The Trojan WarThe Trojan War

http://www.stanford.edu/~plomio/history.html

Once upon a time, in ancient Once upon a time, in ancient Greece, there was a man Greece, there was a man named Peleus…named Peleus…

……and a sea-goddess named and a sea-goddess named ThetisThetis

Peleus and Thetis loved each Peleus and Thetis loved each other very much, so they other very much, so they decided to get marrieddecided to get married

Well, the Well, the trouble began trouble began when they didwhen they didnn ’’t invite the t invite the goddess Eris to goddess Eris to their weddingtheir wedding

Eris was not Eris was not happy, having happy, having been rejected been rejected like that, so like that, so she showed up she showed up and crashed and crashed the wedding the wedding partyparty

In a rage, she threw a golden apple In a rage, she threw a golden apple onto the table and declared that onto the table and declared that the apple would belong to the the apple would belong to the fairest maiden in the land.fairest maiden in the land.

Now there were three goddesses, Now there were three goddesses, and each one believed that she and each one believed that she deserved the golden appledeserved the golden apple

Hera Athena Aphrodite

““II’’m the fairest,m the fairest,”” said Hera. said Hera. ““No, I am,No, I am,”” replied Athena. replied Athena. ““Well, youWell, you’’re both wrong,re both wrong,””

Aphrodite announced. Aphrodite announced. ““Everyone knows that I am Everyone knows that I am the fairest of all.the fairest of all.””

““Ladies, ladieLadies, ladies,s,”” said Zeus, said Zeus, the king of the the king of the gods. gods. ““We will We will let Paris let Paris decide who is decide who is the fairest.the fairest.””

Now Paris was Now Paris was the Prince of the Prince of Troy, and he Troy, and he was considered was considered by many to be by many to be a very a very handsome man.handsome man.

In an attempt to influence ParisIn an attempt to influence Paris’’s vote, s vote, each goddess promised him a gift:each goddess promised him a gift:

Hera – powerHera – power

Athena – wealthAthena – wealth

Aphrodite – the most beautiful Aphrodite – the most beautiful woman in the woman in the worldworld

Paris chose Paris chose Aphrodite, which Aphrodite, which meant that meant that Helen, who was Helen, who was currently married currently married to Menelaus, to Menelaus, would become would become his wife…even if his wife…even if he had to steal he had to steal her away from her away from her husband!her husband!

So Paris set off for Sparta to So Paris set off for Sparta to capture Helen.capture Helen.

Back in Troy, Paris and Back in Troy, Paris and Helen got married…Helen got married…

……but they did but they did NOTNOT live live happily ever after.happily ever after.

When Menelaus When Menelaus discovered what discovered what Paris had done, Paris had done, he was furious! he was furious! He vowed to He vowed to wage war on wage war on Troy.Troy.

The Trojan War lasted for ten yearsThe Trojan War lasted for ten years

Hector (Trojan Hector (Trojan hero) was killedhero) was killed

Paris killed Paris killed Achilles (Greek Achilles (Greek hero)hero)

Even with all their Even with all their successes, the successes, the Greeks could not Greeks could not seem to break seem to break down the walls of down the walls of Troy.Troy.

Odysseus (King of Ithaca) got an Odysseus (King of Ithaca) got an idea.idea.

““I know,I know,”” he said. he said. ““WeWe’’ll build a ll build a large, hollow wooden horse that large, hollow wooden horse that our soldiers can hide inside. Then our soldiers can hide inside. Then we will take the horse into Troy we will take the horse into Troy and do away with the Trojans once and do away with the Trojans once and for all.and for all.””

The Trojan Horse, The Trojan Horse, as it came to be as it came to be called, was built called, was built and offered as a and offered as a gift to the Trojansgift to the Trojans

The Trojans The Trojans eventually eventually accepted the gift accepted the gift and took it into and took it into their city their city

Later that night, after most of Troy was Later that night, after most of Troy was asleep, the Greek warriors climbed out of asleep, the Greek warriors climbed out of the horse and slaughtered the Trojans.the horse and slaughtered the Trojans.

King Priam, ruler of the Trojans, was killed.King Priam, ruler of the Trojans, was killed.

Home sweet home…Home sweet home… After the war After the war

was over, the was over, the Greeks Greeks (including the (including the mastermind, mastermind, Odysseus) set Odysseus) set sail for homesail for home

The story you are about to read The story you are about to read picks up here…with Odysseuspicks up here…with Odysseus’’s s voyage home to Ithacavoyage home to Ithaca

THE ENDTHE END (oops! I mean (oops! I mean

THE BEGINNING…)THE BEGINNING…)