The Trojan War / The Trojan War / OdysseusOdysseus

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Judgment of ParisJudgment of Paris•An important feast was taking An important feast was taking place at the home of the gods and place at the home of the gods and goddesses, Mount Olympus. goddesses, Mount Olympus.

•The evil goddess of Discord, Eris, The evil goddess of Discord, Eris, was angry that she was not was angry that she was not invited, so she decided to make invited, so she decided to make trouble. trouble.

•She threw a golden apple into the She threw a golden apple into the crowd. On the apple were the crowd. On the apple were the words “For the Fairest.”words “For the Fairest.”

•All of the goddesses wanted the All of the goddesses wanted the apple because each believed that apple because each believed that she was the fairest. she was the fairest.

•The choices were narrowed down The choices were narrowed down to three: Aphrodite, Hera, and to three: Aphrodite, Hera, and Athena. Athena.

•The three goddesses asked Zeus The three goddesses asked Zeus to decide which one of them to decide which one of them should get the apple, but he should get the apple, but he refused to have anything to do refused to have anything to do with the matter.with the matter.

•Zeus told the three goddesses to Zeus told the three goddesses to go to Mount Ida, near Troy, where go to Mount Ida, near Troy, where they would find the young prince they would find the young prince Paris. Zeus said that he was an Paris. Zeus said that he was an excellent judge of beauty. excellent judge of beauty.

•Paris was a prince, but was doing Paris was a prince, but was doing shepherd’s work outside of Troy shepherd’s work outside of Troy because his father, King Priam because his father, King Priam was warned that Paris would one was warned that Paris would one day be the ruin of his countryday be the ruin of his country..

•Paris was surprise when he saw the Paris was surprise when he saw the three goddesses. three goddesses.

•The goddesses each offered Paris a The goddesses each offered Paris a bribe to convince him that they bribe to convince him that they deserved the apple. deserved the apple.

•Hera promised to make Paris Lord of Hera promised to make Paris Lord of Europe and Asia. Europe and Asia.

•Athena promised he would lead the Athena promised he would lead the Trojans to victory against the Trojans to victory against the Greeks. 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. be his.

•Paris chose AphroditeParis chose 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. However, marry her. However, Helen was already Helen was already married to Menelaus married to Menelaus (king of Sparta), (king of Sparta), brother of Agamemnon brother of Agamemnon (commander in chief (commander in chief of Greek forces).of Greek forces).

•Paris traveled to Sparta and Paris traveled to Sparta and was greeted graciously by Helen was greeted graciously by Helen and Menelaus. and Menelaus.

•Trusting Paris completely, Trusting Paris completely, Menelaus left Paris in his home Menelaus left Paris in his home and traveled alone to Crete. and traveled alone to Crete.

•When Menelaus returned from When Menelaus returned from Crete, his wife was gone. Crete, his wife was gone.

•Menelaus called upon all the Menelaus called upon all the men of Greece to help him get men of Greece to help him get Helen back.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. Helen.

•He pretended that he had gone mad; He pretended that he had gone mad; when a messenger arrived, he was when a messenger arrived, he was plowing a field and sewing it with plowing a field and sewing it with salt instead of seed. 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 proven that Odysseus was not crazy, and he was forced to join crazy, and he was forced to join the Army.the Army.

•A thousand ships carried the A thousand ships carried the Greek Army to Troy. Greek Army to Troy.

•The war went on for ten years. The war went on for ten years.

•Neither side was able to win Neither side was able to win victory over the other. victory over the other.

•Both sides lost many great Both sides lost many great warriors. warriors.

•The Greeks knew that they could The Greeks knew that they could not defeat the Trojans by not defeat the Trojans by force; they would have to find force; they would have to find a way to take Troy by surprise.a way to take Troy by surprise.

•Odysseus came up with a plan to Odysseus came up with a plan to build a giant wooden horse which was build a giant wooden horse which was hollow and so big that it could hold hollow and so big that it could hold a number of men. a number of men.

•Several of the Greek warriors, Several of the Greek warriors, including Odysseus hid inside the including Odysseus hid inside the giant horse. giant horse.

•The Trojans were afraid to destroy The Trojans were afraid to destroy the horse because they thought the the horse because they thought the gods would punish them for gods would punish them for destroying a gift, so they pulled destroying a gift, so they pulled the horse into the city.the horse into the city.

•In the middle of In the middle of the night, the the night, the Greeks snuck out of Greeks snuck out of the horse and into the horse and into the city streets of the city streets of Troy. 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. burning homes.

•The Greeks had won.The Greeks had won.

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

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