Characters and Places in Trojan War

8/2/2019 Characters and Places in Trojan War

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A BAchilles Son of Peleus and Thetis. Greatest Greek hero.Aegisthus Cousin of Agamemnon and lover of ClytemnestraAeneas Son of Aphrodite and Anchises, destined to

survive Troy's fall.Aeolus King of the winds, visited by OdysseusAgamemnon King of Mycenae, overlord of GreeceAjax son ofOileus

The lesser Ajax, a swift runner

Ajax son ofTelemon

The greater Ajax, most powerful Greek hero afterAchilles

Alexandros Another name for ParisAmazons A nation of women fightersAnchises Father of Aeneas and cousin of PriamAndromache Wife of HectorAntenor Counselor of Priam and leader of the peace party

in TroyAntilochus Eldest son of Nestor

Antinous Handomest of Penelope's suitorsAphrodite Goddess of beauty, chief supporter of the TrojansApollo God of the sun, supporter of the TrojansAres God of war, supporter of the TrojansArgos Diomede's kingdomArtemis Goddess of the moon, supporter of the TrojansAthene Goddess of wisdom, chief supporter of the GreeksAulis Place where the Greek fleet gathered, and where

Agamemnon sacrificed his daughter.Briseis Captive assigned to Achilles as a prize, and

taken from him by Agamemnon

Calchas Greek prophet, father of Cressida and originallya Trojan

Calypso Nymph who kept Odysseus with her for many yearson an island

Cassandra Prophetess who was never believed, daughter ofPriam

Castor andPollux

Brothers of Helen

Charybdis A whirlpool crossed by Odysseus on his travelsChiron Old centaur who was tutor to Achilles and other

heroesChryseis Daughter of Chryses and captive of AgamemnonChryses Priest of Apollo and father of ChryseisClytemnestra Wife of Agamemnon and his murderessCorax Place where the herdsmen of Odysseus fed his

swineCressida Daughter of Calchas, loved by TroilusCreusa Wife of Aeneas, lost in the taking of TroyCycnus Ally of the Trojans, son of Poseidon, strangled

by AchillesDeidamia Wife of Achilles and mother of Pyrrhus


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Deiphobus Son of Priam who was third husband of HelenDemeter Goddess of the harvestDiomedes A Greek hero, the charioteer, lover of Cressida

and companion of OdysseusDiscord The goddess who threw down the golden apple.Elysium The dwelling place of the happy deadEthiopia The kingdom of Memnon, which was at the eastern

end of the EarthEurymachus Leader of Penelope's suitorsHades Home of the deadHebe Goddess of youthHector Most important son of Priam, chief Trojan heroHecuba Wife of Priam and queen of TroyHelen Wife of Menelaus who eloped with Paris. The face

that launched a thousand ships.Hephaistos God of fireHera Queen of the gods and a chief supporter of the

Greeks

Hercules The strongest hero who ever livedHermes Messenger godHermione Only child of Menelaus and HelenHydra Poisonous serpent killed by HeraclesIda Name of the mountain behind TroyIphigenia Daughter of Agamemnon sacrificed by him to get a

fair wind.Iris Rainbow goddessIthaca The kingdom of OdysseusLaertes The father of OdysseusLaocoon Trojen priest of Poseidon, killed for attacking

the Trojan horseLaodamia Wife of Protesilaus, who died of grief at his

deathLeto Mother of Apollo and ArtemisLykaeon Young son of Priam, who was caught twice by

AchillesMedon Faithful servant of TelemachusMelanthius Goatherd and faithless servant of OdysseusMemnon King of Ethiopia and son of the goddess of dawn,

ally of the TrojansMenelaus Brother of Agamemnon, husband of Helen, and king

of SpartaMentor An old advisor of Telemachus, whose form Athene

used.Mycenae The kingdom of AgamemnonMyrmidons The kingdom of Peleus and AchillesNauplius Father of Palamedes, who took revenge on the

Greeks for his son's deathNestor Oldest of the Greek herosOdysseus Wisest of the Greek heroes, king of IthacaOenone Nymph whom Paris loved before he met Helen


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Oileus Father of the lesser AjaxOlympus Where the gods livedOrestes Son of Agamemnon, who avenged his father by

killing his motherPalamedes Ambitious hero who was put to death on a false

charge of dealing with the TrojansPalladium The sacred image of Athena which stood in the

citadel of TroyPandarus Trojan, uncle of CressidaParis Beautiful son of Priam, who stole Helen from

MenelausPatroclus Beloved friend of Achilles, who was killed by

HectorPeleus Husband of Thetis and father of AchillesPenelope Faithful wife of OdysseusPenthesilea Amazon queen, ally of the Trojans, killed by

AchillesPolyxena Daughter of Priam sacrificed at the tomb of

AchillesPoseidon God of the sea, friend of the GreeksPriam King of TroyProtesilaus The first Greek to land on the shore of Troy, and

the first to be killedPyrrhus Son of AchillesRhesus King of Thrace, ally of the Trojans, killed by

Odysseus and DiomedeSalamis Kingdom of Telamon, father of the greater AjaxScyros Island where Achilles was concealed by his motherSinon Liar who persuaded the Trojans to accept the

horseSkamander River running by TroySparta Kingdom of MenelausStyx River bordering the land of the deadTelamon Father of Ajax and TeucerTelemachus Son of Odysseus and PenelopeThebe Andromache's native cityThetis Sea nymph, mother of AchillesTithonus Brother of Priam, married to the goddess of the

dawnTroilus Son of Priam who loved CressidaTyndareus Helen's fatherZeus Father of gods and men


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Summary of Events

Part 1: PrologueChapter 1 - The Golden Apple

Zeus, father of the gods, desired the nymph Thetis. However, a prophecy said she would

have a son who was greater than his father. Zeus decided to marry her to Peleus, king of the

Myrmidons. At the wedding dinner, the goddess Discord (Eris), angry she was not invited, threw

an apple on the table. On it was written, "For the Fairest." The three goddesses Hera, Athena, andAphrodite fought over who was most beautiful, they even asked Zeus to judge who the most

beautiful is; however, the god chose the young shepherd Paris as the judge.

Paris was actually the son of the king and queen of Troy. A prophecy said he would cause

Troy's destruction, so his parents Priam and Hecuba abandoned him in the wilds of Mount Ida,

where he lived with the nymph Oenone. The three goddesses appeared before him and bribed him

to be chosen, Hera promised him to a powerful ruler, Athena offered him great wisdom but Paris

chose Aphrodite as the fairest goddess and she promised him the most beautiful woman in the

world as his wife.

Chapter 2 - HelenThe most beautiful woman in the world was Helen, wife of King Menelaus of Sparta. Paris

came to visit and fell in love with Helen when he saw her. She left with him in the middle of the

night, and they returned to Troy.

Chapter 3 - The Madness of OdysseusMenelaus was the overlord of Greece. When the Trojans would not return Helen,

Agamemnon, the brother of Menelaus and king of Mycenae, told him to call all the kings of Greece

to Aulis to get ready for war against Troy. Many kings did not want to come, including Odysseus.

Agamemnon sent Palamedes to bring Odysseus to Aulis. Odysseus pretended to be insane,

driving his oxen on the seashore, plowing the sand, and throwing salt on the ground. Palamedes

threw Odysseus's son under the feet of the oxen and Odysseus had to stop.

Chapter 4 - The Discovery of AchillesAchilles was the son of Thetis and Peleus. His mother tried to protect him from a prophecy

of early death by dipping him into the River Styx, which would make him invulnerable. However,

she held him by the heel so his heel was unprotected. She sent him to hide in the court of the king

of Scyros, where he was disguised as a girl and married the princess Deidamia. Odysseus disguised

himself as a traveling merchant, and tempted Achilles into revealing himself using a beautiful

sword.

Chapter 5 - IphigeniaIn Aulis, the wind was coming from the wrong direction. The prophet Calchas told

Agamemnon the gods wanted him to sacrifice his daughter Iphigenia in order to get a fair wind.

When Agamemnon ordered Iphigenia killed, his wife Clytemnestra swore vengeance.

Part 2: OpeningChapter 1 - The Trojan Princes

The Trojan princes argued over what they should do. Priam's son Hector said war was

inevitable. Antenor thought Hector just wanted revenge against the Greeks. Aeneas thought Troy

would win because a prophecy foretold success for him. Priam said there was no choice.


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Cassandra, Priam's daughter, was a priestess of Apollo with a gift of prophecy. She was cursed by

Apollo so that no one would ever believe what she said. She predicted that Hector would die and

Troy would burn.

Chapter 2 - The Foremost ManThe Greeks Laodamia and Protesilaus were married. Protesilaus joined the war against Troy

but left a sculpture of himself to keep his wife company. One night she dreamed that she was with

him as they approached Troy. He was the "foremost man" to leap from his ship onto the shore, and

was killed. Laodamia knew this was a vision of the future. She prayed to Zeus, and he granted her

three hours with her husband before he died, by making the statue come to life. Then Laodamia

died by killing herself.

Chapter 3 - The Host MustersAgamemnon walked through his forces on the shore of Troy. He argued with Achilles and

accused Achilles of holding back a prisoner. Achilles said he had captured the boy, Priam's son

Lykaon, the night before behind Troy. The gods too watched the war.

The battle began. Achilles fought with Cycnus, the son of Poseidon. No weapon could pierce him.

However, Achilles strangled Cycnus by the straps of his helmet.

Chapter 4 - Troilus and CressidaCressida was the daughter of Calchas, the Trojan prophet who joined the Greeks. He left his

daughter behind with her uncle Pandarus. Troilus, a prince of Troy, fell in love with her and gave

her his shield. The Greeks exchanged a captive for Cressida and though she swore to return to

Troilus, she gave the shield to the Greek hero Diomede instead.

Chapter 5 - The Time of DiscouragementAfter many years, the war was still not over. Palamedes seized power over the Greeks while

Agamemnon was away. Odysseus told Agamemnon he would spread a rumor and plant evidencethat Palamedes had sold out to the Trojans, and Agamemnon agreed to the plan.

Part 3: The Wrath of AchillesChapter 1 - The Quarrel

The god Apollo made the Greeks sick. Calchas said it was because Agamemnon refused torelease a captive girl (Chryseis) who was the daughter of a priest of Apollo (Chryses). Agamemnonsaid if he had to give up his captive, he would take Achilles' favorite captive Briseis. Achilles said ifthat happened, he would refuse to fight for Troy.

Chapter 2 - The CombatParis challenged Menelaus in single combat for Helen. They fought, and Menelaus was

winning, but Aphrodite saved him.

Chapter 3 - Hector and AndromacheThe mighty Hector rallied the Trojans and they fought off the Greeks. Hector and his wife

Andromache talked. She asked him if he could say, but he told her he was fated to be killed, andshe was fated to end her days as a slave. He returned to the battle.


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Chapter 4 - A Night AdventureOdysseus and Diomedes set off by night to do something to encourage the Greeks.

Meanwhile, the Trojans sent Dolon the Wolf as a scout to find out what the Greeks were planning.Odysseus and Diomede captured Dolon, got information about the Trojans (including theirpassword) and killed him. Then they killed the Thracian king, who was coming to help theTrojans, and stole the king's horses.

Chapter 5 - The Death of PatroclusAgamemnon, Diomede, and other Trojans were wounded in battle, but Achilles still refused

to fight. He sent his friend Patroclus, wearing the armor of Achilles, to lead the Myrmidons inbattle. Patroclus killed Sarpedon and then chased after the Trojans. Hector killed Patroclus andtook his armor.

Chapter 6 - The Death of HectorAchilles mourned the death of Patroclus, and rejoined the battle. He confronted Hector, and

chased him around the walls of Troy. Hector asked him to return his body to the Trojans if he waskilled, but Achilles refused and killed him. Then he dragged Hector's body behind his chariot, anddecided to give Patroclus a great funeral.

Chapter 7 - Funeral GamesAfter the funeral pyre of Patroclus, the Greeks held funeral games. In the chariot race,

Diomede won and Antilochus edged out Menelaus with reckless driving. Menelaus refused to takelast place because he said it was unfair, and Antilochus let him have second prize. In the wrestling,Odysseus defeated Ajax by hitting him behind the knee. Odysseus also beat Ajax in the foot-race.Achilles was still mourning the death of Patroclus.

Chapter 8 - The RansomAchilles still refused to release the body of Hector. Priam drove out by himself in a chariot

and threw himself in front of Achilles in his tent, asking Achilles to think of his own father.Achilles gave Priam the body and finally was at peace.

Part 4: The Close of the WarChapter 1 - The Queen of the Amazons

Penthesilea, Queen of the Amazons, joined the Trojans with her army of women warriors.

She killed the men of Protesilaus and pushed the Greeks back to their camp. Achilles killed her

with a spear. He realized that he could have loved her.

Chapter 2 - The Last Fight of AchillesMemnon, king of the Ethiopians, killed Nestor's son Antilochus. Achilles fought and killed

Memnon. Then he chased the Trojans back to the gates of Troy. Apollo tells Paris to shoot apoisoned arrow at Achilles. It would have fallen short, but Achilles turned and the point of the

arrow entered his heel. He fell and his body was trampled.

Chapter 3 - The Armor of AchillesThetis commanded the Greeks to burn her son's body, and she gave his possessions as prizes

in the funeral games for Achilles. The Greeks awarded Achilles' armor to Odysseus because the

Trojans said they feared Odysseus more than Ajax. Ajax plotted to kill Odysseus and Agamemnon,

but Athene made him go insane instead, and he attacked the sheep and captured the rams. When

dawn arrived, he regained his sanity and killed himself.


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Chapter 4 - PyrrhusCalchas told the Greeks a prophecy said they must be led by the son of Achilles, Pyrrhus.

Odysseus went to Scyros to get Pyrrhus, and recognized him by his speed and strength. Pyrrhus

returned with Odysseus despite Deidamia's pleas.

Chapter 5 - The Bow of HeraclesCalchas says the Greeks still needed the Bow of Heracles. It was in the possession ofPhiloctetes, who was abandoned by Odysseus on a deserted island. Odysseus and Pyrrhus went to

get the bow. Odysseus told Pyrrhus to lie to Philoctetes and say he had fought with Odysseus.

When Odysseus appeared, Pyrrhus felt sorry for Philoctetes, but the dead hero Heracles appeared

himself and told Philoctetes to go along with the Greeks.

Chapter 6 - OenoneParis was wounded, and had himself carried up to Mount Ida to ask the nymph Oenone to

heal him. Oenone was still angry with him for leaving her for Helen, but even as he was dying he

could not tell her she was more beautiful than Helen. She sent him away, and he died on the way

back to Troy, even though she changed her mind and followed him.

Chapter 7 - The Taking of the PalladiumA prophecy said that Troy could not be taken as long as the Palladium stood in the citadel.

Odysseus entered Troy disguised as a beggar, and Helen took him in. She told him how the

Palladium was guarded, and he escaped out the Skaian Gate. On the first dark night, Odysseus and

Diomede approached Troy. Odysseus gave Diomede a boost up the wall but Diomede refused to

pull Odysseus after him, going on by himself to get the Palladium. Odysseus was angry with

Diomede.

Part 5: The Fall of TroyChapter 1 - The Trojan HorseThe Greeks built a wooden horse, which they filled with warriors. Then they sailed away

and hid. The Trojans came out and argued whether to take it inside the city. The Greek spy Sinon

told them it was a gift from the Greeks, and would make the Trojans rulers of all Greece. Laocoon,

the priest of Poseidon, warned them not to take it in, but Poseidon sent serpents to kill Laocoon's

sons and Laocoon himself. The Trojans took the horse into the city.

Chapter 2 - The Sack of TroyAt night, Sinon lit the signal and released the heroes from the horse. Priam and Hecuba

took refuge on the altar, but Pyrrhus killed Priam's son and then Priam himself. Aeneas and most ofhis family managed to escape and left to become the founder of a great city.

Chapter 3 - The WomenThe Trojan women were divided up as prizes. Hecuba was to be the slave of Odysseus.

Hecuba's youngest son was killed by the King of Thrace, who was supposed to be keeping him safe.

Hecuba would kill the Thracian king herself later on. Agamemnon took Cassandra, who didn't

mind because she could see his future. Troy was demolished, but the Trojan Antenor (who had

helped the Greeks) was allowed to move to a nearby city.


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Part 6: The Return of the Heroes

Chapter 1 - Agamemnon's DeathIn Mycenae, Clytemnestra had taken a lover, Agamemnon's cousin Aegisthus. When

Agamemnon returned with Cassandra, Clytemnestra made a big fuss over him. She had him walk

on a red carpet, and invited him in for a bath. She took his sword, threw a net over him, and killed

him with an axe. Then she set off with the axe to Cassandra, who knew what was going to happenand was happy because she had her revenge on Agamemnon.

Chapter 2 - The Adventures of MenelausMenelaus took Helen and headed for home. His ships were scattered by a storm and he

ended up in Egypt, but could not get any further. A sea nymph told him to ask the god Proteus for

help, but he had to catch and hold the god in order to get his aid. Menelaus grabbed Proteus, who

turned into a snake, a leopard, a board, water, and finally a tree while Menelaus held on. Proteus

told him to return to Egypt and make offerings to the gods for a fair wind, and told him of the

deaths of Ajax Oileus and Agamemnon. Menelaus returned home and lived happily ever after withHelen.Chapter 3 - Nestor at HomeOdysseus's son Nestor visited Nestor of Pylos, accompanied by the mysterious Mentor.

Penelope, the wife of Odysseus, was being pestered by suitors who want to marry her because they

believed Odysseus was dead, but she was stalling them by pretending to weave a shroud for her

father. Nestor gave Telemachus news of the Greek heroes. After this, Mentor rose into the air,

turning into a black eagle, and Nestor and Telemachus realized he had been a god (it was actually

Athene).Chapter 4 - In the House of the SwineherdA mysterious old beggar visited the house of Eumaeus, the swineherd of Odysseus. The

beggar told the swineherd about the wanderings of Odysseus, and said Odysseus will take revenge

on the suitors. Eumaeus did not believe him but gave him a bed for the night. The next day

Telemachus came to the swineherd's house and the beggar reveals himself as Odysseus.Chapter 5 - The Bow Is BentPenelope said she would marry the man who could string the bow of Odysseus and send an

arrow through the holes of twelve axes set in a row. The suitors tried but failed, and the beggar

asked if he could try. He did easily, and then shot Antinous, and then he and Telemachus killed the

rest of the suitors. Penelope did not believe it was her husband, and tried to trick him by asking

that the marriage bed be brought out, but Odysseus knew it had been built around a living tree.

Now that Odysseus had returned home, the Trojan War was truly over.

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Characters and Places in Trojan War