Divine Might: Goddesses in Greek Myth

by Natalie Haynes

In the final book of the Odyssey, Homer says that all nine Muses sang at the funeral of Achilles.10 Agamemnon – speaking from beyond the grave – tells Achilles what happened in the aftermath of his dying. It is characteristic of their relationship that even after both men have died, Agamemnon still feels that Achilles has all the luck. You were blessed, Agamemnon declares, to die at Troy, far from Argos. I feel sure you can guess where Agamemnon died, because his grudge-bearing is barely subtextual. It’s right there on the surface for all to see. Why might Agamemnon be so resentful? Well, according to his account here, he died at the hands of his wife’s murderous boyfriend, Aegisthus. There is no mention of his funeral, and we can assume it was perfunctory at best. Whereas Achilles – as Agamemnon relates at some length – had a grand send-off, attended by divinities including the sea nymphs and the Muses. All nine of whom sang lamentations for him. So this is what it means to be the son of a goddess and die a hero’s death: the Muses themselves will sing at your funeral.