Editing Calchas (section)

=== ''Iliad'' ===
In the ''Iliad'', Calchas is cast as the [[apostle]] of divine truth. His most powerful skeptic is [[Agamemnon]] himself. Before the events of the ''Iliad'', at the beginning of the expedition, Agamemnon had to sacrifice his daughter [[Iphigenia]] to receive favorable sailing winds. At the beginning of the ''Iliad'' Calchas delivers another blow to him.

In open assembly, Calchas prophesied that the captive [[Chryseis]], a spoil of war awarded to Agamemnon, must be returned to her father [[Chryses]] in order to propitiate [[Apollo]] into lifting the plague he sent as punishment for Agamemnon's disrespect of Chryses, Apollo's priest. Agamemnon exploded in anger and called the prophet a "visionary of hell" (Fitzgerald translation) and accused Calchas of rendering unfair prophecies. Fearing Agamemnon, Calchas had already secured a champion in Achilles, who spoke against Agamemnon in heated terms in assembly. Agamemnon grudgingly accepted the edict of Apollo (supported by the Assembly) that he give up his prize, but, as an insult to Achilles, threatens to take Achilles’ own female prize as recompense. There follows "the wrath of Achilles," part righteous anger, part galling resentment over the unjustified overreaching of Agamemnon, part love for his war bride. This dispute is a central focus of the epic.

Later in the story, [[Poseidon]] assumes the form of Calchas in order to rouse and empower the Greek forces while [[Zeus]] is not observing the battle.