Menelaus

Troy, Paris, decided to whisk away the most beautiful woman on earth at that time. Unlike Briseis and Chryseis, Helen had more of a say in leaving her previous home. Once she was able to see past the love she had for Paris, Helen missed her husband, Menelaus. Early in the Iliad it is declared by some of the characters that she is the reason for the entire Trojan…

The Iliad of Homer offers a remarkable amount of valued verses, stories, and books within its entirety, with the encounter between Helen and Aphrodite in lines 3.383-446 being a prime example of one of those. Although a lot can be made from what happens in this short dialogue between Helen and Aphrodite, the two main points of emphasis that were most impactful for me, are the actions of the mortal Helen in her interaction with the highly praised goddess Aphrodite. As well as the second point…

Famous Tales: Achilles is most known for fighting in the Trojan War but how and why did the war start? The war’s origins actually began at the wedding of Achilles mother and father. This was the defining event that set the stage for the Trojan War, it is known as the Judgment of Paris. Though it is another demonstration of the rivalry between the Immortals. At the wedding all of the Immortals were there including Goddess Eris who was god of chaos and strife. She threw a gold apple into the…

inspire the low moral of the fleeting, Achaean soldiers. Odysseus’ effective speech encouraged and inevitably restored confidence back into Achaean warriors. In Book Four, Odysseus’s bravery is shown when archer Pandarus initiates war, when he wounds Menelaus with an arrow, in which Odysseus is noticed as a noble warrior who kills a number of Trojan soldiers. Later on, the reader catches a glimpse of Odysseus as “the strategist” during Book Ten when he leads a night raid, with Diomedes, behind…

Paris has shown many times that he is a coward and will run away when faced with a life or death situation. During the first day of battle Paris challenged the Greeks to a duel, but when Menelaus came to accept the challenge Paris ran back into the Trojan line (III. 15-41). Even after taunting the Greeks Paris runs away back to the Trojans. Paris’s action causes Hector and many others warriors to criticize Paris and call him a coward. Even…

The Iliad in Our World For centuries humankind have fought wars; whether it was for power, justice, or for peace in their country. We know about the wars that have been fought before our existence thanks to the ones who documented them. Although for the Greeks, it was a different story. Around 1200 B.C.E. important cities of Greece were destroyed and burned leaving not much information of the civilization. They recuperated years after getting back on their feet. We are able to know about the…

Achilles, one of the quintessential Greek heroes, embodies the moral dilemma of what constitutes as good. He is a highly celebrated man, but his exaltation could strictly be attributed to just his prowess at warfare. Throughout the Iliad, Homer has consistently stressed the veneration that just the mere presence of Achilles demands from those around him by giving him the major moments of the battle. Additionally, his strength is highlighted at a myriad of instances in the epic by comparing…

“We don't mature through age. We mature in awareness.” Byron Katie, an American speaker and author. The Odyssey, by Homer, is about the main character Odysseus leaving his home of Ithaca to fight a battle in Troy. Odysseus also left behind his wife Penelope, and their newborn son, Telemachus. Odysseus has not been home in 20 years, so Telemachus did not have a father figure growing up. Telemachus is not very mature and he does not know how to act like a “real” man. Throughout The Odyssey,…

Paris is a soldier who serves his Master, Achilles, a legendary soldier of the country of Valhalla. He had always adore Achilles and dreamed of one day becoming a legend himself. Back in his hometown of Troy, Paris is mesmerizing his childhood past in the playground where he used to play with his best friend Helen when they were younger. He took off his helmet and lay it in the ground and continue thinking about the promise that he made to her on the night before he left to become a soldier. He…

Historically, the world has been male dominated. For a woman to achieve power she had to be beautiful. Her appearance was her most potent tool. Beauty could gain women a better pick of husbands, and therefore a better life. In the world today, beauty continues to remain a major source of power for women. In the poem “A Moment in Troy”, Wislawa Szymborska utilizes a glimpse into the daydream of a young girl, an allusion to Helen of Troy, and the free verse style to represent the female desire to…