The Trojan War

How It Got Started, Why It Was Fought, and How Everything Turned

Out All Right…for Almost Everybody

Athena

Aphrodite

Hera

Eris and the Apple of Discord

The ContestParis is promised many things…

Aphrodite promises him the most

beautiful woman in the world as his

bride…

…Hera promises him the kingship

of Europe and Asia…

…and Athena promises him

victory over the Greeks in war.

Paris Chooses a Bride…Aphrodite tells him of a beautiful woman,

wife of the mighty King of Sparta, who shall be his.

Her name is Helen.

King Menelaus leaves for Crete, trusting Paris in his home with his treasures and his wife.

While Menelaus is away, Paris kidnaps Helen and

carries her away to the high-walled city of Troy.

CUNNING ODYSSEUS

Odysseus had a beautiful wife and a young son. He had no desire to go fight someone else’s war.He pretended to be insane by planting salt.A sane man could not kill his child.

MIGHTY ACHILLES

He was “glad” to join the army.

…and the Trojan War Begins.

A thousand ships set sail for the four-walled city of Troy, led by Menelaus.

The war lasted ten years.

He was the commander of armies.

He stole Achilles’ prize maiden, Bryseis, for which the god Apollo caused the Greek camp to be stricken

with a plague.

Brother of Menelaus, son of AtreusAgamemnon, Lord of Men

Agamemnon

(or Akhilleus)

River Styx

The Tale of Mighty Achilles

The Greek Myth of Achilles: Born of a god and a mortal, it is said that his mother dipped his body into the River Styx so that he’d become immortal. She held him by his ankle, thus leaving one vulnerable spot: his achilles.

Achilles, continuedAchilles refuses to

help fight in the Trojan War because

Agamemnon had stolen his prize lady.

He stayed in his tent a long time,

and refused to fight even when

Agamemnon brought her back.

Patroclus:Achilles’ best friend and cousin. He wears

his armor in the battle, in which he falls to the mighty

Hector.

Achilles swears vengeance, and his mother has

Hephaestus make him some new

armor.

Achilles, continuedAchilles dons his new armor, confronts Hector,

and kills him.

After stripping the armor off, he ties Hector’s body to the back of his chariot and drags it around the walls of

Troy.

This did not please the gods.

Achilles, concluded

Apollo then caused an arrow, shot by Paris himself, to fly at the

only vulnerable spot on Achilles’ body, the heel, and kill him.

Odysseus was given the mighty armor in remembrance of the mighty Achilles.

Master of the HouseThe most formidable of all of the captains was Odysseus, Son of Laertes and King of Ithaca.

Wise beyond comparison, Odysseus was a master of disguise, of

craftiness, of cunning, and of guile—no one could outwit this man

skilled in all ways of contending.

The Master’s PlanThe Story of the Trojan Horse

Troy fell overnight.

A wooden horse was given to Troy as a peace offering. Inside hid the Spartan Army, who, once inside the Trojan walls, had no problem overtaking Troy.

Introduction to Homer’sThe Odyssey

An Overview of Detail from Books I-IV

Book I: Odysseus is stranded.

Poseidon has decided to impede Odysseus’ journey home (we’ll find

out why later).

Odysseus is languishing on Calypso’s island: Ogygia. Calypso has fallen in love with him and refuses to let him

leave.

Meanwhile back at home in Ithaca, Penelope is dealing with a mob of suitors, who insist that she

must marry one of them.

Trouble at Home.

Athena Inspires the Prince

Meanwhile back in Ithaca, his son, Telemachus, believes that Odysseus is dead.

Athena travels to Ithaca to speak to him.

Disguised as the warrior Mentes, she advises Telemachus to tell the

suitors to leave and to take a journey to find his father.

She predicts that Odysseus will soon be home.

Book II: Telemachus Sets SailPrince Telemachus takes his father’s seat in the courtyard and addresses the suitors and all the

nobles of Ithaca.In despair, he cries out to Athena, who is

actually standing right by him.She assures him that he has ALL of the

qualities that his father does.

They set sail for Pylos in search of news of Odysseus.

Book III: King Nestor RemembersTelemachus and Athena arrive in Pylos as the king and others are sacrificing to Poseidon.

He tells them of Athena’s anger toward the Greeks for not giving thanks after the

war.He encourages them to sail on to Sparta to speak with King

Menelaus for more information.

Book IV: The King and Queen of Sparta

Telemachus arrives by chariot to Menelaus’ palace.

No one but Helen recognizes him as Odysseus’ son because he looks so much like his father.

In the morning, Menelaus tells his homecoming story and the vague rumors that he has heard of Odysseus…

…and the suitors begin planning Telemachus’ death…