The Goddess' Vanity
The Judgment of Paris
During a wedding celebration for Peleus and Thestis, the parents of Achilles, Eris, the goddess of chaos and discord, decided to cause a bit of trouble in retaliation for not being invited the event. Playing on the vanity of the goddesses in attendance, she threw a golden apple imprinted with the phrase "for the fairest" in the midst of Aphrodite, Athena, and Hera. The three goddesses all fought over the apple, each claiming ownership of the apple and the title "fairest," but none of them could persuade the others to let go of their claims.
Eventually, they brought their case before Zeus, who was understandably reluctant to anger either his daughters or his wife by favoring one as more beautiful than the others. Instead, he told the three to seek out judgment from Paris, a Trojan shepherd known for his fairness (and who, unbeknownst to most, was actually a prince). Guided by Hermes, the three goddesses appeared before Paris, but the shepherd, awed by their otherworldly beauty, was unable to declare one fairer than the rest. Frustrated by his indecision but still adamant about determining a winner, the goddesses each offered Paris a bribe; if he could not decide based on merit, perhaps he could based on reward. Athena offered Paris wisdom and prowess in battle, and Hera offered him political power and dominance over all of Asia. But these appeals to Paris' pride and ambition paled before Aphrodite's offer: the love of Helen, princess of Sparta and the most beautiful woman in the world.
Aphrodite got the apple, and Paris was eventually recognized as a Trojan prince. All that remained was for him to go and collect his prize.
Eventually, they brought their case before Zeus, who was understandably reluctant to anger either his daughters or his wife by favoring one as more beautiful than the others. Instead, he told the three to seek out judgment from Paris, a Trojan shepherd known for his fairness (and who, unbeknownst to most, was actually a prince). Guided by Hermes, the three goddesses appeared before Paris, but the shepherd, awed by their otherworldly beauty, was unable to declare one fairer than the rest. Frustrated by his indecision but still adamant about determining a winner, the goddesses each offered Paris a bribe; if he could not decide based on merit, perhaps he could based on reward. Athena offered Paris wisdom and prowess in battle, and Hera offered him political power and dominance over all of Asia. But these appeals to Paris' pride and ambition paled before Aphrodite's offer: the love of Helen, princess of Sparta and the most beautiful woman in the world.
Aphrodite got the apple, and Paris was eventually recognized as a Trojan prince. All that remained was for him to go and collect his prize.
Now Cupid If Your Arrow...
Meanwhile, in Sparta, a grand competition was underway for Helen's hand in marriage. Dozens of suitors (including Ajax and Odysseus) petitioned Helen's father, Tyndareus, for the right to marry his daughter and, through her, become heir to the throne of Sparta. Eventually, Tyndareus chose Menelaus, prince of Mycenae, as Helen's husband while Menelaus' brother, Agamemnon, married Helen's sister, Clytemnestra. After Helen's brothers, Castor and Pollux, became gods, the throne of Sparta went to Menelaus and Helen while Agamemnon returned with his wife to the Kingdom of Mycenae.
However, the peace and wedded bliss were not to last. Paris visited Sparta while pretending to be on a diplomatic mission, and the moment he made his face visible to Helen, Eros (Cupid) fired an arrow straight through Helen's heart. As Aphrodite had promised Paris all those years earlier, Helen fell madly in love with the Trojan prince. The two made off to Troy immediately, and, because similar political abductions had occurred in the past without repercussion for the abductor, Paris thought that he was safely in the clear and would be free from retaliation.
However, the peace and wedded bliss were not to last. Paris visited Sparta while pretending to be on a diplomatic mission, and the moment he made his face visible to Helen, Eros (Cupid) fired an arrow straight through Helen's heart. As Aphrodite had promised Paris all those years earlier, Helen fell madly in love with the Trojan prince. The two made off to Troy immediately, and, because similar political abductions had occurred in the past without repercussion for the abductor, Paris thought that he was safely in the clear and would be free from retaliation.
The Drums of War
But Paris could not have been more wrong. After Menelaus and Odysseus attempted to recover Helen by diplomacy, Menelaus and Agamemnon sent a call out to all of Helen's former suitors, who, during the negotiations for Helen's hand, had promised that they would defend her marriage to Menelaus. Bound by this promise, the various princes of Greece assembled their forces (some quite reluctantly) and set sail for Troy.
For nine years, the Greek forces besieged the city of Troy without making any sort of progress in breaching the city's defenses or recovering the abducted Helen. Expeditions led by Ajax and Achilles conquered many of Troy's allies in the region, but the city itself remained resolute against the prolonged assault while raids led by Hector, the greatest of the Trojan warriors, kept the Greeks on their heels as well.
The turning point in the war came in the tenth year, and hinged on a bizarre and selfish decision on the part of Achilles, the greatest of the Greek warriors. During a dispute with Agamemnon, Achilles entirely withdrew from the war effort, and, without his presence on the battlefield, Hector and the Trojans began to gain ground rapidly, penetrating the Greek defenses and very nearly setting their ships on fire. Left without alternatives, Achilles' closest friend, Patroclus, dons Achilles armor and directly engages Hector, who is his better by a good distance.
Hopelessly outmatched, Patroclus is cut down by Hector, who takes Achilles' armor as his prize. When Achilles hears of his friend's death, he flies into an absolute rage and becomes obsessed with hunting down and killing Hector. He and Agamemnon reconcile, and Achilles rejoins the Greek forces, turning the tide once again.
The showdown between the two greatest warriors of the age occurs a few days later when the Trojan forces are retreating from battle and Athena tricks Hector into remaining outside Troy after the rest of the forces have gone inside. Alone and cut off from support, he has no choice but to confront Achilles, who has caught up with him. Knowing that the gods favor Achilles and that he will die, he still draws his sword and savagely duels with Achilles.
After Achilles delivers the fatal strike, Hector predicts that Achilles will die soon as well.
For nine years, the Greek forces besieged the city of Troy without making any sort of progress in breaching the city's defenses or recovering the abducted Helen. Expeditions led by Ajax and Achilles conquered many of Troy's allies in the region, but the city itself remained resolute against the prolonged assault while raids led by Hector, the greatest of the Trojan warriors, kept the Greeks on their heels as well.
The turning point in the war came in the tenth year, and hinged on a bizarre and selfish decision on the part of Achilles, the greatest of the Greek warriors. During a dispute with Agamemnon, Achilles entirely withdrew from the war effort, and, without his presence on the battlefield, Hector and the Trojans began to gain ground rapidly, penetrating the Greek defenses and very nearly setting their ships on fire. Left without alternatives, Achilles' closest friend, Patroclus, dons Achilles armor and directly engages Hector, who is his better by a good distance.
Hopelessly outmatched, Patroclus is cut down by Hector, who takes Achilles' armor as his prize. When Achilles hears of his friend's death, he flies into an absolute rage and becomes obsessed with hunting down and killing Hector. He and Agamemnon reconcile, and Achilles rejoins the Greek forces, turning the tide once again.
The showdown between the two greatest warriors of the age occurs a few days later when the Trojan forces are retreating from battle and Athena tricks Hector into remaining outside Troy after the rest of the forces have gone inside. Alone and cut off from support, he has no choice but to confront Achilles, who has caught up with him. Knowing that the gods favor Achilles and that he will die, he still draws his sword and savagely duels with Achilles.
After Achilles delivers the fatal strike, Hector predicts that Achilles will die soon as well.
Catastrophe and Victory...and Catastrophe
The Death of Achilles
After Hector's death, the war only continued to escalate. New parties, including the Amazons, were drawn into the conflict, and it seemed that the end of the violence would never arrive.
Even worse, the Greeks were dealt a devastating blow when Achilles, in the midst of a raid, ran inside Troy itself. The gods, deeming that Achilles had caused enough slaughter and strife, decided that it was time for the greatest of the Greek warriors to fall. Paris, an absolute coward, fired the fatal shot from his bow, which, guided by Apollo, struck down Achilles and, with him, the hopes of a Greek victory. Or so it appeared.
But the Greeks kept up the fight and, through Odysseus' most celebrated trick, the Trojan Horse, succeeded in infiltrating the city. Although the prophetess Cassandra warned King Priam not to accept the horse into his city, he ignored her prophecy (as was the case with all of her predictions) and the Greeks finally succeeded where they had failed for the previous decade. A bloody carnage ensued as the Trojan men were systematically slaughter, the women and children enslaved, and the city burned to ashes. The remaining Trojan warriors fought valiantly, but disorganized and caught off guard, they had no chance.
And, at last, Menelaus recovered his wife.
Finally claiming an absolute victory, the invading Greeks had nothing left to do except return home after a decade away from their homes, wives and children. Yet even this would not come easy. Due to various misconducts during the war, many of the parties were punished by the gods, who delayed their homecomings for months and even years. Menelaus wandered for eight years, and others simply never made it home; deceived by the gods, their ships crashed on rocks or were simply lost at sea. Only Nestor, the King of Pylos, made it home in a timely and safe manner, his reward for good conduct during the war.
Of all the returning Acheans, however, none had a journey as long or heartbreaking as Odysseus the wanderer...
Even worse, the Greeks were dealt a devastating blow when Achilles, in the midst of a raid, ran inside Troy itself. The gods, deeming that Achilles had caused enough slaughter and strife, decided that it was time for the greatest of the Greek warriors to fall. Paris, an absolute coward, fired the fatal shot from his bow, which, guided by Apollo, struck down Achilles and, with him, the hopes of a Greek victory. Or so it appeared.
But the Greeks kept up the fight and, through Odysseus' most celebrated trick, the Trojan Horse, succeeded in infiltrating the city. Although the prophetess Cassandra warned King Priam not to accept the horse into his city, he ignored her prophecy (as was the case with all of her predictions) and the Greeks finally succeeded where they had failed for the previous decade. A bloody carnage ensued as the Trojan men were systematically slaughter, the women and children enslaved, and the city burned to ashes. The remaining Trojan warriors fought valiantly, but disorganized and caught off guard, they had no chance.
And, at last, Menelaus recovered his wife.
Finally claiming an absolute victory, the invading Greeks had nothing left to do except return home after a decade away from their homes, wives and children. Yet even this would not come easy. Due to various misconducts during the war, many of the parties were punished by the gods, who delayed their homecomings for months and even years. Menelaus wandered for eight years, and others simply never made it home; deceived by the gods, their ships crashed on rocks or were simply lost at sea. Only Nestor, the King of Pylos, made it home in a timely and safe manner, his reward for good conduct during the war.
Of all the returning Acheans, however, none had a journey as long or heartbreaking as Odysseus the wanderer...