Downfall of Troy

Did you know that the Trojan War was all started because of a girl? Well, the Queen of Sparta, Helen, was abducted by Paris the King of Troy. This was one of the many major events that lead to the downfall of Troy. Other events include the fairest goddess, thousand ships, and the Trojan horse.

The first major event that leads to the downfall of Troy was started because Eris the Goddess of Discord offered the guests of Peleus and Thetis’ wedding a golden apple. The golden apple, sometimes known as the Apple of Discord, marked “for the fairest.” Paris, the youngest prince of Troy, was chosen to decide who deserved the apple. Three goddesses fought over the apple and offered Paris their gifts in trade for the apple. Athena offered her wisdom and skill in war, Hera offered him to be king of Europe and Asia, and Aphrodite offered him the most beautiful woman in the world. This woman was named Helen, the queen of Sparta. Paris ended up choosing Aphrodite.

Aphrodite had promised Paris the most beautiful woman, Helen, who was already married to King Menelaus. So, Paris visits King Menelaus’s kingdom for a few weeks and with the help of Aphrodite Paris steals Helen. King Menelaus had been aware that there was a possibility that his wife might be stolen away from him because Helen had been snatched away from him prior to their marriage. Once the king had finally won Helen’s hand in marriage, he had made all other suitors promise that they would come to his aid if Helen was taken away. Once he had rounded up all of the leaders that had promised to join the king launched a thousand ships towards Troy. Thousands and thousands of Greeks went to Troy to battle Prince Paris and the Trojan Army.

This war between the people of Troy and the Greeks had raged on for ten years. In the war’s tenth year when the most dramatic events finally took place. The leader of all the Greeks captured a priestess of Apollo and when the Greek leader refused to return her. Shortly after they had refused to return the priestess a plague struck the Greeks. Their health would only be restored when the priestess was returned. The Greek leader, Agamemnon, agreed to return her, but only if he could have a substitute prize Achilles mistress.

Later, there was a battle between the eldest son of King Priam, Prince Hector, and Achilles. Achilles killed Hector in a single combat and dishonored his body by dragging it around the ground tied to his chariot by a belt. Days later, the king of Troy, convinced Achilles to stop abusing his eldest son’s body and return it for a proper burial. Later Achilles was killed by an arrow hit him in the heel, his only weak spot, that was shot by Paris. Paris was not that great of a marksman and only had a small chance of hitting him in that spot. Paris had the help of Apollo.

Odysseus finally came up with a plan to end the Trojan way once and for all. A giant wooden horse filled with Greek men that would be left at the gates of Troy. The Trojans had noticed the Greek ships sailing away earlier in the day and thought the horse was a peace offering from the Greeks. Some Trojans believed that they should burn it where it stands but the giant wooden horse was let in through the gates of Troy. The Trojans rejoiced and feasted, drank, and fell asleep. During the night, the Greeks in the wooden horse crept down to the gates and opened them for the other Greeks who pretended to leave on the ships. The Greeks destroyed Troy, killed the men, and took the woman as prisoners. Helen, who was still beautiful, was returned to her husband Menelaus.

Works Cited

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2. Homer. (2003). The Odyssey. Translated by Robert Fagles. Penguin Classics.
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