The Trojan War

"For the Fairest"

Jan 1, 1000

Eris was very unpopular among the gods of Olympus, and she was the only one uninvited to the important marriage of the sea nymph Thetis and King Peleus. She resentfully threw an apple marked "For the Fairest" into their banquet hall. All of the goddesses wanted it, but it was eventually decided that Aphrodite, Hera, or Athena should have it. They asked Zeus to judge their beauty, but he advised them to go to Mount Ida to ask Prince Paris, an excellent judge of beauty.

Trojan War Timeframe

Period: Jan 1, 1000 to Jan 1, 1010

The Judgment of Paris

May 2, 1000

Prince Paris was doing shepherd's work because a prophet had told his father he would one day bring ruin to Troy. He was living with a nymph, Oenene. The goddesses appeared before him and asked him to consider their bribes, rather than their beauty. Hera offered to make him lord of Europe and Asia, Athena to make him ultimate victor against Greece, and Aphrodite, the fairest woman in the world. He was weak and cowardly so chose Aphrodite, giving her the apple.

Helen's Many Suitors

Aug 3, 1000

Helen of Troy was the fairest woman in the world. She had many suitors, but her father was able to tame them and chose Menelaus, the brother of Agamemnon, making him King of Sparta. Aphrodite led Paris to Sparta, where he was welcomed as a guest. Paris broke the sacred rules of the relationship between a guest and a host, and he stole Helen away to Troy.

Menelaus Enacts War

Dec 4, 1000

Menelaus, upon returning to find Helen had gone, calls upon Greece to help him. Bound to service, the chieftains prepare means to cross the sea and burn down the city of Troy. Odysseus and Achilles try to avoid the draft, but they both fail.

Aggravation at Aulis

Mar 5, 1001

One thousand Greek ships met at Aulis, which had strong winds and tides that made sailing impossible. Calchus declares that Artemis has spoken to him, angry about a hare slayed with its young by the Greeks. She declared that a young maiden, Iphigenia, the eldest of the Agememnon, be sacrificed to her.

Iphigenia's Sacrifice

Jun 5, 1001

Her father pretends to arrange a marriage for her to Achilles, and is killed on the altar. The Greeks are able to pass. During their journey they stop on the island of Lemnos, where Prince Philoctetes is wounded and left.

Arrival at Troy

Sep 10, 1001

The Greeks reach the mouth of Simois, a river of Troy. Prostesilaus jumps ashore first after an oracle declaring the first ashore to die, and is honored. Both sides of the war were very strong - King Priam and Queen Hecuba had many brave sons to defend Troy, the strongest being Hector, greater than anyone except Achilles. Unfortunately, both of these warriors were destined to die.

The End of Equality

Jan 8, 1005

For nine years neither side had an advantage, but it finally changes to the side of the Trojans. Chryseis, the daughter of Apollo's priest, was kidnapped by Agamemnon. The priest prayed to Apollo, who responded by coming down on his sun chariot to shoot fiery arrows on the Greek army. The Greek Army decides to return Chryseis, but Agamemnon decides to take another girl, Briseis, from Achilles. This causes Achilles to stop fighting, which also lowers the Greeks.

Tales of Mother and Son

Apr 8, 1005

Ajax and Diomedes were the best Greeks under Achilles. Diomedes almost kills the best under Hector, Prince Aeneas, who is protected by his mother, Aphrodite, who ends up injured, and taken by Apollo to be healed. Diomedes finds Hector, but realizes he is backed by Ares, and tells Greeks to walk backwards. Hera, with Athena's assistance, allows Diomedes to smite Ares. Ares complains to Zeus, but Zeus has no sentiments towards him. This forces the Trojans to fall back.

Thetis' Request

Jul 8, 1005

Thetis goes to Zeus and asks him to give success to the Trojans. Zeus agrees despite Hera's wants and sends a lying dream to Agamemnon promising victory if he attacks. This battle leads to Paris and Menelaus fighting alone. Aphrodite envelops Paris in a cloud and takes him back to Troy. Agamemnon speaks to both armies and declares Menelaus the winner, declaring they give Helen back. Unfortunately, the truce was broken by Athena convincing Pandarus to shoot Meleneas, prompting fighting.

Hector's Heart

Oct 9, 1005

Hector asks his mother to make a sacrifice to Athena, but it fails. Hector, before returning to battle, meets his wife and son, who beg him not to go, but he refuses. Zeus remembers his promise to Thetis and goes down to help the Trojans. With his help, the Greeks are almost pushed back to their ships.

Agememnon's Regret

Jan 10, 1006

Agememnon learns that if he hadn't upset Achilles, they would not be losing. He tries to return Briseis to Achilles with Odysseus, but is refused. The Greeks went to battle and were still losing.

Hera's Interference

Apr 11, 1006

Hera enacts a plan to help the Greeks; she beautifies herself then goes to Zeus, whose love distracts him from his war efforts. The battle turns in favor of the Greeks. Hector is almost defeated by Ajax. Zeus awakens and goes to beat Hera, but she blames Poseidon. Zeus forces Poseidon to stop favoring the Greeks.

Patroclus Persists and Perishes

Jul 12, 1006

Apollo revives Hector and they both scare the Greeks, making them fall back to their ships and letting their walls fall. The Trojans were almost near enough to set their ships on fire.Patroclus takes Achilles' armor and goes to fight, but is defeated by Hector, who takes Achilles' armor and puts it on. Achilles learns of his death and is struck with grief.

Achilles Avenges

Oct 13, 1006

Achilles is determined to avenge Patroclus. Thetis brings him arms made by Hephaestus. Achilles unites his soldiers and the initiate the final battle. Rivers tried to drown Achilles, but he persisted. The gods were also fighting - Athena against Ares, Hera against Artemis, and Posiedon taunting Apollo. Zeus simply watched from the Heavens. Apollo felt it useless to fight for Hector, because he was now destined to die. The gates of Troy were open as the Trojans ran into the town in defeat.

Hector's Death

Jan 13, 1007

Achilles and Athena chased Hector around Troy's walls three times. At last, Athena disguised herself as Deiphobus, Hector's brother, prompting him to challenge Achilles. They fight, and through Athena's trickery, Hector is killed by Achilles. He asks if Achilles will take his body to his parents, but Achilles refuses. Achilles strips Hector of his armor and ties his feet to the back of his chariot. He drags his body around Troy's walls, telling Patroclus that he will feed it to the dogs.

Priam's Plea

Apr 22, 1007

The gods were upset at Achille's treatment of the dead. They sent Iris to Priam, telling him to go without fear to Achilles. Hermes, disguised as a Greek, leads him to Achilles' tent. Priam falls to his knees and begs Achilles for Hector. Achilles feels awe and sympathy for him. Achilles says that battle will be on hold for Hector's funeral. The Trojans mourn Hector for nine days, then burn and bury him. This ends the Illiad.

Achilles' Heel

Jul 23, 1007

Achilles, knowing his predestined death was near, did one last thing. He kills Prince Memnon of Ethiopia, who was assisting the Trojans. Paris shoots and arrow at Achilles and Apollo drives it into his heel, his only weak spot. His mother had dipped him in the River Stynx as a child, but did not put the part she held him by, his heel, inside it. Achilles was carried out by Ajax and his ashes were put with Patroclus'.

Greek Grief

Oct 24, 1007

Ajax commits suicide in a dispute over Achilles' armor. This was mainly caused by Athena, who struck him with madness. The Greeks are distraught by their losses. Calchus says to capture the Trojan prophet Helenus to learn what to do. She tells them they must fight with the bow and arrows of Hercules. They collect these from Prince Philoctetes, who they had abandoned. Prince Philctetes returns to battle and first shoots Paris.

Paris Passes

Jan 24, 1008

Paris returns to Oenene, who has a magical drug to cure any ailment. She refuses to use it, and watches him die, later killing herself. The Trojans do not fall with the loss of Paris, and Helen remains in Troy.

The Palladium and Plans

Apr 25, 1008

The Greeks learn that if they steal the Paladium, a sacred image of Pallus Athena, Troy will be able to be defeated. Odyssesus and Diomedes steal the image and formulate a plan to win the war. They see that if they could get into the city by surprise, they will win the war. Odysseus has a skilled worker build a huge, hollow, wooden horse. He persuades the chieftains to hide inside it with him. He has the other Greeks leave camp and sail to a nearby island where they could not be seen.

The Trojan Horse

Jul 26, 1008

A man left behind, Sinon, explains to the Trojans that the horse is an offering to Athena, and its size is to prevent the Trojans from taking it into the city. A few people that doubt this are killed by two sea serpents, which were sent by Poseidon. The Trojans take the horse into the city and celebrate their "victory" over the Greeks. At midnight, the Greeks exit the horse and open the gates of Troy, allowing the returned soldiers to enter. The Greeks set fire to the city's buildings.

The Fall of Troy

Dec 27, 1008

The Greeks through roofs down on alarmed Trojans who ran out of their homes. Trojans who collected were able to defeat some Greeks, using tactics like stealing the armor off of dead Greeks to disguise themselves. Achilles' son enters the inner palace and kills King Priam. Aphrodite saves Aeneas and Helen, the latter of which she took to Menelaus. The city was left in ruins, and the captives were women to be taken to Greece to be slaves.

Astyanax - The Final Sacrifice

Apr 28, 1009

The leaders of the captives were Queen Hecuba and Andromache, the wife of Hector. She wanted to keep her son, Astyanax, but a herald took him and had him thrown off the wall of Troy. With his death, the sacrifices were complete.