The Trojan War Background to The Iliad and
The Trojan War Background to The Iliad and The Odyssey by Homer
The Marriage of Peleus and Thetis § Thetis was a sea nymph who married the Greek hero Peleus, who participated in Heracles defeat of the Amazons and in Jason’s quest for the Golden Fleece.
§ Thetis becomes the mother of Achilles.
§ Eris, the goddess of discord, is not invited to wedding. Who would want discord at a wedding?
§ Eris crashes the party anyway and creates discord by throwing down the Apple of Discord, which reads “For the Fairest. ”
§ Hera, Athena, and Aphrodite all reach for it. .
Paris Makes a Judgment § Zeus appoints the shepherd Paris, really a Trojan prince, to award the apple to one of the goddesses.
§ A prophecy had foretold that Paris would one day be the ruin of Troy, so his father King Priam, sent the newborn baby to die on the mountainside; however, Paris survived.
Who will get the golden apple? § Each goddess offers Paris a prize: § Hera = greatness, power, wealth § Athena = prowess in war § Aphrodite = the love of the most beautiful woman in the world Choose wisely, Paris!
§ and the winner is. . .
Aphrodite!
Helen of Troy § Aphrodite “gives” Paris the most beautiful woman as a prize: Helen.
§ Helen is the wife of Menelaus, King of Sparta.
§ Paris abducts Helen and takes her to Troy to become his bride.
This means war! § Menelaus’ brother is Agamemnon, King of Mycenae. Menelaus and Agamemnon raise Greek armies to bring back Helen!
§ Hera and Athena, the scorned goddesses, vow revenge against Paris and all of Troy. The war lasts for nine years. .
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