2. The Trojan War
A long time ago, there was an ancient city-state on the coast
of Turkey, across the sea from Sparta. This city-state was
named Troy.
At one time, Troy and the other Greek city-states were
pretty good friends. But times had changed.
The city of Troy was protected by a high wall built around the city. There were gates
in the wall to let people in and out but it provided great defense for the people of
Troy.
The Greek warriors had been trying to breach wall for a long time. The Greeks could
not find a way in, and hade Trojans did not seem able to drive the Greeks away.
3. Odysseus, a Greek general, had an idea. His plan was to build a horse, a huge wooden horse,
and leave it outside the gate. Then, the entire Greek army would pretend to leave, as if they
had finally admitted defeat. But the horse would be hollow. Thirty men would be hiding inside.
That's what they did.
As the Greek warriors sailed away, the people of Troy rushed outside, cheering. They found the
horse. Fortunately, they didn't try to burn the horse. They dragged the horse inside the city
gates to keep it on display, which is just what the Greek general thought they would do.
That night, while the Trojan people were sleeping, the men hiding inside the horse climbed out
and opened the gates. The Greek army entered Troy. That was the end of Troy.
4. THE CYCLOPS AND THE TITANS
It is monstrous giant with a single eye in the middle of its forehead, the Cyclops is found
throughout Greek mythology. In Hesiod's account of the lives of the gods, there were three
Cyclopes: Arges, Brontes, and Steropes— sons of Heaven and Earth who made the
thunderbolts of Zeus. The Titans were the Greek gods that ruled the world before the
Olympians. The first twelve Titans were the children of the original gods Uranus (Father Sky)
and Gaia (Mother Earth). Their names were: Cronus, Rhea, Oceanus, Tethys, Hyperion,
Theia, Coeus, Phoebe, Mnemosyne, Themus, Crius and Lapethus.
Cronus and
Rhea, parents of
Zeus, Poseidon,
Demeter, Hades,
Hera and Hestia.
CyclopsThe titans
5. THE MYTHOLOGY IN THE ART
The story of
Polyphemus and
Galatea, which
inspired Beauty
and the Beast.
Galatea was a
nymph who was in
love with a
shepherd while
Polyphemus was
in love with her.
Odysseus found
Polyphemus in his
return from Troy
and got trapped in
his cave. To
escape, Odysseus
made him drunk
and as he slept he
plunged a burning
stake into his eye.
This is a drawing that show the Trojan
horse being carried by the people of
Troy.
The
judgement
of Paris.
