background information on Trojan war

1. The Trojan WarThe Trojan War
http://www.stanford.edu/~plomio/history.html

2.  Once upon a time, in ancientOnce upon a time, in ancient
Greece, there was a man namedGreece, there was a man named
Peleus…Peleus…

3. ……and a sea-goddess named Thetisand a sea-goddess named Thetis

4.  Peleus and Thetis loved eachPeleus and Thetis loved each
other very much, so they decidedother very much, so they decided
to get marriedto get married

5.  Well, theWell, the
trouble begantrouble began
when theywhen they
didndidn’t invite the’t invite the
goddess Eris togoddess Eris to
their weddingtheir wedding

6.  Eris was notEris was not
happy, havinghappy, having
been rejectedbeen rejected
like that, so shelike that, so she
showed up andshowed up and
crashed thecrashed the
wedding partywedding party

7.  In a rage, she threw a golden appleIn a rage, she threw a golden apple
onto the table and declared that theonto the table and declared that the
apple would belong to the fairestapple would belong to the fairest
maiden in the land.maiden in the land.

8.  Now there were three goddesses, andNow there were three goddesses, and
each one believed that she deservedeach one believed that she deserved
the golden applethe golden apple
Hera Athena Aphrodite

9.  ““I’m the fairest,” said Hera.I’m the fairest,” said Hera.
 ““No, I am,” replied Athena.No, I am,” replied Athena.
 ““Well, you’re both wrong,”Well, you’re both wrong,”
Aphrodite announced. “EveryoneAphrodite announced. “Everyone
knows that I am the fairest of all.”knows that I am the fairest of all.”

10.  ““Ladies, ladies,”Ladies, ladies,”
said Zeus, thesaid Zeus, the
king of theking of the
gods. “We willgods. “We will
let Paris decidelet Paris decide
who is thewho is the
fairest.”fairest.”

11.  Now Paris was theNow Paris was the
Prince of Troy,Prince of Troy,
and he wasand he was
considered byconsidered by
many to be a verymany to be a very
handsome man.handsome man.

12.  In an attempt to influence ParisIn an attempt to influence Paris’s vote, each’s vote, each
goddess promised him a gift:goddess promised him a gift:
Hera – powerHera – power
Athena – wealthAthena – wealth
Aphrodite – the most beautifulAphrodite – the most beautiful
woman in the worldwoman in the world

13.  Paris choseParis chose
Aphrodite, whichAphrodite, which
meant that Helen,meant that Helen,
who was currentlywho was currently
married tomarried to
Menelaus, wouldMenelaus, would
become his wife…become his wife…
even if he had toeven if he had to
steal her awaysteal her away
from her husband!from her husband!

14.  So Paris set off for Sparta to captureSo Paris set off for Sparta to capture
Helen.Helen.

15.  Back in Troy, Paris and HelenBack in Troy, Paris and Helen
got married…got married…

16. ……but they didbut they did NOTNOT livelive
happily ever after.happily ever after.

17.  When MenelausWhen Menelaus
discovered whatdiscovered what
Paris had done, heParis had done, he
was furious! Hewas furious! He
vowed to wage warvowed to wage war
on Troy.on Troy.

18.  The Trojan War lasted for ten yearsThe Trojan War lasted for ten years

19.  Hector (Trojan hero)Hector (Trojan hero)
was killedwas killed
 Paris killed AchillesParis killed Achilles
(Greek hero)(Greek hero)
 Even with all theirEven with all their
successes, thesuccesses, the
Greeks could notGreeks could not
seem to break downseem to break down
the walls of Troy.the walls of Troy.

20.  Odysseus (King of Ithaca) got an idea.Odysseus (King of Ithaca) got an idea.
 ““I know,” he said. “We’ll build a large,I know,” he said. “We’ll build a large,
hollow wooden horse that our soldiershollow wooden horse that our soldiers
can hide inside. Then we will take thecan hide inside. Then we will take the
horse into Troy and do away with thehorse into Troy and do away with the
Trojans once and for all.”Trojans once and for all.”

21.  The Trojan Horse,The Trojan Horse,
as it came to beas it came to be
called, was builtcalled, was built
and offered as a giftand offered as a gift
to the Trojansto the Trojans
 The TrojansThe Trojans
eventually acceptedeventually accepted
the gift and took itthe gift and took it
into their cityinto their city

22.  Later that night, after most of Troy was asleep,Later that night, after most of Troy was asleep,
the Greek warriors climbed out of the horsethe Greek warriors climbed out of the horse
and slaughtered the Trojans.and slaughtered the Trojans.
 King Priam, ruler of the Trojans, was killed.King Priam, ruler of the Trojans, was killed.

23. Home sweet home…Home sweet home…
 After the warAfter the war
was over, thewas over, the
GreeksGreeks
(including the(including the
mastermind,mastermind,
Odysseus) setOdysseus) set
sail for homesail for home

24.  The story you are about to read picks upThe story you are about to read picks up
here…with Odysseushere…with Odysseus’s voyage home to’s voyage home to
IthacaIthaca

25. THE ENDTHE END
(oops! I mean(oops! I mean
THE BEGINNING…)THE BEGINNING…)