The Trojan War can be traced all the way back
to the courtship of a stunningly beautiful woman named Helen. Handsome Greek
princes courted her for marriage. Her step father, Tyndareus, was afraid that
trouble would occur caused by rejected suitors. So, he made them swear an
oath to protect Helen and her groom. Helen chose King Menelaus of Sparta.
Tyndareus and his wife, Leda, were so proud of Helen and her groom. The next
period in the chronicle tells of an attractiveness match between three of
the greatest goddesses and a young boy named Paris.
Priam, King of Troy and son of Laomedon, had a son from his wife Hekabe (or
Hecuba), who dreamed that she had given birth to a flaming torch. Cassandra,
the prophetic of Priam, foretold that the new-born son, Paris (also called
Alexandros), should be killed at birth or else he would destroy the grand
metropolis of Troy. Paris was taken out to be killed, but was rescued by shepherds
and grew up away from Troy in the farms of Mount Ida. As a teenager he returned
to Troy to participate in the physical games, was found familiar, and returned
to the majestic kin.
Peleus (father of Achilles) found the sea nymph, named Thetis, irresistible.
Zeus, the most great and the king of the gods, also had designs upon her.
But Zeus was educated by an ancient prediction that Thetis would give birth
to a child (boy) more superior, stronger, greater, and more independent than
his father, so he gave his marvelous approval to the marriage of Peleus, an
earthly king, and Thetis. All the gods were invited to the gala, except, by
a deliberate oversight, Eris, the goddess of contention. She came nevertheless
and brought a golden apple, upon which was written, “For the fairest.”
Hera, (Zeus’ spouse), Aphrodite and Athena (2/3 of Zeus and Heras off
springs, therefore Hercules being the 3rd child). The 3 of them all made a
claim for the apple in a challenge of attractiveness, but nonetheless, Zeus,
who thought they were all the fairest, refused to declare a winner. The assignment
fell into the hands of Paris. Hera offered the power of a god; Athena opened
to him military brilliance and wisdom; and Aphrodite presented the most stunning
female in the world as his wife. Can you guess who Paris gave the apple to?
Remember, there are Hera, Athena, and Aphrodite. If you chose Aphrodite, then
you guessed right!
Paris, back in the majestic kin of Troy, made an expedition to Sparta as a
Trojan representative, at an occasion when Menelaus had departed for a period
of time. Paris and Helen fell in love and made a trek back to Troy together,
taking much of the cities money and returning to Troy via Cranae, an isle
off the coast of Attica, Sidon, and Egypt, among other places. Once Menelaus
returned, he found that Helen was missing. He sent Spartan soldiers in a scorching
chasing attitude to retrieve Helen and take her back to Sparta, but they failed
to seize them. When the Spartans learned that Helen and Paris were back in
Troy, they sent delegation (Odysseus, King of Ithaca, and Menelaus, the wounded
husband) to Troy demanding the safe return of Helen and the stolen treasure.
When the Trojans refused, the Spartans appealed to the oath which Tyndareus
forced them to take (See beginning of story above.), and the Greeks assembled
an army to invade Troy, asking all the allies to meet in full readiness for
embarkation at Aulis. Thus, the Trojan War began.
In the 1st decade of the war, the Greeks were not doing well. They then devised
a plan to invade Troy. Having withdrawn, it gave them just enough time to
make a wooden Trojan Horse as victory gift (It was filled with Greek soldiers).
Once built, the Greeks took it to Troy. Intending to keep it, the Trojans
tore down some of there own wall and brought the horse into the city. Not
knowing it was full of Greek soldiers, of course. Once in the city, the Greeks
surprise attack was successful. They then started destroying not only the
Trojans, but their as well. Once Troy was destroyed, Helen was returned to
Menelaus. So the residents of Greece were safe.
Click on the links below to learn more about the Trojan War
http://www.timelessmyths.com/classical/trojanwar.html