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Background on The Trojan War and The Iliad Mr. Hollis Mythology Class Background on Troy Founded by Ilus (hence the name Ilium for Troy), son of Dardanus (hence the name Dardanelles) Dardanus was son of Zeus and Electra (daughter of Atlas) Ilus had a son named Laomedon Laomedon was notorious for his deceit Apollo and Poseidon became angry with him after he reneged on promises in regards to their building Troy’s walls (Poseidon begins to hate the Trojans) Background on Troy Laomedon had a son named Priam Had 50 sons with several wives Hecuba was mother to 19 sons Killed at Troy by Achilles’ son Neoptolemus (nee’ op-tol’e-mus) while hiding behind an altar to Zeus • Apollo killed Neoptolemus for this Literary Sources for the Trojan War Most of what is known about the Trojan War is from many sources. Homer: The Iliad, The Odyssey Virgil: The Aeneid The Epic Cycle: collection of early Greek epics, artificially arranged from the beginning of civilization to the end of the Heroic Age; mostly composed in 7th or 6th century BCE Literary Sources for the Trojan War • Aethiopis (5 books by Homer; deals with several deaths during the war, including Memnon the Ethiopian) • The Little Iliad (4 books by Homer or possibly others; talks about the Greeks going to reclaim Philoctetes (fil’ ok-tec’teez) and the entry into Troy) • Iliu Persis – The Search for Troy (2 books by Arctinus or Lesches; talks about the Trojans debating the horse and Laocoön’s episode) Literary Sources for the Trojan War • A theogeny (possibly by Apollodorus) • Titanomachia (Eumelus) • Oedipodia (6,600 lines by Cinaethon) • Thebais (7,000 lines by Homer) • Epigoni (7,000 lines by Homer; about the sons of the Seven against Thebes conquering Thebes) • Cypria (11 books possibly by Homer; dealt with the preliminaries of the Trojan War) • The Iliad (Homer) Literary Sources for the Trojan War • Nostoi (5 books by Homer or others; refers to the return of several Greek heroes and ends with Agamemnon’s death) • The Odyssey (26 books by Homer, seen at right) • The Telegonia (2 books by Cinaethon) Notes on Characters from The Iliad Paris Considered womanly because of his prowess with the bow Hecuba dreamed that she would have a child who would cause Troy’s destruction – Paris At left, Himeros (sexual desire) works on Paris, causing him to want Helen Went to Troy to participate in athletic games and was exposed as the prince; Priam welcomed him back Notes on Characters from The Iliad Helen Daughter of Zeus and Leda (Zeus took the form of a swan; Helen was born in an egg) Worshiped at Sparta and on Rhodes as a tree goddess Homer makes her mortal Often condemned for her adultery but is treated with respect by Homer’s The Odyssey Notes on Characters from The Iliad Menelaus was going to kill her after the final battle but she exposed her breasts to him and he forgave her One myth has her not going to Troy; a phantom Helen took her place; she was imprisoned in Egypt where Menelaus soon rescued her One myth says she mimicked the voices of Greek wives to entice the Greeks out of the Trojan Horse Notes on Characters from The Iliad Iphigenia (if’i-jinee’uh) Most myths say that Artemis replaces Iphigenia at the last second with a stag, thereby saving her life Artemis then takes her to Tauris, in the Black Sea region Notes on Characters from The Iliad She either became a priestess who presides over human sacrifices or Hecate herself; either way, Artemis makes her immortal Taurians sacrificed shipwrecked sailors and Greeks to Iphigenia, who they called Parthenos Notes on Characters from The Iliad Achilles Name means “a grief to the army” in Mycenaean Greek King of Phthia, in Thessaly; lead the Myrmidons Very introspective • In The Iliad, he says he would rather lead a peaceful life than pursue glory at Troy; he knows he will die once he kills Hector. Notes on Characters from The Iliad Aeschylus wrote that Achilles and Patroclus were lovers Brought up by Chiron the centaur, as many heroes were (Jason, etc.) Kills Troilus, Priam’s son • See Shakespeare’s Troilus and Cressida, which is not a good representation of the Trojan War’s history Notes on Characters from The Iliad His ghost demanded that Polyxena be killed on his grave. Some myths say he tried to marry a Trojan princess and gain peace with Troy behind the Greek’s backs. Themes found in The Iliad The Trojan War was the most famous Greek conflict. The Iliad is perhaps the most famous literary work of ancient Greece. Touches on all the major themes of Greek Mythology Hospitality Love Obedience to the gods Obedience to moral codes Fate’s power Examples of these themes • Paris abusing Menelaus’ hospitality • Achilles’ grief over Patroclus • Artemis anger at Agamemnon • Agamemnon and Achilles’ fight • Gods allow fate to work (Thetis, Zeus) Characteristics of The Iliad This epic explores the complexity of Greek myths. Conflicted characters Harshness of the world No clear villains like other myths Both the protagonists and antagonists are heroic (Achilles and Hector, Priam, etc.) Characteristics of The Iliad The Iliad dwells on the brutality of war, the world’s cruelty, and internal struggle. The gods act just as the humans do – they fight, trick, are cowardly, brave, etc.