Trojan War
• Sing, O goddess, the anger of Achilles,
son of Peleus, that brought countless ills
upon the Achaeans. Many a brave soul did
it send hurrying down to Hades, and many
a hero did it yield a prey to dogs and
vultures,
• Eris, goddess of
strife
Peleus-mortal
man who
marries Thetis
Thetis-sea
nymph whose
son would be
greater than his
father
Marriage feast of Peleus and Thetis
To the prettiest of them all
Judgment of Paris:
Hera
•offered to make him king of
Europe and Asia
Athena
•offered wisdom and skill in war
Aphrodite
•offered the love of the world's
most beautiful woman
Achilles, son of
Peleus and
Thetis:
•tried to make him
immortal by dipping
him in the river Styx
•forgot to wet the
heel she held him by
•raised by Chiron,
centaur
•war lord
Helen:
Daughter of
Zeus and
Leda
Most beautiful
woman in the
world
Wife of King
Menelaus of
Sparta
•afraid that anyone
she chose, would
offend the other
suitors
•each suitor swore
an oath, that they
would defend the
interests of
whoever Helen
chose to marry
•Any who refused
to swear this oath,
would not be
eligible
•All the suitors
agreed and swore
the oaths to accept
whoever became
Helen's husband
Menelaus
Agamemnon:
•married Clytemnestra
•had five children: four
daughters and one son
•King of Mycenae
•became the most powerful
prince in Greece
Menelaus:
•King of Sparta
•chosen to marry Helen
•fights bravely and well,
even when wounded
Menelaus:
•recovered the body of
Patroclus after he is
killed by Hector
•depicted as a
reasonably wise and just
leader
Agamemnon's and
Menelaus’ family:
•marred by rape, murder,
incest, and treachery
•Greeks believed this
violent past brought
misfortune upon the
entire family
Paris:
Son of Priam, brother
of Hector
No time, kleos
Why?
Trojan War
Mycenaean kings and
those who were
suitors for Helen
Trojan War
War lords:
Achilles
Ajax
Sacrifice of
Iphigenia:
•Artemes punished
Agaemenon by
refusing to allow
the winds to blow
toward Troy
•sacrifice of
Iphigenia was
required to restore
the winds
Conflict between
Agamemnon and
Achilles:
• Chryses, who’d come
to the ships to find his
daughter,
Chryseis
• Briseis