During the
Trojan War (prior to the actions described in
Homer's
Iliad),
Agamemnon took Chryses' daughter
Chryseis (Astynome) from
Moesia as a war prize. When Chryses attempted to ransom her, Agamemnon refused to return her. Chryses
prayed to
Apollo, and he, in order to defend the honor of his priest, sent a plague sweeping through the Greek armies. Agamemnon was forced to give Chryseis back in order to end it. The significance of Agamemnon's actions lies not in his kidnapping Chryseis (such abductions were commonplace in ancient Greece), but in his refusal to release her upon her father's request. ==References==