TRojan war based on Homer Flashcards
Where does the story begin? what is Paris fated to being?
with birth of Paris, son of Priam and Hecuba (king and queen of Troy)
He is fated to bring destruction to city so they send him away to be raised by a shepherd and his wife.
What happened when he encounters three goddesses?
Year later (mature age), he is asked by 3 goddesses Hera, Aphrodite and Athena to pick the most beautiful among them. Each offers a different prize and Paris choose Aphrodite who offers him the most beautiful woman in world as his wife.
What happens when Paris returns to Troy after encounter with 3 goddesses?
returns and reunites with parents and travel as ambassador of troy to Greek kingdom of Sparta where he meets King Menelaus and beautiful wife, Helen.
what is the outcome of Paris and Helens love for each other?
they escape Sparta and return to Troy.
Menelaus enraged by treachery goes to war with Troy to regain Helen and punish Trojans. Set sails a thousand ships.
Follows a ten year long siege of fortified city of Troy before defeat by Greeks using stratagem of wooden horse, devised by Odysseus as ‘offering to god’
What does the major part of the poem describe?
final stages of war and features epic battles between great warrior heroes of Greece and Troy, including Hector and Achilles (powerful as mother placed him in Styx River but not ankle (weak spot))
What was in the wooden horse and outcome?
inside horse were greek warriors and when pulled into city as accepted by Priam, come out and sack city.
Troy sacked, burned to ground and men killed. Women kept captive and given as spoils of war to conquering Greek generals.
What happens to Helen?
Helen return to Sparta with Menelaus and live out her days
What is the story of Achilles?
- greatest of warriors (greek)
- without champion, Greeks in trouble. Warrior Odysseus tries to persuade him to rejoin but decline as prophecy said = go to troy you die, don’t go live a long life without honour/fame.
- But Achilles, best friend, Patroclus, joined battle pretending to be Achilles to put fear on Troy’s warrior.
- Patroclus killed by Trojan champion, Hector.
- Plunge Achilles into grief and enter war.
- Hector slain by Achilles and achilles later die in battle too.
