3. The Iliad The epic poem is 15,693 lines of hexameter. It has been called this since the 8th century BC. The author of both The Iliad and The Odyssey is Homer.

4. The Wedding That Started It All The mortal Peleus and the goddess Thetis were to be wed. This was arranged by Zeus. All of the gods and goddess were invited except Eris (Discord, or Strife). Why do you think she wasn’t invited?? She is enraged at the snub and throws a golden apple among the guests with the inscription: "for the fairest." Hera(goddess of marriage), Athena (goddess of war ), and Aphrodite (goddess of love) each claim the apple is intended for her.

5. From bad to worse... During the wedding there is a pageant to determine which goddess was the fairest. There is difficulty finding a judge to decide between the three goddesses. Zeus naturally weasels out. He chooses a shepherd who is brought in, who turns out to be Paris, a son of Priam, king of Troy, and Hecuba. A prophecy had foretold that he would be the destruction of Troy, so he was exposed as an infant on Mount Ida, saved by shepherds, and brought up in obscurity. Now Hermes presents the vying goddesses. Hera bribes Paris with power and the most prosperous kingdom, Athena promises glory in war, and Aphrodite promises him the most beautiful woman on earth. He chooses Aphrodite. He makes enemies of the other goddesses, who therefore favor the Greeks rather than the Trojans in the coming war.

6. “The face that launched a 1,000 ships…” Helen of Troy Paris first sails to Troy to establish himself as prince. He then goes to Greece where he is received by Menelaus, king of Sparta, who happens to be married to the most beautiful woman in the world, Helen. Helen is seduced and persuaded to elope to Troy with Paris. When Menelaus is away at a funeral in Crete, they take some palace treasure too.

7. Paris and Helen of Troy

8. Call to Arms and the WAR Menelaus calls upon his brother, Agamemnon in Mycenae, and assorted chieftains such as Aias (Ajax), Diomedes, Nestor, Idomeneus, and others to get his wife Helen from Paris.

9. Two major players in the Trojan War Odysseus was warned that he’d be gone from his home in Ithaca for 20 years. He feigned madness, but was found out when his newborn son was thrown in the path of the plow he was driving wildly about. They also drafted Achilles, who had been warned that if he went to war he would attain great glory, but die young.

10. Trojan Horse Crafty Odysseus devised a plan that ultimately doomed the Trojans. Sending all the Greek ships away or into hiding, it appeared to the Trojans that the Greeks had given up. The Greeks left a parting gift in front of the walls of the city of Troy. It was a giant wooden horse which appeared to be an offering to Athena -- a peace offering. The jubilant Trojans dragged the monstrous, wheeled, wooden horse into their city to celebrate the end of the 10 years of fighting.

11. Trojan Horse continued That night, while the Trojans were more than a little comatose from too much drinking, the Greeks slipped quietly out the trap door Odysseus had had built in the Trojan horse's belly. Killing Trojans and setting fire to the city, they quickly won the war.

12. Gods and Goddesses in Odyssey Zeus – chief of all Greek gods and goddesses Athena – goddess of war and wisdom

13. Gods and Goddesses in Odyssey Poseidon – god of the sea, earthquake Hermes – messenger god

14. Who is Odysseus  King of Ithaca  Married to Penelope  A new father, Telemachus is his son  He did not want to go to war over a disloyal woman  He acted crazy to not go to war until King Palamedes threw his son in front of a plow  A fierce warrior  With the help of the goddess Athena, he built the Trojan horse, infiltrated Troy and ended the war  He did not thank the gods for helping him win the war, so he was punished by Poseidon and was unable to return home

15. Odysseus’ Travels

16. Definition of Epic a long narrative poem about the adventures of a hero whose actions reflect the ideals and values of a nation or race.

17. Purposes of the Epic Educational: Meant to pass on the ideals, values, heritage, and history of a culture Narrative: Tells a story in a series of episodes Repetition Certain key phrases repeat (jogs the rhapsode’s memory and highlight key events or characters’ traits) Catalogs Lists of people, supplies, everyday objects Rhetoric The art of persuasion; many characters give long, formal speeches to persuade others, using reason AND emotion to make their points.

18. Definition of Epic Hero is a larger than life figure, usually a male, who embodies the ideals of a nation or race.

19. Characteristics of an Epic Hero Represents the values of a particular culture Is “superhuman,” possessing extraordinary talents or supernatural abilities Epic heroes are braver, stronger, smarter, and/or better-looking than an ordinary person. Is on a quest for something of great value to him/her or to his/her people Pursued by villains or faced with seemingly impossible obstacles that threaten to keep him/her from his/her quest Villains are usually uglier, more evil, and more cunning than anyone we know in ordinary life. Obstacles often are “impossible” for an ordinary human being to surmount. Still has human weaknesses and flaws

20. Definition of Epic Simile also know as a Homeric Simile - is a long, elaborate comparison that often continues for a number of lines.  it commonly used for emphasis

21. Epithets: are adjective or descriptive phrase/ title that is used to characterize a person