Q8

[LSAT-Chang]

I was contemplating between B and C, and ended up choosing B because lines 47-49 says: "But he also deeply desires a victorious battle: "If this sacrifice will loose the winds, it is permitted to desire it fervently," -- isn't Agamemnon referring to his desire of a victorious battle? I didn't quite get it... Could anyone provide me an explanation as to why C is wrong and B is correct?

[zagreus77]

I was contemplating between B and C, and ended up choosing B because lines 47-49 says: "But he also deeply desires a victorious battle: "If this sacrifice will loose the winds, it is permitted to desire it fervently," -- isn't Agamemnon referring to his desire of a victorious battle? I didn't quite get it... Could anyone provide me an explanation as to why C is wrong and B is correct?

You had my heart in my throat in the last sentence-- you meant to say B wrong and C is correct.

The quote by Ag only had one thing that could be desired -- and that was the sacrifice--the purpose you noted was included in answer choice c , but with the correct logical structure: If the only way I can accomplish A is to do B then I must desire B. It requires attention to the structure of the quote., as well as the understanding of why he wanted to loose the winds -- to get to the battle ( or be victorious, which would be thwarted unless he could get there).

[mikuo0628]

The quote by Ag only had one thing that could be desired -- and that was the sacrifice--the purpose you noted was included in answer choice c , but with the correct logical structure: If the only way I can accomplish A is to do B then I must desire B. It requires attention to the structure of the quote., as well as the understanding of why he wanted to loose the winds -- to get to the battle ( or be victorious, which would be thwarted unless he could get there).

I picked B as well and the reason is because I took the first half of the sentence into consideration as well.

It was said that "... he also deeply desired a victorious battle", followed by a colon and the quote. First, I thought the quote acts as the support for the claim of desiring a victorious battle... I can't really imagine them being unrelated and independent of each other. That's what the colon is for right? Second, it might sound far fetched but me I feel the writer specifically chose to use the word "desires" to be consistent with the quote. Seeing the word in the quote immediately takes me back the author's claim.

The quote on its own I can understand the "it" being the sacrifice. But taken with the previous part, I can't see "it" being anything other than "a victorious battle".

[maryadkins]

Good discussion, and good question: B versus C!

So is the "it" he is permitted to desire the battle or the sacrifice? We can find the answer 2 places:

1. In the structure of the sentence. "If this sacrifice... it is permitted to desire it..." The "it" as a pronoun is referring to the sacrifice. That's the only noun we've been given for it to refer to in the quote.

2. Consider the context: why wouldn't it be permitted for him to desire winning the battle? What's controversial isn't his wanting victory, it's his wanting to sacrifice his own daughter to get it. That's what he is deciding is "permitted" by the goddess' approval.

As for the others...

(A) is incorrect because of "evade battle"
(D) and (E) are incorrect because of "As I alone have determined" and "As I have determined..."

Hope this clarifies things!

[mikuo0628]

Hi Mary,

Thanks for your explanation.

I understand your #1. The quote taken by itself is easy enough to see the pronoun "it" referring to the sacrifice.

But for contextual sake, regarding to the claim that he desires "victorious battle", am I right to think that's pretty much unsupported?

Just seems out of the blue that the first half claiming he desires victorious battle, and the second half (the quotation) talking about desiring the sacrifice. How does that connect?