The Illiad Essays - Trojans, Mythological Kings, Ajax, Suicide

The Illiad The Illiad is a story that deals with a small part of the Trojan War. The cause of this war is when Paris, the prince of Troy, sailed to Sparta, seduced and abducted Helen and returned to Troy. When Menelaos discovered that his wife was gone, he gathered a number of Greek generals together to go with him, conquer Troy, and retrieve his wife. However, the Illiad only covers a few months during the tenth year of the war. In this time, many important events took place that could have possibly altered the outcome of this historic event? Two beautiful women whom were enemies of the Achaians are captured during one of the many raids the army had on Troy. One of the women, named Chryseis is the prize for Ahomemnon (the king and commander-in ?chief of the Achaians). But Chryseis' father, Chryses wants his daughter back. Chryses whom was the priest God of Apollo, is hoping to go to the Achaian camp and claim his daughter. Unfortunately, this plan did not work out. And because of this, Chryses prays to Apollo for help. Apollo did in fact help the old man by spreading a deadly plague through the Achaian army, killing hundreds of them. After days of this, the Achaian's most honored soldier, Achilles calls a meeting to determine the cause of the plague. A soothsayer of the Achaians determines that King Agamemnon's arrogance caused the plague by not returning the woman whom was captured to be his war prize. After finding this out, the woman is returned but Agamemnon takes Briseis whom was the prize captured for Achilles. Achi lles is angry and publicly insulted so therefore he refuses to fight for the Achaians and withdrawals his troops. He then requests to his mother Thetis (a sea nymph) to influence Zeus to help the Trojans defeat the Achaians. The leader of the Gods promises Thetis that he will help. Zeus sends a dream to Agomemnon that has him convinced he will defeat the Trojans in battle the next day. With the order from Agomemnon, the army prepares itself for attack. The Trojans and Achaians draw towards each other and Paris challenges one of the Achaians to a one on one fight. The challenger of this is Menelaos. The winner will win Helen and both sides will agree on a treaty of peace. During the duel, Menelaos wounds Paris and begins dragging him to the Achaian's territory when suddenly, Aphrodite appears and rescues him. Agamemnon announces to his army that they have won and demands that Helen is given back to them. Goddesses Hera and Athena want a complete destruction of Troy and they ask Zeus if no truce were made. Zeus, in turn gives in and grants them their wish. As a result, the fighting soon resumes. As a way to start the war anew, Athena searches for Pandaros, a Trojan leader and tells him to kill Menelaos. Being the type of person Pandaros is, he follows through with her advice. But instead of killing Menelaos, he only wounds him. The Achaians are shocked that the Trojans would do this being that the truce is still in order. While Menelaos is being treated, other Trojan warriors' get into battle order. Nevertheless, Agamemnon orders his Achaian troops to prepare to fight and this begins the war (again). The battle continues with much violence and many men are killed. When Diomedes is wounded by Pandoros, he turns to Athena for help. Athena gives the Achaian soldier courage, which helps him to drive the Trojans back and kill Pondoros. Diomedes wounds Aeneas but doesn't kill the Trojan nobleman because his mother Aphrodite rescues him. Ares, the god of war gets involved on the Trojan's side by helping Heckor (prince of the Trojans) command his forces. At first this plan works but then the Achaians receive strength from Hera and Athena. The Achaians are becoming stronger by driving the Trojans back. But, the Trojans are weakening thus causing Hektor to return to Troy. He tells the queen and the other royal women to make an offering of Athena in the temple in hopes to get her to ease her fury off of the Trojans.