel between Agamemnon and Achilles in the final year of the siege of Troy: Agamemnon took from Achilles an attractive slave, a spoil of war named Briseis. In response, Achilles, the greatest warrior of the age, withdrew from battle, nearly costing the Greek armies the war.

As commander-in-chief, he summoned the princes to the council and led the army in battle. He took to the field and performed many heroic deeds until he was wounded and forced to withdraw to his tent. His chief fault was his overwhelming haughtiness. An over-exalted opinion of his position led him to insult Chryses and Achilles, thereby bringing great disaster upon the Greeks.

Cassandra, the daughter of King Priam and Queen Hecuba of Troy, as a child was admired by Apollo at his temple and she promised herself to the god upon coming of age, and so was given by him the gift of prophecy. But when coming of age, she denied her promise and so Apollo added to his previous gift the curse: never to be believed, so her warning to her father of the approaching attack went unheeded.