1. The Iliad -
by Homer
1200 B.C

2. w Homer w 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
Blind, traveled to towns – well known, entertainment – like a concert today

3. Homer wrote - The Iliad The Odyssey Ilium- Greek for Troy
Story of the Trojan War
10 years
Fought over Helen of Troy
The Odyssey
Follows the Trojan War
10 years
Odysseus’s journey to return to Greece
A metaphor for every person’s journey through life.
Most Greeks were familiar with these stories and the characters.

4. The Judgment of Paris

5. 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”
Hera, Athena, Aphrodite – claim it
It’s mine!
Me!
No, me!

6. Choose between my wife, daughter, and Aphrodite?
Zeus – asked to judge
No way!
Choose between my wife, daughter, and Aphrodite?
Who else can I get?

7. 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

8. Paris chooses Aphrodite -
There’s just one little problem…
The most beautiful woman in the world is Helen…
and she’s married.

9. "the face that launched a
thousand ships"
Helen – wife to Menelaus, King of Sparta
(a half-mortal daughter of Zeus)

10. Helen’s 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

11. Paris visits Helen and Menelaus
Welcomed as a guest
Kidnaps Helen
Menelaus - raises army from suitors
Agamemnon- Menelaus’s brother leads expedition
Achilles – greatest Greek warrior
- son of Peleus and Thetis
- invulnerable, except for heel

12. The Seige of Troy

13. 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
- Athena’s favorite warrior

14. The Fall of Troy

15. The Trojan Horse - Cassandra – priestess
Greeks create a large, wooden horse
Greeks sail away, leave as “gift”
Warned not to bring horse inside Troy
- Cassandra – priestess
Trojans celebrate

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

17. Gods turn against the Greeks
Ajax kills Cassandra in Athena’s temple
Athena is offended
Calls on Poseidon to create storm

18. Odyssey Begins Here Greeks are scattered around the Mediterranean
Odysseus’s 10 year journey home begins