Reading Notes, The Iliad, A

There are two Ajax in this story. I should give them different names.
Agamemnon takes Cryse hostage and plans to carry her back home with him.
I might prefer to have Cryse take more direct action in her rescue. Rather than Apollo punishing the Greeks, I could have Cryse escape and exact revenge on them using witchcraft.
I don't, in fact, like any of the women being treated like playing cards. That was all normal enough in ancient Greece but I may simply cut out the part of Achilles' presumption that he owns the woman he stole. At that, I will have to invent another reason for him to curse Agamemnon and his army.
After losing far too many warriors to Achilles, Hector rallies his troops and fight valiantly against the Greeks, pushing them to desperation.
Agamemnon sends his men to ask Achilles to rejoin the battle armed with promises of riches. Here, leave out the promised slaves. Possibly leave out his daughter's hand in marriage. He refuses.

The source for bitterness could still be witchcraft from the women they wronged on their way to Troy. Have sacked and razed so many cities a multitude of curses could be following the army, turning Agamemnon against Achilles, turning Achilles bitter, and leading to the death of Patroclus.

(Image: vase depicting Achilles and Patroclus, picture by Bibi Saint-Pol)

Story Source: The Iliad, retold by Alfred J. Church