Editing Ate (mythology) (section)

====Agamemnon's apology====
In Book 19, [[Agamemnon]] attempts to excuse himself for having taken Briseis from Achilles, by blaming the "accursed" Ate (among others) for blinding his mind:<ref>Hard, [https://books.google.com/books?id=r1Y3xZWVlnIC&pg=PA31 p. 31]; Dodds, [https://archive.org/details/greeksirrational0000dodd_n4g5/page/2/mode/2up?view=theater pp. 2&ndash;3]. For a detailed commentary on Book 19 see Coray 2016.</ref>

{{blockquote|It is not I who am at fault, but Zeus and Fate and Erinys, that walks in darkness, since in the place of assembly they cast on my mind fierce blindness [''atē''] on that day when on my own authority I took from Achilles his prize. But what could I do? It is a god that brings all things to their end. Eldest daughter of Zeus is Ate who blinds all&mdash; accursed one; delicate are her feet, for it is not the ground that she touches, but she walks over the heads of men, bringing men to harm, and this one or that she ensnares.|[[Homer]], ''[[Iliad]]'' [https://www.loebclassics.com/view/homer-iliad/1924/pb_LCL171.341.xml 19.86&ndash;94]; translation by A.T. Murray, revised by William F. Wyatt}}

Phoenix's speech in Book 9 and Agamemnon's in Book 19 reveal different aspects of Ate's nature. The first emphasizes Ate's strength and speed, and her use by Zeus to punish (in this case, those who disregard Prayers). The second describes Ate's soft feet, walking not on the ground, but above the "heads of men", where, apparently unnoticed, she brings "men to harm".<ref>Coray, p. 55 on 91&ndash;94.</ref>

To further excuse his conduct,<ref>Coray, pp. 50&ndash;51 on 86b&ndash;138.</ref> Agamemnon tells the story&mdash;as an illustration of Ate's great power<ref>Held, p. 253.</ref>&mdash;of how:
{{blockquote|[Ate] once even blinded Zeus, though men say that he is the greatest among men and gods;|[[Homer]], ''[[Iliad]]'' [https://www.loebclassics.com/view/homer-iliad/1924/pb_LCL171.341.xml 19.95&ndash;96]; translation by A.T. Murray, revised by William F. Wyatt}}

According to Agamemnon, when [[Alcmene]] was about to give birth to Zeus's son [[Heracles]], Zeus, in his great pride, boasted that on that day would be born a man, of Zeus's blood, who would be king of the [[Argives]]. But Hera tricked Zeus into swearing an unbreakable oath such that whatever man, of Zeus's blood, born that day would be king. Then Hera delayed the birth of Heracles, and caused [[Eurystheus]], the great-grandson of Zeus, to be born prematurely, and thus Heracles lost the birthright Zeus had intended for him. Zeus (like Agamemnon) blamed Ate for blinding him to Hera's trickery.<ref>Hard, [https://books.google.com/books?id=r1Y3xZWVlnIC&pg=PA31 p. 31]; Gantz, p. 10; [[Homer]], ''[[Iliad]]'' [http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.01.0134%3Abook%3D19%3Acard%3D74 19.95&ndash;124]. For a description of the parallel structure between the preceding section of the ''Iliad'' and this section, showing the links Agamemnon is trying to make between himself and Zeus, see Coray, p. 51 on 86b&ndash;138.</ref> As punishment, an enraged Zeus:

{{blockquote|seized Ate by her bright-tressed head,<ref>According to Coray, p. 72 on 126&ndash;127 'shining hair', such language implying "carefully coiffed hair, gleaming with the oil used to care for it, is a mark of a refined appearance ... and is part of Ate’s alluring look".</ref> angered in his mind, and swore a mighty oath that never again to Olympus and the starry heaven should Ate come, who blinds all. So said he, and whirling her in his hand flung her from the starry heaven, and quickly she came to the tilled fields of men. At thought of her would he ever groan when he saw his dear son in disgraceful toil at Eurystheus’ tasks.|[[Homer]], ''[[Iliad]]'' [http://data.perseus.org/citations/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0012.tlg001.perseus-eng1:19.114-19.153 19.126&ndash;133]; translation by A.T. Murray, revised by William F. Wyatt}}