History of the Trojan War
The events of The Odyssey take place in time directly after the end of the Trojan War. Let's learn about the events of the Trojan War to help you better understand The Odyssey.
Key Facts:
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Summary of the Trojan War Legend:
The King of Troy, Priam, had two sons named Hector and Paris. Hector was known as a great warrior: strong, strategic, and intelligent. His younger brother Paris was known as a great lover: handsome, charming, and sensitive. One day, the Greek goddesses were arguing with each other about which was most beautiful, and in order to settle the argument, they decided to ask a human to choose the most beautiful among them. They asked Paris, and he selected Aphrodite as the winner. To reward him, Aphrodite told Paris that he could have Helen, the most beautiful woman alive, as his prize. However, Helen was already married to the king of Sparta, Menelaus. Paris abducted Helen and took her to the city of Troy. Furious, Menelaus went to his more powerful brother, Agamemnon, and asked for help in avenging the wrong done against him. Agamemnon called the kings and warlords of Greece together, and organized a massive army to travel to Troy. The gods and goddesses made the Aegean Sea too rough to cross, and the army could not cross until they earned greater favor with Aphrodite, who was protecting Paris. Thus, to appease the gods, Agamemnon sacrificed his daughter Iphigenia. The sea became calm, and the army set sail for Troy. Achilles, the son of the sea nymph Thetis and a King name Peleus, sailed with the Greeks. He was known as the greatest warrior who ever lived.
Even though the Greeks had ten times as many men as the Trojans, they were unable to conquer the city of Troy because it was so well-fortified: it had thick, strong walls. The Greek army spent ten whole years attacking towns in the countryside around Troy and burning the fields. They were not able to break the city walls. Agamemnon was growing tired, but before the Greeks departed he learned of a prophecy: "Troy will fall when the best of the Greeks quarrel."
The Greeks had taken many war prizes from the surrounding countryside. One of these prizes was a girl named Chryseis, the daughter of a priest of Apollo. When the Greeks destroyed her village, Agamemnon took her as his slave. Apollo became angry about this, and cursed the Greeks with a plague that killed many. Agamemnon gave the girl back to her people in order to save his army from the plague, but he was upset that he lost his prize. To give himself compensation, he took from Achilles his favorite slave, Briseis. Achilles was furious, so he withdrew in a rage to his tent. Achilles refused to fight for Agamemnon ever again.
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The Greeks and Trojans came to an agreement: the whole conflict would be decided by a duel between Paris and Menelaus. Paris was overcome in the duel, and was almost killed, but he was rescued from death by the intervention of Aphrodite. Agamemnon declared that by the treaty, the Greeks were the winners of the War, and Troy must be surrendered. However, the Trojans broke the peace by shooting an arrow at Menelaus, and the agreement fell apart. The Greeks advanced and attacked the walls of Troy, but the Trojans led by Hector pushed them back. Things were not going well for the Greeks without the leadership of Achilles.
Eventually, the Trojans came out from behind their walls and attacked the Greek camps. They set the Greek ships on fire and did terrible damage before being driven back to Troy. Achilles still refused to fight, but at this point, he allowed his friend Patroclus to borrow his armor and enter the battle to help the distressed Greeks. Thinking it was Achilles himself, the Greeks were motivated to fight harder and the Trojans fled in terror from the camp. In the battle, Patroclus was slain by Hector, which broke Achilles' heart and enraged him. Achilles reconciled with Agamemnon, and on the following day, wearing new armor made for him by the god Hephaestus, Achilles reentered the battle.
At the walls of the Trojan city, Achilles found Hector and challenged him to fight. A skillful match took place, and Achilles slew his enemy. He tied the body of Hector to the back of his chariot, and dragged it around the city of Troy. After this, both sides agreed to a short truce in order to bury their dead properly and hold funerals. The body of Patroclus was returned to the Greeks, and the body of Hector was returned to the Trojans.
As the truce was about to come to an end, Achilles got into an argument with Odysseus, the King of Ithaca who was fighting for the Greeks. Odysseus declared that a strategic and clever plan would be the best way to capture Troy, but Achilles believed in brute force and his own individual valor. As Achilles led the Greeks in a direct attack through one the the city's gates, Paris shot Achilles in the heel, and it killed him. Paris was killed soon after by one of the Greeks.
Athena gave the Greeks the idea of building a gigantic wooden horse, in the belly of which the bravest Greek warriors would conceal themselves in order to sneak into the city. Odysseus was the leader of the project, and with his men, he hid inside the horse. The rest of the Greeks pretended to abandon the battlefield. They burned their camp and sailed away on their ships, only, however, to hide in waiting behind a nearby island. When the Trojans saw the giant wooden horse, they believed it was an offering that the Greeks built for the gods. They suspected that the Greek army had been once again struck by a plague, and finally sailed home. They took the horse into Troy as it was an offering for the gods, but at night, the Greeks hidden inside descend into the city, and lit the flames that gave the Greek fleet a signal to return. They unlocked the city gates, and the Greeks easily invaded the city, and sacked it. Thus, Troy was captured; all the inhabitants were either slain or carried into slavery.
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The Greeks prepared for the journey home by boat. Some sailed home with ease. Some ships became lost at sea...
Mini Movie Time!
Let's watch a shortened version of the movie "Troy." While you watch, fill out the "Identify Characteristics of Epics" worksheet. It should be complete by the time the movie ends.
Achilles (Greek Warrior, Prince)
Hector (Trojan Prince, General)
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Odysseus (Greek Warrior, King of Ithaca)
Helen (Wife of Menelaus, Taken to Troy)
Priam (King of Troy)
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Agamemnon (Greek King, Warlord)
Briseis (Trojan Priestess, Slave of Achilles)
Menelaus (Greek Warrior, King of Sparta)
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Paris (Trojan Prince, Takes Helen to Troy)
Patroclus (Friend/Cousin of Achilles)
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