Ulysses says that Achilles is so assured of his own superiority - pride, the chief deadly sin and that by which the devils fell now possesses him as if a devil had entered him - that he disdains speech of any kind. Imagined worth causes havoc in himself that between his mind and his body, he batters himself. Ulysses wonders what more he could say about the whole issue. He continues that Achilles has grown so full of the plague of pride that the signs of mortal sickness had already appeared and cried ‘No recovery.’

Agamemnon tells them to let Ajax go to Achilles - he turns to Ajax and tells him to go into Achilles tent and greet him. He says that it is known that Achilles holds Ajax in high esteem and will probably listen to him. Ulysses stops the move. He tells Agamemnon not to pander to Achilles. In a clever speech intended to stroke Ajax’s pride, he says that Achilles, the proud lord who bastes his arrogance in his own grease and only allows that business of the outer world to enter his thoughts that leads him to reflect on himself. His own excellence, shouldn’t be ‘worshipped by someone who is held in higher regard that himself. He is suggesting that the company held Ajax in higher regard and as more precious to them than Achilles. He continues that Ajax the ‘thrice worthy and right valiant lord’ should not cheapen his laurels and stain signs of his superiority. Ulysses says that it would only make Achilles even more proud if he went to Achilles.

In another aside, Diomedes remarks that Ajax silence signified that he was drinking up this applause. Ajax threatens to bash Achilles face if he goes to him. Agamemnon says that Ajax should not go. Ajax says he will freeze AchillesÂ’ pride and insists on going to him. Ulysses says that it would not be worth it. Ajax proclaims Achilles a paltry, insolent fellow. In an aside, Nestor comments that Ajax describes himself.

Ajax asks of Achilles: ‘Can he not be sociable?’ Ulysses compares the scenario to that of a raven chiding blackness. And so the Greeks play Ajax against Achilles until Ulysses suggests that they send Ajax to fight Hector, even going to such an extent as to say:

‘Thank the heavens, lord, thou art of sweet composure, Praise him that gat thee, she that gave thee suck; Fam’d be thy tutor, and thy parts of nature.’ He goes on praising him in that vein even saying that if old wise Nestor was as young as Ajax and his brain so composed he would not have been superior to him. Ajax is so taken in by all the praise that he even turns to Nestor and asks: ‘Shall I call you father?’

Ulysses then proposes that Ajax fight Hector on the following day. Agamemnon says that they will sit in council while Achilles sleeps. Before exiting he draws another comparison between the two warriors Ajax and Achilles, and comments that light boats sail swiftly, though large cargo vessels like Achilles draw deep.

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