Trojan War by Ben Moidel

How it all started

Jan 1, 1000

Eris presents a golden apple to the Gods at King Peleus's wedding, where all the Gods were at the time, but she was not invited as usual. The apple is marked, "for the fairest." The Gods begin to argue over who should receive it. They narrow the choices down to just Athena, Hera, and Aphrodite.

Trojan War

Period: Jan 1, 1000 to Jan 15, 1010

The Greeks Fighting the Trojans

The Decision: Judgement of Paris

Jan 2, 1000

The Gods turn to Zeus's judgement. Wisely, he stays neutral in the arguement and suggests asking a mortal for the winner. That mortal is Prince Paris. As he is out letting his father's sheep graze on Mount Ida, the 3 finalist Goddesses appear to him. Each Goddess promised him different prizes for choosing her. Athena promised to grant a victory to the Trojans in a war against Greece, Hera would make him the ruler of Asia and Europe, and Aphrodite would give him the fairest mortal woman.

Paris's Prize

Jan 3, 1000

Since Paris chose Aphrodite to receive the apple, she gave him the fairest woman, who was Helen. She was so beautiful that many Greek princes wanted to marry her. Her step-father, King Tyndareus, for her father was Zeus, chose for her Menelaus, brother of Agamemnon. Aphrodite lets Paris be Tyndareus's guest. Guests and hosts should have a sacred respect for each other, but Paris takes Helen and leaves while Tyndereus left for Crete, breaking that respect. This adds to Greece's anger.

It's War!

Jan 4, 1000

Since Helen was so beautiful, her husband, Menelaus, was able to unite Greece to go attack Troy, where Paris took Helen.

To Troy...

Jan 12, 1000

The Greeks are now ready to sail on to Troy. The problem is, as a soothsayer told them, Artemis was angry over the death of a rabbit and caused a strong wind that held the ships back. To make her happy, the Greeks needed to sacrifice Iphigenia, the army commander Agamemnon's oldest daughter. Now that the wind died down, the thousand Greek ships sail to Troy.

Greek Ships land on the Trojan Shore

Apr 12, 1000

Fighting begins and continues for 9 long years.

More Fighting...

Feb 20, 1009

After 9 years, there is no sizable advantage to either side. The Trojans finally take a slight advantage as Agamemnon and Achilles, a Greek hero, argue over a woman. Apollo's priest's daughter, Chryseis, who was given to Agamemnon, was summoned back by her father. When she was not returned, Apollo punished the Greek army. Achilles was able to send Chryseis back, but Agamemnon wanted one of Achilles's women in her stead. Achilles refuses to fight for the Greeks and swears revenge.

The Gods

Feb 22, 1009

By now, the Gods know what state the war was in. Aphrodite, Ares, Apollo, and Artemis support the Trojans. Poseidon, Athena, and Hera support the Greeks. Zeus wants to remain neutral at this point, but favors the Trojans. He sent a false dream to Agamemnon that an attack on Troy would be a success.

The Battle Ends... or So It Seems

Feb 23, 1009

The Greeks and Trojans fight fiercly in front of Troy's walls. At one point, they stop to let Menelaus and Paris fight by themselves. Menelaus quickly gets an advantage, but Aphrodite teleports Paris back into Troy. The angry Menelaus searches for him, but cannot find him. Finally, Agamemnon adresses both armies and declares Menelaus victorious, therefore Helen should be returned to the Greeks. The Trojans agreed, but Hera told Athena to make a Trojan shoot an arrow at Menelaus.

Even More Fighting

Feb 23, 1009

With the truce broken by a Trojan, the angered Greeks begin the fight again. Ajax and Diomedes become the Greek champion fighters after Achilles won't fight. On the other hand, Hector and Aeneas are the Trojan champions. At one point, Diomedes injures Aeneas and Aphrodite and Apollo take him to Artemis where he is healed and removed from the battle. Hera helped Diomedes slay Ares who was helping Hector fight, giving a major advantage to the Greeks.

The Trojan Comeback

Feb 25, 1009

Seeing they were losing the battle, Hector and his mother try to please Athena by offering her a beautiful robe. Athena refuses to help them. Even though Athena was lost, Zeus then assists the Trojans by using Hector to push back the Greeks.

On the Greek Side...

Feb 26, 1009

A wiseman named Nestor tells Agamemnon to win Achilles back to give the Greeks another advantage. Agamemnon sends valuables to Achilles, but he remains stubborn and unwilling to fight. Without Achilles, the Greeks gain no ground once more.

The Greek Comeback

Feb 27, 1009

On this day of fighting, Hera seduces Zeus to take his attention off of the battle. Without Zeus supporting the Trojan Army, the Greeks push the Trojans back towards Troy. As the fighting approaches Troy, Zeus awakes again. He tells Poseidon to withdraw from the battle, thus ending the Greeks' comeback.

The Fighting Approaches the Greek Ships

Feb 27, 1009

The Trojans fight gloriously and move onward towards the Greek camp on the Trojan shores. Patroclus, Achilles's closest friend, takes Achilles's armor and men and fights the Trojans as one of the Greek ships bursts into flames. Almost immediately, Hector kills Patroclus and takes his armor. Achilles vows revenge on Hector for this death. He uses armor made by Hephaestus and is aided by Athena.

Achilles's Revenge

Feb 28, 1009

Angered by the death of his close friend Patroclus, Achilles leads a Greek charge towards Troy. With Godly help, he slays all who meet him on the battlefield. He searches through the Trojan army until he finds Hector. He easily kills Hector. He then drags the body on the ground behind his chariot as he rides around Troy, mutilating Hector's body. Later, Hector's father, King Priam gives riches to Achilles for his son's body. Achilles has pity for him and honorably burns and buries Hector.

The Fight Continues

Mar 9, 1009

The Greeks and Trojans are still fighting right outside of Troy. Achilles continues to fight for the Greeks, even killing Memnon, an Ethiopian commanding reinforcements of Troy.

A Greek Charge

Mar 10, 1009

Achilles leads the Greeks in a charge towards Troy. As this happens, Paris fires an arrow at Achilles which is guided by Apollo to hit Achilles in his heel, his only vulnerable spot. Achilles was made invincible by being dipped in the River Styx, but his heel was kept out, for no mortal can become completely invincible. Another Greek champion, Odysseus takes his armor.

Jealousy Among the Greeks

Mar 11, 1009

Ajax becomes jealous of Odysseus for getting Achilles's armor. He tries to kill Agamemnon for giving it to Odysseus. Athena stops him by making him think the Greek cattle are Agamemnon. After slaughtering many cattle like he was insane, Ajax commits suicide. Suicide is a great dishonor. With the loss of another Greek champion, all hope is lost until a prophet tells the Greeks that only the bow of Hercules will destroy Troy.

The Greek Hope

Mar 12, 1009

The problem at this point is the Greeks left Hercules's bow with Philoctetes. They left him on the island of Lemnos because he was ill. Odysseus was sent to retrieve him. The Greeks heal him and he fights.

Paris Dies

Jun 25, 1009

Philoctetes joins in the fighting. Not long after, he shoots Paris with Hercules's bow. Paris is taken back to his wife, the nymph Oenone. He wants her to heal his wound but she refuses because he left her and watches him die. She kills herself afterward.

Greek Thievery

Dec 21, 1009

In an attempt at an advantage, the Greeks steal a Trojan monument for Athena. With this monument in Troy, the Greeks will not be able to take the city. Now the Greeks want to end the war by destroying Troy.

The Trojan Horse

Jan 13, 1010

Odysseus thinks of a plan to bring about the downfall of Troy. The Greeks build a large, hollow wooden horse as a gift to the Trojans from a Greek surrender. A lone Greek, Sinon, gives the horse to the Trojans. Since horses are important to the Trojans, they accept the gift. Sinon claims he was to be sacrificed so the Greeks would have safe passage home. He hid, so the Greeks left without him. The Greek ships sailed away, but hid behind some islands and are waiting.

At Night...

Jan 14, 1010

The city of Troy is rejoicing. They won the war and received a monument of a horse. What they don't know is that there are Greeks hiding inside the horse. Sinon told them they were supposed to destroy the horse to anger Athena, but they kept it intact, keeping the Greeks inside safe. After all of Troy had gone silent, the Greeks came out of the horse and lowered Troy's gates. The Greek ships had returned and the army entered Troy. They set fire to the city and killed all of the Trojans.

Troy in Ruins

Jan 15, 1010

After Troy was burned to the ground, the Greek army take all of the Trojan women as slaves. Some children are kept alive, but Hector's son is thrown from the remains of Troy's wall. That was the last Trojan death of the war. After ten years, the Greeks have officially won.