Causes of the Trojan War

Question 1

State the Tyrandereus (king of Sparta) family tree

Answer 1

Question 2

How does Helen marry?

Answer 2

• Helen is the most beautiful woman in the world and so has many suitors
  
  • Tyandareus’ problem: how to decide on a husband without making enemies of all other suitors
  • Odysseus’ advice: let Helen choose to avoid blame, and make all suitors take an oath to defend her marriage no matter what
• Helen chooses Menelaus, Son of Atreus and Agamemnon’s brother

Question 3

State the Atreus (Argos) family tree

Answer 3

Question 4

Who does Thetis marry?

Answer 4

• Peleus is the king of Phthia in Thessaly
  
  • An Argonaut
  • Nereids (including Thetis) swam up to admire the first ship
    
    • Peleus wanted to marry Thetis, and the gods agreed even though she is divine
    • They agreed because there was a prophecy that said the first son she would have would overthrow his father
• Task: he must hold her while she changes shape

Question 5

Who is not invited to Thetis’s wedding and what is the consequence?

Answer 5

• Eris (Strife) was not invited (no one likes strife)
• She arrives with an ‘apple of discord’ which has inscribed in it the words “for the fairest”
  
  • Hera, Athena, Aphrodite claim the apple
  • Zeus must decide who gets it without making enemies
    
    • He makes Paris, a humble shepherd, judge the goddesses

Question 6

State the Trojan royal house family tree

Answer 6

Question 7

Why does Paris live as a shepherd and not as a royal?

Answer 7

• Hecuba’s dream: she has a dream while she is pregnant with Paris that she births burning wood
  
  • Priam and Hecuba consult the Oracle who says Paris will destroy their city
  • They decide to leave Paris on Mt. Ida (want to kill him without incurring miasma), but he is found and raised by shepherds

Question 8

Who does Paris give the apple to?

Answer 8

• Hermes escorts the 3 goddesses (Athena, Hera, Aphrodite) to Mt. Ida
• Each goddess offers Paris gifts in return for the prize of the apple
  
  • Hera offers royal power
  • Athena offers him glory in battle
  • Aphrodite offers him the most beautiful woman in the world (Helen)
• Paris is a big womanizer so he gives the apple to Aphrodite, enraging Hera and Athena

Question 9

How does Paris acquire Helen?

Answer 9

• Paris’ true identity is recognised and he rejoins the Trojan royal family, who are happy to see him and forget the prophecy or disregard it
  
  • Priam (dad) sends him on an embassy to Sparta, and he is a guest in Menelaus’ home
    
    • He abducts wife Helen, and violates xenia (hospitality)
    • Menelaus invokes the oath of the suitors to defend the marriage, and Agamemnon commands the Greek fleet

Question 10

How does Odysseus try to avoid defending the marriage (going to war)?

Answer 10

• He pretends he is unfit for battle because he wants to stay with his wife Penelope and son
  
  • He pretends to “plow” the beach and throws salt around instead of seeds
  • However, Palamedes places Odysseus’ baby son in the path and Odysseus gives up the act

Question 11

How is Achilles recruited to battle?

Answer 11

• Hidden from war on Skyros with the daughters of Lycomedes, dressed as a girl
• He is discovered by Odysseus who finds this out through a dream
  
  • Odysseus sounds a trumpet signalling an attack
  • Achilles immediately grabs a sword and his disguise fails
• He goes to war by choice, and the ships gather at Aulis

Question 12

Who is Sappho?

Answer 12

• Sappho was an Archaic period poet from the island of Lesbos
• Shreds of papyrus were unearthed at Oxyrhynchus (Egypt) in a “trash bin” relic