Apple of Discord

1. Troy a once grand city based on both fact and fiction, located in what is now modern Turkey. Well known for being the site the famous Trojan War fought between the united kingdoms of Greece and the kingdom of troy. The Trojan War is known as the greatest conflict in Greek mythology. A war of a colossal scale that was waged for around ten years. This was initiated by Helen leaving her husband King Menelaus of Sparta for Paris who was a prince of Troy.

2. Apple of Discord In Greek mythology it is believed that Eris, the goddess of discord, received no invitation to a feast among the Gods. In vengeance she creates a golden apple inscribed with the words “For the Fairest” and takes to the hall where the feast is being held. Athena, Hera, and Aphrodite argue over which of them deserves the apple. The goddesses select Paris to decide who deserves the apple. All three goddesses offer him rewards: Hera offers him power; Athena,wealth; Aphrodite, the most beautiful woman in the world. Paris gives the golden apple to Aphrodite. And she aids him in seizing Helen from her husband

3. Many Greek heroes were assembled by Menelaus’ brother King Agamemnon such as Achilles, Ajax and Odysseus. Odysseus tried to avoid the Greek army’s recruiters by pretending to be insane. He pretended to plough the fields. But when one of the recruiters put his young son Telemachus in front of the plough he had to move to avoid hitting him exposing his sanity. Achilles the main protagonist of Homers Epic the Iliad also attempted to avoid joining Agamemnon’s fleet but was outwitted by Odysseus. It was believed that Troy could not be conquered without Achilles. He was invincible on the battlefield because he was bathed in the river Styx by his mother except for his heel which she held him by.

4. Most accounts of the Trojan War claim Agamemnon that launched a thousand ships after his brother’s runaway bride. When the Greeks first set off Troy was not the first place they reached. They landed on an island called Aulis, there the Greeks were trapped and Agamemnon had to sacrifice his own DAUGHTER to please the Gods so they could leave • During the siege of troy the gods actually took sides • Aphrodite (the Goddess of Love) • Ares (the god of war) • Artemis (the goddess of hunting and fear) • Apollo (the god of poetry, music and medicine) All stood for the Trojans. • Hera (Goddess of women and marriage) • Athena (The goddess of inspiration, civilisation, strategy, law and mathematics) • And Poseidon (the God of the sea, earthquakes and storms) all stood behind the Greeks

5. When the Greeks finally landed at Troy, many battles were fought. The Trojan army was led by Hector, a prince of Troy and Paris’ brother. In many of these battles the Gods intervened, aiding the sides they stood behind. Well into the war there was controversy in the Greek camp when Agamemnon captured the daughter of a priest of Apollo. This incurred the wrath of Apollo; the Greek army suffered a hideous plague.After this Agamemnon gave the priest his daughter back but demanded Achilles surrender a girl he had captured, who he was also in love with. Achilles did so but retired himself and his men from the war.

6. Once the Trojans realised this the war began to turn in their favour. The Trojans attacked the Greek camp one night trying to burn the Greeks ships. Achilles refused to enter the battle, so his friend Patroclus wearing Achilles armour led his men into the battle. Patroclus was slain by Hector, during the battle. Once Achilles hears of this he vows to kill Hector and does. Achilles steals the body of Hector and takes it back to the Greek camp. The King of Troy Priam visits Achilles tonegotiate for his son’s body, Achilles agrees and they both agree to allow a 12 day truce. Later in the war Paris kills Achilles by striking him in the heel with an arrow guided by Apollo.

7. After years of fighting the Greeks could breech the walls. Odysseus devised a cunning plan, the Greeks built an enormous wooden horse, and hid a small amount of soldiers, and then the Greek fleet sailed away from the beach of Troy. The Trojans believing the Greeks had left and that the horse was a gift to Poseidon brought it inside the city. This decision led to the sacking of Troy. The entire city was burnt to the ground. Troy is the very closely connected to the Odysseys, because the Iliad, which is based on Troy and Achilles role, is essentially a prequel to the Odyssey. The Odyssey is the story of Odysseus’ journey home after the sacking of Troy. By Ryan Jennings