The Iliad by Homer

1200 B.C

Homer

Greatest of the Greek poets

1,000 years B.C.
Epic poems- 1st to make stories a unified whole
Sung for entertainment
Stories taught Greek ideals

Homer wrote The Iliad

Ilium- Greek for Troy
Story of the Trojan
War
10 years
Fought over Helen of
Troy

The Odyssey
Follows the Trojan
War
10 years
Odysseuss journey to
return to Greece
A metaphor for every
persons journey
through life.

The Judgment of Paris

Wedding of Peleus and Thetis

(grandson to Zeus and a sea nymph)

Eris goddess of discord, not invited

Eris crashes party - starts trouble
Golden apple To the fairest
Me!
Hera, Athena, Aphrodite claim it

No,
me!

Its
mine
!

Zeus asked to judge

No way!
Choose between my
wife, daughter, and
Aphrodite?
Who else can I get?

Paris Prince of Troy

(a playboy)
Goddesses bribe Paris
Athena offers ambition, fame, success in war
Hera offers power, riches, King of Europe
and Asia

Aphrodite offers the love of the most beautiful

woman in the world

Paris chooses Aphrodite Theres just one

little problem

The most beautiful woman in

the world is Helen

and shes married.

Helen

wife to Menelaus, King of Sparta

(a half-mortal daughter of Zeus

Helens father, Tyndareus

Knew many men
would pursue Helen
Was afraid conflicts or
wars would be fought
over her

Convinced suitors to
swear an oath
- to always protect Helen
- to support her husband ,
whomever she chose

Paris visits Helen and Menelaus

Welcomed as a guest
Kidnaps Helen
Menelaus - raises army
from suitors

Agamemnon- Menelauss
brother leads expedition

Achilles

greatest Greek

warrior
- son of Peleus and Thetis
- invulnerable, except for heel

Siege of Troy - lasts 10 years

Troy high and thick walls,
surrounded by plain of Troy

Aphrodite- sides with the

Trojans

Athena and Hera - side

with the Greeks

Zeus- remains impartial

Achilles kills Hector,

Prince of Troy defiles

body by dragging it behind his

chariot

Paris takes revenge for

brother shoots Achilles in
heel, killing him

Greeks create a plan

- Odysseus known for
strategy
- Athenas favorite warrior

The Trojan Horse

Greeks create a large, wooden horse
Greeks sail away, leave as gift
Warned not to bring horse inside Troy
- Cassandra priestess
- Laocoon priest

Trojans celebrate

End of War
Soldiers slip out of
horse and open gates
Greeks return
Trojans are massacred
Troy is burned
women enslaved

Gods turn against the Greeks

Ajax kills Cassandra in Athenas temple
Athena is offended
Calls on Poseidon to create storm

Odyssey Begins Here

Greeks are scattered
around the
Mediterranean
Odysseuss 10 year
journey home begins