The fleet arrives in Aulis, a strategic location chosen by king Agamemnon for assembling the soldiers of Greece before they set sail.
Achilles and his men disembark under the observation of the other warriors present; their arrival is marked by an aura of divinity surrounding Achilles, assumed to have been manifested by his mother, the sea nymph Thetis.
Achilles asserts his leadership and differentiates himself from the rest by refusing to submit to Agamemnon and instead, he declares his divine status and his skills as a warrior.
Achilles's assertion ignites unity among the men who openly express their anticipation about his performance in the imminent war against the Trojans.
Agamemnon tries to belittle Achilles' role in the coming war by pointing out his belated arrival, showing the tension and power struggle between them.
As they prepare their camp, the herald in service of Menelaus, brother of the king Agamemnon, offers a tour of the encampment, manifesting the diplomatic tension between Achilles and the royal brothers.
Achilles, notwithstanding any divine intervention, carries himself with grace and earns respect from fellow soldiers who perceive him as their best warrior.