THE TROJAN WAR: MYTHOLOGICAL BACKGROUND
Its Origin:
1. The Marriage of Peleus (a mortal) and Thetis (a sea nymph).
* Prometheus foretold that Thetis' son would be
greater than his father, so Jupiter decreed that Thetis
should marry a mortal.
a. All the gods and goddesses were invited except
Eris (or Discord).
b. Angered the Goddess (Eris) threw a golden apple
among the guests, with the inscription: "For the
Fairest".
c. Juno, Venus, and Minerva all claimed the apple.
* Not willing to make a decision, Jupiter sent them
to Mount Ida where Paris, the son of Priam, king of
Troy, was tending his flocks for a decision.
2. The Judgment of Paris:
a. Each goddess makes a promise:
Juno: power and riches.
Minerva: glory and renown in war.
Venus: the fairest of women for his
wife.
b. Paris decided in favor of Venus, thus making the
other two goddesses his enemies.
3. Under the protection of Venus, Paris traveled to Greece where
he was received by Menelaus, the king of Sparta, whose wife
Helen was destined to be his prize.
* Helen had been sought by numerous suitors who at
the suggestion of Ulysses, son of Laertes, King of
Ithaca, had taken an oath to accept her decision and
to avenge any wrong done to her.
4. Paris made love to Helen and, aided by Venus, persuaded her to
leave with him for Troy.
5. Menelaus sent out a call to all the Greek chieftains to aid him in
recovering his wife.
a. All came forward with a few exceptions.
b. Ulysses, happy with his wife Penelope, pretended
to be mad.
1. Palamedes placed Ulysses' son
Telemachus in front of a plow.
2. Ulysses turned the plow away
proving his sanity and agreed to go and
to also help in bringing Achilles.
c. Thetis knew that her son, Achilles, was fated to
perish before Troy.
1. She sent him to the court of King
Lycomedes of the island of Scyros.
2. Achilles was persuaded to disguise
himself as a maiden among the king's
daughters.
3. Ulysses went to the king's court as a
merchant offering jewelry for sale.
Arms had been placed among the
jewelry which Achilles handled
showing he was Achilles and he agreed
to join his countrymen in the war.
6. Agamemnon, king of Mycenae and brother of Menelaus, was
chosen commander and chief.
Principal Greek Warriors: Achilles, Ajax, Diomede, Ulysses,
and Nestor.
7. Priam, King of Troy and son of Laomedon.
Principal Trojan Warriors: Hector, son of Priam; Aeneas,
Deiphobus, Glaucus, and Sarpedon.
Iphigenia in Aulis:
1. After two years of preparation, the Greek fleet and army
assembled in the port of Aulis in Boetia.
a. Agamemnon had killed a stag that was sacred to
Diana.
b. The goddess visited the army with pestilence and
produced a calm which prevented the fleet from
sailing.
2. Calchas the soothsayer announced the anger of the virgin
goddess could only be appeased by the sacrifice of a virgin (only
the daughter of Agamemnon would be acceptable).
3. Agamemnon sent for his daughter, Iphigenia, telling her that
her marriage to Achilles was to be performed at once.
a. At the moment of sacrifice, Diana snatched the
maiden away and left a hind (a female deer).
b. Iphigenia, enveloped in a cloud, was taken to
Tauris, where Diana made her priestess of her
Temple.
Protesilaus and Laodamia:
1. The wind arose and the Greek fleet sailed to the coast of Troy.
2. The Greek landing was met by the Trojans were Hector killed
Protesilaus.
3. Laodamia, the wife of Protesilaus, asked the gods permission to
talk with her husband for three hours.
Her request was granted and Mercury led
Protesilaus to the upper world.
4. When Protesilaus died a second time Laodamia died with him.
It is said that nymphs planted elm trees round his
grave, which flourished till they were high enough to
command a view of Troy, then withered away,
giving place to fresh branches that sprang from the
roots.
Homer's Iliad: The war continued without decisive result for nine years. Then
an event occurred which seemed likely to prove fatal to the cause of the
Greeks, -------- a quarrel between Achilles and Agamemnon. It is at this
point that the great poem of Homer, the Iliad begins.
The Wrath of Achilles:
1. Unsuccessful against Troy, the Greeks had taken neighboring
and allied cities.
a. Division of the Spoil: Chryseis, daughter of
Chryses, priest of Apollo, - had been given to
Agamemnon.
b. Agamemnon refused Chryses' request for the
release of his daughter.
* The priest asked for the aid of Apollo
who sent a plague against the Greeks.
2. A Council was called:
a. Achilles accused Agamemnon of being the cause
of their misfortune.
b. Agamemnon agreed to release Chryseis, but
demanded Briseis, a maiden who had been given to
Achilles, be handed over to him.
3. Achilles agreed but declared his intention to take no further
action in the war, to withdraw his troops, and return to
Greece.
The Enlistment of the Gods:
The Greeks: Juno, Minerva, Neptune
The Trojans: Venus who enlisted the aid of Mars.
* Apollo remained neutral helping one side then the
other.
* Jupiter tried to remain impartial but there were
exceptions.
Thetis Intercedes for Achilles:
* Thetis appealed to Jupiter to grant success to
Trojan arms for the insult to her son. Jupiter finally
agreed, but warned her not to be seen by his wife,
Juno.
Agamemnon Calls a Council:
1. Agamemnon deceived by a dream sent by Jupiter calls for a
Council of the Greeks.
2. Attempting to arose them to fight the Trojans again, he tells
them of the joy they will feel on their return seeing their native
lands and families.
3. Nestor and especially Ulysses aware that the common soldier
inspired by such a hope would have launched the ships prevented
a revolt of arms desiring retreat.
4. The a banquet of the Greek chieftains is held after which the
Greeks prepare for battle.
Paris Plays the Champion:
1. Paris steps from the Trojan ranks to challenge one of the
Greeks in single combat.
2. Menelaus whom he betrayed leaped forward to accept the
challenge.
3. Paris overcome by his own treachery hides among the
Trojans.
Hector, the noblest of Priam's sons, persuades Paris
to consent to meet Menelaus in formal combat
between the opposing armies.
Helen and the wealth she brought was to be the
prize.
4. The Greeks accept the proposal, and a truce is agreed upon so
that sacrifices may be made on either side for victory.
5. Menelaus Defeats Paris:
a. Paris throws his spear: it strikes but does not
penetrate the shield of Menelaus.
b. Menelaus then strikes the helmet of Paris, and
seizes him by the horsehair crest of his helmet.
* As he drags Paris to the Grecian
lines, Venus touches the strap of Paris''
helmet and frees him.
* Venus then wraps Paris in a Mist and
carries him safely to Helen's bed
chamber.
c. The Greeks claim victory: the fate of Troy would
have been averted if the Trojans had met the terms of
the agreement.
6. Juno and Minerva: they did not want the hated city of Troy to
survive.
a. Prompted by Minerva, Pandarus, one of the
Trojans, breaks the truce by shooting an arrow at
Menelaus which Minerva deflects.
b. The battle which then began lasted for two whole
days.
Neptune Aids the Discouraged Greeks:
1. Hector, returning to the field, challenged the bravest of the
Greeks to combat.
a. Nine accept the challenge, but the task fell to
Ajax, the son of Telamon.
b. The duel lasted until night, and the heroes parted
testifying to the worth of the other.
2. The next day a truce was declared for the burning of the dead,
but when the battle began again he Greeks were driven back to
their trenches by the might of Hector and his troops.
3. Agamemnon called another Council of his chiefs.
a. Some seriously proposed sailing home to Greece.
b. Nestor proposed an embassy should be sent to
Achilles to persuade him to return to the field.
* Agamemnon should give up the
maiden, the cause of the dispute, and
enough gifts to make up for the wrong
he had done.
* Agamemnon agreed.
c. Ulysses, Ajax, and Phoenix were sent to carry the
message to Achilles.
* Achilles refused to return to battle
and stated his determination to return to
Greece.
4. The next day another battle was fought: The Trojans, favored
by Jupiter, forced a passage through the Grecian defenses.
a. The Trojans were about to set fire to the Greek
ships when Neptune intervened.
b. Neptune appeared in form of the prophet Calchas
-- having inspired the Greeks, they forced the
Trojans back.
* In the process: Hector was wounded
and carried off by his followers.
c. Juno distracted Jupiter away from the battle aided
by the Cestus, Venus' girdle (belt) which one could
not resist.
d. When Jupiter saw the wounded Hector, he
dismissed Juno and ordered her to send Iris and
Apollo to him.
1. Iris took a message to Neptune
ordering him to leave the battle.
2. Apollo was sent to heal the wounds
of Hector.
e. Hector returned to battle and Neptune departed.
Achilles and Patroclus:
1. An arrow from the bow of Paris had wounded Machaon, son of
Aesculapius, who was of great value to the Greeks as their
surgeon.
2. Nestor took Machaon from the field.
a. As they passed Achilles' ships, Achilles could not
recognize who was wounded.
b. Achilles sent Patroclus, his companion and
dearest friend, to the tent of Nestor to inquire.
c. Nestor and Patroclus: Attempt to persuade
Achilles back to their cause or at least send his
soldiers. You should come in the armor of Achilles
whose very sight might drive the Trojans back (if
Achilles would not come).
3. Patroclus in the Armor of Achilles:
a. Patroclus told his price the sad state of affairs:
Ulysses, Agamemnon, Machaon were all wounded,
the rampart broken down, the enemy among the
ships preparing to burn them.
b. Achilles intrusted Patroclus with the Myrmidons
and the loan of his armor.
* Warning: Content yourself with only
repelling the enemy.
c. With their arrival, the Greeks succeeded in driving
the Trojans back.
The Deaths of Sarpedon and Patroclus:
1. The grandson of Bellerphon, Sarpedon, son of Jupiter and
Laodamia, ventured to oppose the Greek Warrior.
* Jupiter would have snatched him from his
impending fate, but Juno hinted that if he did so, the
other inhabitants of heaven might intervene
whenever their children were in danger.
2. Sarpedon threw his spear missing Patroclus, but the Greek's
spear pierced Sarpedon's breast.
* Sarpedon called to his friends to save his body
from the enemy.
3. The Greeks succeeded in stripping Sarpedon of his armor:
Jupiter intervened.
* Apollo was ordered to snatch the body from the
field and commit it to the care of the twin brothers
Death and Sleep.
4. Hector then confronted Patroclus: Patroclus threw a huge stone
missing Hector, but hitting Cebriones.
a. Hector leaped from his chariot to rescue his friend,
but was met by Patroclus.
b. Homer: Phoebus Apollo, taking part against
Patroclus, struck the helmet from his head, and the
lance from his hand.
* At the same moment an obscure Trojan wounded
him in the back, and Hector pierced him with his
spear. He fell mortally wounded.
5. Conflict for the body of Patroclus:
a. Hector immediately took possession of Achilles'
armor and put it on.
b. Ajax and Menelaus defended the body, while
Hector and his warriors attempted to capture it.
c. Ajax sent Antilochus to Achilles to inform him of
Patroclus' death and the situation on the battle field.
* The Greeks finally succeeded in
removing Patroclus' body to their ships
closely pursued by Hector and Aeneas.
The Remorse of Achilles:
1. When Achilles heard the fate of his friend, his groans reached
the ears of Thetis - far down in the ocean where she lived.
a. Thetis found him full of remorse - with the hope
that he might avenge him.
b. She made him promise to wait until tomorrow, so
she could obtain a suit of armor from Vulcan more
than equal to that he had lost.
2. On hearing Thetis' request, Vulcan put aside his work and
made a suit of armor for Achilles.
3. The Armor was made in one night, and Thetis placed it at
Achilles' feet the next morning.
4. The Reconciliation of Agamemnon and Achilles:
a. Achilles called a Council of the Greek Chiefs: he
renounced his displeasures of Agamemnon and the
problems that followed.
* With prophetic words, he warned the
hero, Hector, of his approaching doom.
* Hector, cautioned by Apollo,
remained removed from the scene.
b. Apollo, in the form of Lycaon, one of Priam's
sons, urged Aeneas to meet Achilles.
* Neptune took pity on Aeneas and
lifted the Trojan from the ground and
took him to the rear of the battle.
5. The Death of Hector:
a. When the rest of the Trojans had escaped Hector
stood determined to await combat.
b. Priam called to him from the walls, begging him
to retreat.
* Then at the sight of Achilles Hector's
heart failed and he fled.
c. The two heroes circled the walls of Troy three
times, as often as Hector approached the walls,
Achilles forced him away from them.
d. Then Pallas (Minerva) assuming the form of
Deiphobus, Hector's bravest brother, appeared to
him.
* Strengthened at this sight, Hector
turned to meet Achilles throwing his
spear which fell from the Shield of
Achilles.
* Hector turned to Deiphobus who was
not there: he realized he had been
deceived by Pallas and rushed forward
to meet his fate.
e. Achilles threw his spear delivering a mortal
wound.
Hector feebly said, "Spare my body!
Let my parents ransom it, and let me
receive funeral rites from the sons
and daughters of Troy." To which
Achilles replied, "Dog, name not
ransom nor pity to me, on whom you
have brought such dire distress. No!
trust me, naught shall save thy
carcass from the dogs. Though
twenty ransoms and thy weight in
gold were offered, I should refuse it
all."
(Ex. the Iliad)
Achilles Drags the Body of Hector:
1. Achilles tied the body of Hector to his chariot and dragged him
before the city.
* The sound of mourning reached the ears of
Andromache, the wife of Hector.
* Picturing her country ruined, herself a captive, and
her son, the youthful Astyanax, dependent on the
charity of others.
2. Achilles then turned his attention to the funeral rites of his
friend, Patroclus.
a. The body of Patroclus was burned and then
followed a funeral banquet.
b. Achilles could neither feast nor sleep.
3. Before dawn Achilles left his tent and dragged the body of
Hector twice around the tomb of Patroclus.
a. Apollo would not allow the body to be disfigured
and preserved it.
b. Jupiter ordered Thetis to prevail upon Achilles to
restore the body of Hector to the Trojans.
c. Jupiter then sent Iris to encourage Priam to
attempt to ransom his son's body from Achilles.
4. Priam In the Tent of Achilles:
a. Jupiter sent Mercury to be Priam's guide and
protector.
b. At Achilles' Tent: Mercury put the guards to
sleep and Priam entered the tent.
c. Achilles was moved by Priam's words and granted
his request.
d. Achilles pledged a truce of twelve days for
funeral rites.
e. For nine days the people brought wood and built
the pile; on the tenth day the body was burned.
"Such honors Ilium to her hero paid,
and peaceful slept the mighty
Hector's shade."
(Ex. the Iliad)
* The story of the Iliad ends with the
death of Hector, and it is from the
Odyssey and later poems that we learn
the fate of Troy and the other heroes.
The Fall of Troy:
1. Receiving aid from new allies, Troy continued its resistance.
a. One of these allies was Memnon, the Ethiopian
prince.
b. Another was Penthesilea, queen of the Amazons,
who came with a band of female warriors.
* Penthesilea, having slain many of the
bravest Greeks, was slain by Achilles.
2. The Death of Achilles:
a. Achilles having seen Polyxena, daughter of King
Priam, was captivated by her and desired to marry
her.
b. Achilles agreed to influence the Greeks to make
peace with Troy.
c. While Achilles was in the temple of Apollo
negotiating the marriage, Paris shot a poisoned
arrow, which, guided by Apollo, fatally wounded
him in the heel.
* This was his only vulnerable spot; for
Thetis, having dipped him when an
infant in the river Styx, had made him
invulnerable except that part by which
she held him.
3. Contest for the Arms of Achilles:
a. The body of Achilles was rescued by Ajax and
Ulysses.
b. Thetis directed the Greeks to give the armor to the
hero who was judged most deserving.
* Ajax and Ulysses were the only
claimants.
* By the will of Minerva: the armor
was awarded to Ulysses - judging
wisdom greater than valor.
c. Ajax leaving his tent and swearing vengeance
upon the Atridae and Ulysses.
* Minerva robbed him of reason and he
turned against the flocks and herds of
the Greeks which he slaughtered or led
captive to his tent.
* The goddess restored his reason and
he killed himself.
4. The Arrows of Hercules:
a. It was learned that Troy could only be taken with
the aid of Hercules' arrows.
b. Philoctetes, the friend who had lighted Hercules'
funeral pyre, had them.
1. He had joined the Grecian expedition
against Troy, but had accidentally
wounded his foot with one of the
arrows.
2. The smell from the wound was so
offensive that Philoctetes was carried
off to the island of Lemnos and left
there.
c. Diomede and Ulysses/ or Ulysses and
Neoptolemus (son of Achilles) were sent to persuade
him to rejoin them.
* He agreed and was cured by
Machaon, and Paris was the first
victim of the fatal arrows.
5. The Palladium:
a. There was in Troy a celebrated statue of Minerva
called the Palladium.
b. It was said to have fallen from heaven, and the
belief was that the city could not be taken so long
as this statue remained within the city.
c. Ulysses and Diomede entered the city and carried
off the Palladium to the Grecian Camp.
6. The Wooden Horse:
a. Troy continued to hold out until they accepted (the
Greeks) advice of Ulysses (the art of Minerva).
b. The Greeks pretended to make preparations to
abandon the siege: a number of ships were
withdrawn to a neighboring island, Tenedos.
c. A huge wooden horse was constructed which the
Greeks said was an offering to Minerva.
1. The Greeks sailed off and the
Trojans entered the Greek camp.
2. The Wooden Horse: some
recommended it be taken into the city,
others were afraid of it.
d. Laocoon, priest of Neptune: Timeo Danaos et
dona ferentes.
* Hoping his warning would lead to the
destruction of the horse.
e. Sinon: A Greek captive who claimed he had been
left behind by Ulysses.
1. He (Sinon) informed them that the
Horse was an offering to Minerva, and
it had been built so huge to prevent it
from being taken into the city.
2. Sinon said that Calchas the prophet
had informed the Greeks that if the
Trojans gained possession of the horse,
they would triumph over the Greeks.
7. Laocoon and the Serpents:
a. An Omen: Two immense serpents advanced
directly to the place where Laocoon stood with his
two sons.
b. The serpents strangled him and his children.
c. The people took this as a sign of the displeasure
of the gods, and took the horse inside the city.
1. Sinon let out the Greeks inclosed in
the horse,and opened the gates of the
city to the Greeks who had returned
during the night.
2. The city was set on fire and people
were put to the sword. (Troy was
completely destroyed.)
The Departure From Troy: Aeneas
1. Aeneas, the son of Venus and Anchises, made his escape with
his father and son, Ascanius, and his wife, Creusa.
* In the confusion Creusa was lost.
* In two visions (Creusa and Hector) Aeneas learned
it was his destiny to be the founder of a New Troy
(ie. Rome).
2. A number of Trojans were found who placed themselves under
his leadership.
* Some months were spent in preparation, and
finally they departed. Thus begins Vergil's Aeneid.