Homer’s The Illiad
Background for Homer’s The Odyssey
The Face That Launched 1,000 Ships
Prince Paris of Troy was the
youngest son of King Priam and
Queen Hecuba,. After his birth,
Priam learned from an Oracle that
this son would one day cause the
destruction of his kingdom.
Knowing the Oracle to be the voice
of the gods, Priam panicked. To
prevent the ruination of his
kingdom, Priam decided to kill his
newborn child. He ordered his
servants to take the child to Mount
Ida, a far distant place, where they
were to leave him to die. But fate
intervened.
Discovered by shepherds, the child was raised as a commoner. Displaying exceptional
qualities as a young man, Paris returned to Troy, where he defeated his father’s best
men at the annual athletic competitions. Both father and son recognized the similarities
that they share. Upon learning the young man’s background, Priam recognized Paris as
his son and welcomed him back home.
Meanwhile….
Eris, the Goddess of Discord, was not invited to the wedding of
Peleus and Thetis because they feared that Eris would only cause
trouble. Enraged at the snub, Eris came anyway. Hoping to ruin the
festivities, Eris wickedly tossed a golden apple into the midst of the
wedding party. Inscribed on the apple was this message: “For the
fairest."
Almost immediately, the apple was
claimed by nearly every female goddess at
the wedding, including the bride. After
much bickering and fighting, three
goddesses stood above the rest: Hera, the
Queen of the Gods; Athena, the Goddess
of Wisdom; and Aphrodite, the Goddess of
Love. Each of the three thought herself
“the Fairest” and refused to leave without
the golden apple.
After MUCH further argument, still nothing had been resolved. The
goddesses finally agreed to ask Zeus, the King of the Gods, to declare
which of them most deserved the golden apple. Zeus immediately knew
that any decision would be the the wrong decision. Rather than incur the
hatred and vengeance of two formidable goddesses, he slyly suggested
that perhaps a young man named Paris, thought by most to be the most
handsome mortal on the face of the Earth, might be the best and most
appropriate judge. The goddesses agreed, and Zeus descended to Paris’s
home on Mount Ida to secure his participation.
Paris, the son of King Priam of Troy, eagerly agreed,
flattered that the immortal and all-powerful gods would
ask this favor of him; however, when he finally faced the
three immortal goddesses, who were all of exceptional
beauty and skills, Paris found that he could not make a
decision. Privately, to curry his favor, each of the
goddesses offered Paris a bribe.
'The Judgement of Paris' by William Etty. Originally
exhibited under the title 'The Choice of Paris' at the
1826 Royal Academy
Hera, the wife of Zeus, the King of the
Gods, offered Paris power. If he chose her,
she would give him the continent of Asia as
his own kingdom, with the authority to
govern as he pleased.
Athena, the Goddess of Wisdom & War,
offered him great wisdom and great luck in
battle. Through her, Paris would become the
world’s greatest military strategist. Tempted,
Paris found himself torn between the two
offers.
Aphrodite visited Paris last. She offered him two things: The first was her
body, the ideal of feminine beauty, and the second was the love of the
most beautiful mortal woman in the world: Helen, the wife of King
Menelaus.
The best choice was now immediately clear to Paris: More than power and
more than wisdom, Paris loved women. He jumped at Aphrodite's offer
and declared her the fairest of them all. Furious, Hera and Athena vowed
vengeance.
Aphrodite was the Goddess of Love and Sexual
Desire. Artists have traditionally depicted
Aphrodite as the model of feminine beauty.
To claim his prize, Helen, Paris tricked King Menelaus. Taking
advantage of the King’s kindness and hospitality during a stately
visit, Paris stole away in the middle of the night with both Helen
and a vast portion of the king’s wealth. With the assistance of
Aphrodite—who fulfilled her promise—Paris headed across the
Aegean Sea with his trophies, back to his father’s home.
Paris kidnaps Helen and takes her across the
Mediterranean Sea to Troy.
Helen had been—and still was—the most beautiful mortal woman
in the world. Prior to her marriage, her suitors had been the most
powerful men in Greece. To keep the peace, the suitors had agreed
that, once Helen chose a husband, the others would honor her
decision and not interfere. In this era, it was not uncommon for a
desired woman to be “kidnapped” by a stronger foe. In the case of
Helen, the suitors agreed that, if Helen were ever kidnapped in the
future, they would all pursue the kidnapper. It was hoped that this
agreement would ensure peace among them.
For her husband, Helen chose King Menelaus of Sparta. After
Menelaus realized that Paris had kidnapped his wife, he sent word
to the former suitors and kings of the Greek people, calling on them
for assistance. They answered the call. One thousands ships set sail
for Troy, captained by the finest and greatest warriors of the ancient
world. This began the Trojan War.
Among those who answered
Menelaus’s call were the following:
1. The sly King of Ithaca, Odysseus.
2. Agamemnon, the powerful King
of Sparta and brother to King
Menelaus
3. Old King Nestor, who in is his
younger years was a great warrior.
These three men play significant roles
in Homer’s The Odyssey.
King Menelaus
Meanwhile, at Troy, the Trojan people built high,
thick walls to withstand the Greek battering rams.
During the first year of the war, the Greeks made all-out attacks, but they
could not penetrate the high city walls. Finding this approach futile, the
Greeks raided surrounding villages, hoping to lure the Trojans out—but
this strategy failed as well.
For nine years the Greeks tried various attacks and strategies, but nothing
worked. Time dragged on. The men had not seen their wives, their families, or
their homelands for a decade.
Wearied from years of fighting, longing to return home to
his beloved wife Penelope and homeland of Ithaca, the
crafty Odysseus ordered his men to construct a large
wooden horse as a peace offering to the Trojan army. He
then directed the men to board the Greek ships and sail
away.
With the Greek armies in retreat, the Trojans began to
celebrate. Ten years of fighting had finally ended! Just
before the final ship set sail, the Greeks rolled the
immense wooden gift to the city walls. After the Greek
armies had dispersed and sailed away, the jubilant
Trojans opened the gate and wheeled the monstrous
wooden horse into their city. The people danced in the
streets, celebrating the triumph of the Trojan army.
And away they go!
But beware Greeks bearing gifts!
That night, while the Trojans were more than a little comatose
from too much celebratory drinking, several Greeks—
including Menelaus and Odysseus—slipped quietly from the
wooden horse through a secret trap door, which the crafty
Odysseus had designed. They surprised and killed the groggy
guards at the gate. As previously ordered, the Greek army had
sailed a few miles down shore, offloaded, and waited until the
cover of darkness before returning to the Trojan battlefield.
Odysseus opened the gate, and the Greek army stormed into
the city. The slaughter began. Within hours, Troy was a
burning. The jubilant Greeks pillaged the city, taking whatever
they pleased. Odysseus had engineered the greatest military
victory in Greek history.
The Greeks won the war, and Helen was returned to King
Menelaus.
However, all was not good.
Throughout the conflict, the gods had intervened on behalf of both
parties. The war had pitted some gods against one another. Several
gods, who had aided the Trojans, were angry at the outcome. The
Greek armies’ excessive pillaging, murdering, and raping only
added to the their fury.
Furthermore, in their haste to return home, some of the Greek
armies failed to pay proper tribute to the gods for their assistance in
delivering victory.
The Gods were angry.
Some made it home.
Some did not.
Back on the island of Ithaca,
Penelope waited for her husband
Odysseus.
And waited.
And waited.
One year passed since Troy fell.
Then two. Three.
She had not seen him in thirteen
years. Then fourteen….
Was he dead?
Had he perished in a storm at sea?
Had pirates ransacked his ship?
Was he shipwrecked on an island?
Was there still hope?
Odysseus is—was?—the king of Ithaca. He had immense wealth.
Surely he must be dead—why otherwise would he not have
returned home 18 years after he left—and 8 years since the Trojan
War ended? Other men on the island began to eye Odysseus’s
wealth—but the only way to get it would be to marry his widow.
And thus begins Homer’s The Odyssey.
We are on the island of Ithaca, in the hall of King Odysseus.
Scores of men sit in the hall, eating the King’s beef, drinking
the King’s wine, and flirting with the King’s wife—because
none expect the King to return at all, for surely he must be
dead.
Penelope has no power over these men—her husband’s most
loyal soldiers departed with him for Troy eighteen years ago.
Penelope has remained faithful to her husband. She does not
want to marry again—but Ithaca does need a king, and she
feels the pressure.
Odysseus’ and Penelope’s son, Telemachus, is now a young
man. Telemachus abhors his mother’s suitors, but they only
laugh and mock him—for he is a boy and shows neither his
father’s strength nor wit.
But Telemachus has had it with the disrespect.
He’s ready to be a man.
And so the story begins….