Trojan War

Origins

Apple of Disagreement

It all started when Zeus, the god of lightning, decided to marry the sea-nymph Thetis to a king because of a prophecy saying the her child would become greater than his father. She was married to king Peleus, son of Aikon, who later, become the parents of the mighty warrior, Achilles. All the gods were invited to the marriage, except for Eris, the goddess of Disagreement. Mad of this decision, she threw a golden apple in the room thought a window. The apple had “To the fairest” written on it. Three of the major goddess fought over it: Hera, Athena, and Aphrodite

Juggement

Not knowing who to give the apple to, Zeus decided to seek the opinion of Paris, a unknowing prince of Troy, who was hidden in Mount Ida because of a prophecy saying that he would be the down fall of Troy. The three goddess each offered a gift if they were the one to receive the apple. Hera offered political power, giving him commands over all or Asia. Athena offered him battle power, giving him wisdom, skills, and abilities of the mightiest warriors. Aphrodite offered him love power, giving him the chance to marry the most beautiful women on earth: Helen of Sparta. All three offers were very attractive, but, after a moment, Paris decided to give the apple to Aphrodite in exchange of Helen. Paris then left Mount Ida to go back to his real home in Troy, and was recognized by his royal family.

The Oaths and the Steal

Helen

Helen of Sparta was the daughter of king Tryndareus and Leda, his wife. She was the most beautiful women on earth. Being very pretty, when it was her time to be married, she had many kings and princes come visit. Unfortunately, Tryndareus couldn’t make a decision, fearing that any choice may cause the other suitors to get mad. One of the suitors, named Odysseus of Ithaca, gave a plan to the king and father in exchange for his support with Odysseus suit with Penelope: he had to ask each and every of Helens’ suitors to give their words that they would protect Helen, no matter who she was married to. This being done, Tryndareus finally chose Menelaus for his superior political power. Inheriting of Tryndareus’ throne, he let his own for his brother Agamemnon, who will be married to Clytemnestra, Helens sister.

In guise of a Diplomatic mission, Paris travelled to Sparta to get Helen. When he arrived, before she could look up at the prince of Troy, she was shot with one of Cupids arrows. She immediately fell in love with the arriving Prince. Menelaus was gone in Crete for his uncles’ burial. While leaving Sparta with his love, Hera, still jealous, stroke Paris’ ship, making him land in Egypt, and making Helen land in Troy. Paris returned home only after several years in fear of getting caught.

Menelaus and Odysseus travelled to Troy to meet Paris and to retrieve what was stolen: Menelaus’ wife, Helen. His request was denied, and the two kings went back home without Helen. Menelaus then ask all of Helens suitors to respect their oaths to the protection of Helen, and to prepare for war against the Trojans.

Voyage

 First Gathering

A first gathering was assembled at Aulis. Each suitor had respected their oaths except for King Cinyras of Cyprus, who sent 1 ship instead of the 50 he had said to send. According to the prophet Calaeus, she learned that Troy would fall in the 10th year of war from a ritual from which a snake was turned to stone after eating a mother and 9 babies from a bird nest.

During their voyage, they did not know where to go, and landed in Mysia, land of king Telephus, son of the demi-god Heracles. During battle, Achilles wounded Telephus. When they left Mysia, the fleet was scatered by a storm, from which the “Great Scattering” comes from.

Second Gathering

8 years after the great scattering, a second gathering was assembled at Aulis. Telephus, whose wound cause by Achilles wouldn’t heal, came to Aulis so that he could ask Achilles to heal it. An oracles had told him that “he that wounded shall heal”. Achilles, having no medical knoledge, refused to help Telephus. Odyseus then decided to scrap some metal from the spear that was used to wound Telephus, saying that since the spear had caused the wound, it must be the “one” to heal it. The metal was put on his wound and it healed. He then showed the way to Troy.

The Trojan War

Arrival

The prophet Calchas has stated that the first Achaean to land on the continent would be the first one to die. Odysseus had tricked on the the commanders, Protesilaus, to throw his shield down and to land on it, so that he wouldn’t be the first one to “land on the continent”. He was later singled out by Hector during a battle.

9 years of war

Menelaus - Paris - Diomedes - Odysseus - Nestor - Achilles - Agememnon

The first 9 years of the trojan war were very unspoken of. Only a few sources state what had happend during that time. The Achaeas had besiged the Trojans on one side of the city, cutting some of their ressources. The other half of the city was still controlled by the Trojans, and that was due to the fact they were always recieving help from the neighboorhood allies. It is said that during that time, Achilles and Ajax, were the most active commanders of the Achaean forces, leading different raids to the trojan allies. Achilles had captured 11 cities and 12 islands during that time.

Palamedes Death

Odysseus had a mission to go get some grain, but came back empty-handed. Scorned by Palamedes, he challenged him to do better. Palamedes succeded and came back with a ship-load of grain.Odysseus, who had never forgiven Palamedes for threatening his sons life, conceived a plan do killed Palamedes. He wrote a false letter to Palamedes from Priam, in which he would betray his Achaean allies. The letter and some gold was “discovered” in his quarters and Agememnon had him Stoned to death. Palamedes’ father Nauplius went to Troad to ask for justice. When his demand was refused, he traveled to each and every Achaean kingdom and persuaded every wife about their husbands treason, and told the wifes to betray them.

Iliad

 Agamemnon refused a demand from Chryrses, a priest of Apollo, to return his daughter. Apollo then afflited the army with a plague, in which Agamemnon stopped with the return of Chryses’ daughter. He then took Briseis, Achilles concubine, as his own. Achilles got mad and decided he would no longer fight. Thetis then ask Zeus to make sure the Achaeans can win even without Achilles.

Initially, they were successful.  Both armies were gathered and fought for the first time. Hector, the Trojans best warrior, burned Protesilaus’ ship. Achilles then allowed Patroclus to wear his armor in battle. When he fought with hector, Patroclus was killed, and the armor was taken from him. Achilles, mad from this act, decided to
come back. He was reconiled with Agamemnon, and retook Briseis, untouched by Agamemnon. He received
new armor from Hephaestus. He returned on the battlefield, killed many Trojans, and pushed them back into
their city walls, all but Hector, who was tricked by Athena. The two warriors then fought, with Achilles prevailing. The Iliad end with the return of Hectors body on the demand of Priam, who had gone to see Achilles in stealth, and with the burial of Hector.

Death of Achilles

The amazon queen, Penthesilia, arrived with her army right after Hectors burrial. She was fighting with the trojans because she was purrified by Priam for murdering her sister, Hippolyte. She had killed many Trojans, including Machaon, and possibly Achilles himself, but whom was revived on Thetis’ request. Afterwards, she was slain by Achilles, who fell in love with her after her death. He was taunted by a soldier over his loved, and slew him. He then sailed to Lesbos, and was purified by Odysseus for his murder.

While they were gone, Memnos has sailed to help the trojans. While fighting with Nestor, he slew Antilochus, who took a blow for his father. Memnos then fought with Achilles. Achilles killed him, and drove the trojans back to the city, but also entered the city. The gods decided it was his time to die when they saw he was slaying too many children. He was shot in the heel by Paris with a poisoned arrow which was guided by Apollo. Achilles is to be remembered as the greatest soldier in the battlefield, as he was not killed on the on it. His bones were mingled with those of Patroclus.

Death of Ajax

 After the death of Achilles, only the greatest warrior was to receive his armor, forged by Hephaestus. The two soldiers were Odysseus and Ajax. Agememnon, not knowing who should receive it, gave the desion to trojan soldiers. At the end, Odysseus was given the armor. Ajax, mad from this decision, was going to slay Agememnon and Melenaus, but had killed two cattle because he was tricked by Athena. After his rage, he discovered what he had done, and killed himself. He jumped on his sword, piercing his only vulnerable spot, which was his armpit.

The End

Prophecies

After 10 years of war, it was said that the Trojans would only fall if Heracles’ bow was used. Odysseus went to retrieve Philocretes, who’s wound had healed. Philocretes then killed Paris using the bow.

Helenus abandonned troy for Mount Ida, knowing the prophecies about the fall of Troy. Before leaving, he told the Achaeans, who decided to spare him on Odysseus’ advice, that the would not win without the Trojan Palladium, Pelop’s bones, and Neoptolemus, Achilles son. All three were retrieved.

The Trojan Horse

The war ended with a brilliant idea from Odysseus. The Achaeans built a giant wooden horse, in which was hidden soldiers led by Odysseus. The rest of the achaeans burned the camp and sailed to Tenedos. When the Trojans discovered the horse, they thought that the Achaeans had fled. The Trojans, despite Cassandra’s warnings, brought the Horse in the city and started to celebrate (Cassandra had received the gift of prophecy, but was also curse to never be believe, both by Apollo). When midnight hit, the force inside the horse went out and killed the guards. The rest of the army had came back and entered the city. The trojans, whom were leaderless and disorganised, tried to fight off the attack, but didn’t succeed. Most of the trojans, such as the royal line, were killed. ad the city was destroyed. This marks the end of the Trojan war.