The Trojan WarThe Trojan WarEnglish IEnglish I

Judgment of ParisJudgment of ParisAn important feast was taking place at An important feast was taking place at

the home of the gods and goddesses, the home of the gods and goddesses, Mount Olympus. The evil goddess of Mount Olympus. The evil goddess of Discord, Eris, was angry that she was Discord, Eris, was angry that she was not invited, so she decided to make not invited, so she decided to make trouble. She threw a golden apple trouble. She threw a golden apple into the crowd. On the apple were into the crowd. On the apple were the words “For the Fairest.”the words “For the Fairest.”

Of course, all of the goddesses wanted Of course, all of the goddesses wanted the apple because each believed that the apple because each believed that she was the fairest. The choices were she was the fairest. The choices were narrowed down to three: Aphrodite, narrowed down to three: Aphrodite, Hera, and Pallas Athena. The three Hera, and Pallas Athena. The three goddesses asked Zeus to decide which goddesses asked Zeus to decide which one of them should get the apple, but he one of them should get the apple, but he refused to have anything to do with the refused to have anything to do with the matter.matter.

Zeus told the three goddesses to go to Zeus told the three goddesses to go to Mount Ida, near Troy, where they Mount Ida, near Troy, where they would find the young prince Paris. would find the young prince Paris. Zeus said that he was an excellent Zeus said that he was an excellent judge of beauty. Paris was a prince, judge of beauty. Paris was a prince, but was doing shepherd’s work but was doing shepherd’s work outside of Troy because his father, outside of Troy because his father, King Priam was warned that Paris King Priam was warned that Paris would one day be the ruin of his would one day be the ruin of his country.country.

Paris was surprise when he saw the Paris was surprise when he saw the three goddesses. The goddesses three goddesses. The goddesses each offered Paris a bribe to each offered Paris a bribe to convince him that they deserved the convince him that they deserved the apple. Hera promised to make Paris apple. Hera promised to make Paris Lord of Europe and Asia. Athena Lord of Europe and Asia. Athena promised he would lead the Trojans promised he would lead the Trojans to victory against the Greeks. to victory against the Greeks. Aphrodite promised Paris that the Aphrodite promised Paris that the fairest woman in all the world would fairest woman in all the world would be his. Paris gave the golden apple be his. Paris gave the golden apple to Aphrodite.to Aphrodite.

The fairest woman in The fairest woman in the world was Helen. the world was Helen. Every young prince Every young prince in Greece wanted to in Greece wanted to marry her. marry her. However, Helen was However, Helen was already married to already married to Menelaus, brother of Menelaus, brother of Agamemnon.Agamemnon.

Paris traveled to Sparta and was Paris traveled to Sparta and was greeted graciously by Helen and greeted graciously by Helen and Menelaus. Trusting Paris completely, Menelaus. Trusting Paris completely, Menelaus left Paris in his home and Menelaus left Paris in his home and traveled alone to Crete. When traveled alone to Crete. When Menelaus returned from Crete, his Menelaus returned from Crete, his wife was gone. Menelaus called wife was gone. Menelaus called upon all the men of Greece to help upon all the men of Greece to help him get Helen back.him get Helen back.

Odysseus did not want to leave his Odysseus did not want to leave his home to join the Army and retrieve home to join the Army and retrieve Helen. He pretended that he had Helen. He pretended that he had gone mad; when a messenger gone mad; when a messenger arrived, he was plowing a field and arrived, he was plowing a field and sewing it with salt instead of seed. sewing it with salt instead of seed. The messenger put Odysseus’ son in The messenger put Odysseus’ son in the direct path of the plow. When the direct path of the plow. When Odysseus stopped the plow, it was Odysseus stopped the plow, it was proven that Odysseus was not crazy, proven that Odysseus was not crazy, and he was forced to join the Army.and he was forced to join the Army.

A thousand ships carried the Greek A thousand ships carried the Greek Army to Troy. The war went on for Army to Troy. The war went on for ten years. Neither side was able to ten years. Neither side was able to win victory over the other. Both win victory over the other. Both sides lost many great warriors. The sides lost many great warriors. The Greeks knew that they could not Greeks knew that they could not defeat the Trojans by force; they defeat the Trojans by force; they would have to find a way to take Troy would have to find a way to take Troy by surprise.by surprise.

Odysseus came up with a plan to build Odysseus came up with a plan to build a giant wooden horse which was a giant wooden horse which was hallow and so big that it could hold a hallow and so big that it could hold a number of men. Several of the number of men. Several of the Greek warriors, including Odysseus Greek warriors, including Odysseus hid inside the giant horse. The hid inside the giant horse. The Trojans were afraid to destroy the Trojans were afraid to destroy the horse because they thought the gods horse because they thought the gods would punish them for destroying a would punish them for destroying a gift, so they pulled the horse into the gift, so they pulled the horse into the city.city.

In the middle of the In the middle of the night, the Greeks night, the Greeks snuck out of the snuck out of the horse and into the horse and into the city streets of Troy. city streets of Troy. They burned the They burned the city’s buildings to city’s buildings to the ground and the ground and killed the men as killed the men as they left their they left their burning homes. The burning homes. The Greeks had won.Greeks had won.

The Greeks went mad with victory the The Greeks went mad with victory the night they defeated the Trojans. They night they defeated the Trojans. They forgot what was due to the gods, and on forgot what was due to the gods, and on their voyage home, they were terribly their voyage home, they were terribly punished.punished.

The OdysseyThe Odyssey is the story of one soldier-- is the story of one soldier--Odysseus, a smart Greek--and his return Odysseus, a smart Greek--and his return home from war, a journey that lasts home from war, a journey that lasts more than twenty years.more than twenty years.