My Life After Troy

After the Battle of Troy, I ended up leaving with Menelaus to Lacedaemon. We lived happily ever after together. The battle changed Menelaus. He started to appreciate our relationship more. For the rest of my life I stayed with Menelaus and tried to be a better wife. However, I could never get the image of Hektor dying out of my mind. I will always regret my decision to go with Paris, because if I would have stayed with Menelaus I would have saved the lives of many hero's.

The End of Hektor

When I saw Hektor not come into the walls of Troy I knew his prophecy would be fulfilled that day. As I stood and watched Achilleus and Hektor battle I couldn't believe how fast it ended. All of a sudden Hektor was laying on the ground with a spear through his throat. Achilleus then proceeded to drag Hektor's body back behind the chariot to the Achaians camp. I heard that the Achaians celebrated the life of Patroklos by playing games for his tyme while they left poor Hektor's body to rot. After a couple of days Priam could no longer live without burring his son properly. So with the help of the gods Priam went to Achilleus and was able to recover his sons body and 12 days to bury him without war.

When Hektor's body was returned it finally hit me that he was gone. He was the one person that never looked down on me while I was in Troy, "There was no other in all the wide Troad who was kind to me, and my friend; all others shrank when they saw me" (Lattimore pg.518 line 774-775) When Hektor looked at me I never saw the judgmental eyes that everyone else gave me. I can't believe my life choices took the life of Hektor. Hopefully now that he is being buried properly he will be able to be at peace. Hektor was a true hero.

Achilleus killing Hektor
accessed:10/4/13
http://www.bbc.co.uk/learningzone/clips/the-iliad-the-death-of-hector-audio/11387.html



Let the Real War Begin

I have been told that Achilleus and Agamemnon have reconciled. This can not be good for the Trojans. Hektor needs to make sure that his men are on their toes and their moral is high. Since  Achilleus has agreed to fight, Agamemnon has made sure Achilleus boat is filled with everything he was promised including Briseis. As both sides are preparing for battle Zeus decides it would be ok if the gods step back in to battle. At first I thought this would give the Trojans hope, but when they decided to stay away I began to worry. As the battle started I prayed to the gods to help the Trojans as much as they could. After Poseidon saves Aenias from Achilleus I knew they had heard my grief. After Poseidon saved Aenias,  Hektor challenged Achilleus I was told that he would have died if it wasn't for Apollo. While Hektor was saved Achilleus still reeked havoc on the rest of the Trojan army and even started throwing their bodies into the Xanthus water. This started to upset the gods and Xanthus almost killed Achilleus until Hephaistos started to boil the water. Once Achilleus promised to stop dumping bodies into the water the gods were at peace. Apollo has still not entered the battlefield to help fight off the Achaians besides saving Hektor. This worries Priam especially when he sees all the dead Trojans. He decided to open the doors of Troy so that the soldiers are able to go to safety.   

Achilleus getting his armor from Thetis
accessed 9/29/13
http://www.mythencyclopedia.com/A-Am/Achilles.html

As I watch the battle from the walls of Troy I have kept an eye on Achilleus. He fights like he is a one man army. I can tell by his actions that he is focused more on avenging Patroklos's death then fighting with the army as one. He has his own agenda that he needs to take care of, and Hektors death is number one. As the fighting continued, Priam lets the soldiers come in to the walls. I saw this as a sign of defeat. Priam is starting to realize that with the help of Achilleus there is no stopping the Achaians, and this is the only way to protect his men. The end of this war is near. and I feel that the walls of Troy will soon fall.

Achilleus Revenge

I was told that Achilleus had entered the battle and the moral of the Achaians intensified as he walked out onto the battlefield. Unfortunately it wasn't Achilleus but instead Patroklos who was leant his armor by Achilleus. Achilleus told Patroklos that he was only to help push the Trojans back from the ships and to stay away from Hektor, but he didn't listen. When he was on the battlefield he was amazing. He was killing in almost a god like fashion. When Hektor slayed him and took his armor I knew that trouble would come swiftly to him. As I sit in the walls of Troy I hear snip-its from the outside and hope that the Trojans stay strong, and are able to strip it of its armor. The Trojans try to keep Patroklos's body but the Achaians eventually are able to bring it back. When Achilleus finds out he is overcome with defeat. Hera comes to talk to Achellius to encourage him to fight against the Trojans. He says he will fight once his mother brings back his armor from Hephaistos. Achilleus is told by him mother that if he goes into battle he will never return home. Achilleus accepts his fate. 

I saw Achilleus's plan right away. Achilleus gives Patroklos his gear so that he could play a trick. The Achainas think that he cares and at the same time he could take care of his ships. However, when Hektor takes Patroklos's armor and the Trojans refuse to give back his body to the Achaians that is a huge sign of disrespect. This is a foreshadow of what will happen to Hektor once he dies. When Hera comes to Achilleus we can see the power of women in this poem. Hera is able to almost talk him into battle without his armor. Achilleus is so vulnerable that he is willing to do anything to avenge his friends death and eventually join him in the after life. 

http://www.buzzle.com/images/history/mythology/greek-gods-and-goddesses/apollo/hector-killing-patroclus.jpg
accessed: 9/25/13

The Power of the Gods

I have learned that Hektor has broken down the Achaians walls and have backed them into a corner until Poseidon decided to help the Achaians when Zeus decided to leave. When Hektor decides to regroup his army he finds out that a lot of his men have either retreated or have died. This motivates Hektor to fight even harder. When Agamemnon brings up leaving again to save what he has left Odysseus and Diomedes convince him otherwise. While Zeus is with Hera, Hektor becomes injured by Aias and must be taken back to Troy, while the Achaians get control with the help of Poseidon and kill many Trojans. When Zeus awakes from his sleep he is furious with Hera and sends Apollo to help Hektor and get him back on the battlefield. Even though he tells Hera when and how Hektor will die Zeus still wants to keep control. Once Hektor has reentered the war the Trojans end up taking most of the Achaians camp and become extremely close to their ships.

I feel there is nothing any of us mortals can do at this point. The fate of this war is in the gods hands. Hera is doing everything in her power to see Troy fall. She is using Aphrodite and Zeus's weaknesses to get want she wants. She seduced Zeus in order for the Achaians to gain confidence and battleground. Even though Agamemnon has lost moral and is again trying to retreat, we can see his shame, but his men are not willing to leave. Odysseus and Diomedes are not willing to just give up. They have lost so much that they can not just leave and risk losing more. They don't want to be seen as shameful and lose their tyme. However, Zeus has a plan and the reason he is so upset with Hera and Poseidon is because he knows what is suppose to happen and doesn't want his power to be under minded. I hope that while Paris if fighting he is being heroic and gaining tyme even though the Trojans are not destined to win.

The Trojans Turn

I have been told that the Achaians are starting to lose control of this war. With Zeus on the Trojans side there is no stopping Hektor. Agamemnon is so desperate that he sent Odysseus, Aias, and Phoenix to ask Achilleus to fight. Agamemnon offered everything he could from gold and animals to even his own daughter. However nothing seems to have helped heal the damage Agamemnon did by taking away Breisis from Achilleus. I have yet to hear that Achilleus has entered the battlefield so he must not have taken his offer and I assume will be leaving soon. The other night Hektor wanted to see what the Achaians were planning, so he promised a soldier Dolon, Achilleus's chariot and horses if he would be the Trojans spy. What he didn't know was that Agamemnon sent out his own spies, Odysseus and Diomedes. When they found Dolon he begged for his life and even sold secrets about the Thracian's, the Trojan allies; however, they still killed him. Odysseus and Diomedes went on and ended up killing 12 of the Thracian's and took their horses back to their camp with renewed faith for the Achaians. When the next battle began Zeus sent Iris to tell Hektor to not fight till Agamemnon is hurt. Once he gets the signal Hektor unleashes battle, and I am told Paris even injured the great Diomedes. When major figures like Odysseus and the medicine man come back to the Achaians hurt Nestor goes to Patroklos to ask for his help. Nestor asks if Patroklos could talk to Achilleus or maybe take his armor and wear it in battle to try and motivate the soldiers. Patroklos agrees to talk to Achilleus.

http://shrdocs.com/pars_docs/refs/33/32559/img12.jpg
Accessed 9/18/13

When I heard Paris had hurt Diomedes I was proud. Finally the man I choose to leave everything for was finally becoming a hero. I didn't know how bad he hurt him but I didn't care. I am just glad he is finally out on the battlefield. I was becoming so embarrassed of him that I didn't know what I could do to motivate him. I am just happy that the Trojans are taking a lead. The women in Troy seem to not hate me so much now that more of their husbands are staying alive. Hopefully this battle will be over soon so everyone can get back to their lives from nine years ago. As long as Achilleus doesn't fight I feel like we have a real chance.

Hope for the Trojans

Today Hektor came charging into Troy with a message for his mother and the women of Troy. Hektor was told by his brother to leave battle to tell the women to gather and bring 12 unbroken heifers, and have the nicest and longest robe put on the feet of Athene's statue in the goddess temple. Hektor's mother chose the robe Paris brought back after his trip to Sparta. I remember when he gave her the robe. Before Hektor goes back to battle he barges into Paris's chamber where Paris was trying on his armor and I was laying down. As Hektor scolds Paris for not be on the battle ground Paris begins to put on his armor and assures his brother that he will be standing next to him. After Hektor leaves he goes to visit his wife and son that begs him not to go back to war. Unfortunately Hektor goes back to the fighting and is told by his other brother Helenos that he overheard the gods and says that he should challenge an Achaian fighter. When he does Menelaus is the only one to come forward, but when Agamemnon convinces him to step back Aias is eventually motivated to fight. The duel goes on until the men decide that the gods have not decided their fates, so they exchange a part of their war armor and decide to stop their fight for now. As Hektor comes back to the Trojans the consul decides that they should just give the Achaians back Helen and her possessions. Paris speaks up and refuses to give Helen back but will give back her possessions and some of his. The consul also talks about stopping war so that they may properly bury their soldiers. After the meeting the Trojans send a messenger Idias to the Achaians with their requests. They refuse the first request but agree with the Trojans that they also need time to bury their deceased. So both sides stop fighting for the time being. While this is happened Zeus has called a meeting up in Olympus and threatens the other gods that if they get involved in the war anymore that he will punish them to the most extreme. After the meeting Hera and Athene try to help the Achaians but when Zeus finds out he threatens Athene which forces her and the rest of the gods to sit on the side lines while they let fate handle the mortals destinies.

When Hektor came storming into Paris's chamber I felt a sense of longing for a man with that type of ambition and strength. I always had an attraction towards Hektor that I could not describe. So when Paris left the room I tried to make my feelings clear to Hektor, but he did not want any part of it. He left the chamber abruptly with confidence in his marriage and who he was as a husband. I truly wish Paris had this trait. I sit inside these walls all day hoping this man I left everything for will fight with dignity for my honor. Hopefully this spark Hektor has given him will push him to battle.

Hektor returning to Troy with news for the women of Troy.

Accessed 9/14/13 http://tonalli8.files.wordpress.com/2011/09/losenko_hector1.jpg

 

My Regrets

Today as I was sitting in my chambers I was called upon to go out and see that the fighting had ended. Little did I know it would only be for a short time. Paris had challenged the Achaeans for one of their men to fight him. I was sitting with Priam when Menelaos took Paris's challenge. All of a sudden Paris cowered in fear behind his brother Hektor when he saw Menelaos step forward. Hektor called Paris a coward until he finally went back out to fight. Whomever won the duel was to have me and all of my possessions. At first it didn't seem like anyone had the upper hand until Menelaos started to drag Paris across the ground. Then all of a sudden Paris disappeared. This is when the gods really became involved. Aphrodite whisked Paris to his bed chamber and summoned me to lay with him. While both sides were looking for Paris, Agamemnon proclaimed Menelaos the victor. After the announcement the gods became upset. Since Hera wanted so badly for the Trojans to fall she enlisted the help of Athene to start the war back up with an Achaens arrow hitting Menelaos. The gods began to pick their sides. As of right now Apollo and Aphrodite were on the Trojans side while Hera and Athene were on the Achaians side for now. The war starts to take a turn towards the Trojan side. Hektor has especially been working hard to kill as many Achaians as possible, while Diomedes and Odysseus are taking many Trojan lives. When Diomedes is hurt Athene promises to help if the only god he hurts is Aphrodite. So when Aphrodite comes to Earth to take care of her son Diomedes makes good on his promise and injures her; however, he also hurts Apollo. The war has become a blood fest so Hera and Athene ask Zeus if they can help and go fight in the battle especially because of all the blood that is being shed by Ares. So when Ares comes back to Olympus injured Zeus does not feel bad for him.

I have lately been feeling more and more like I do not belong here. When I was sitting with Priam I even mentioned: "and I wish bitter death had been what I wanted, when I came hither following your son, forsaking my chamber, my kinsmen, my grown child, and the loveliness of girls my own age. It did not happen that way: and now I am worn with weeping" (Lattimore, Book 3 lines 173-176). I did not know what I had before I made the selfish choice to leave. As I watched Paris and Menelaos all I could think about was maybe if I would have died before stepping onto Troy this would have never happened. Then I saw Paris coward in fear towards Menelaos and I realized that I picked a man that was scared of what he took me from. I do not put all the blame on Paris because I know it was me who left and started this war, but I do feel that if he truly wanted me he would never back down from a challenge to be with me forever. When Paris disappeared during the duel I was told by Aphrodite to go lay with him in his chamber. At first I was hesitant but Aphrodite sensed that and made sure I did what she said, even though it may not have felt right. Men were fighting because of his disappearance and losing their lives while I was in bed with the man that started it all. Thank god we have Hektor on our side. I have heard that he has been slaying Greeks and fighting on the battlefield with gods at his side. I wonder why Zeus allows the gods to fight a battle that is not theirs. We mortals started it so it is only right we finish it.

Hope for the Trojans

It has been nine years since this war started and I feel like it will never end. I have heard whispers about the Greeks and am starting to feel hope. It has been said that the great Achilles wrath is over powering. Since there last victory Achilles has been treated with disrespect by Agamemnon, and his not getting his just reward. Unfortunately the Gods have become involved on both sides. It has been said that the war would not have taken such a change if it wasn't for Apollo and the plague he placed on the Greeks. Zeus also has been part of both sides in this war. He has recently sent a dream to Agamemnon to encourage him to gather all his troops and have a full frontal attack on the Trojans. The problem is the Greeks have been missing their most priced fighter, Achilles due to how he has been treated. This could be a huge advantage for the Trojans. I was also told a message was sent recently to the Trojans about military strategy and how the Greeks are forming their troop by their homeland. I can tell by all this talk that this was just the beginning.

These recent turns of events have taken a toll on everyone. I look out onto the balcony and am scared of what is to come. I know that this war would have happened eventually, but I never would have thought that I could have caused such a thing. When I heard about Achilles and Agamemnon fighting I hoped that maybe this would be a distraction for the men and a weakness would emerge in battle over who the soldiers were fighting for. Then, the other day I also witnessed something hopeful. When I saw the men retreating back to their ships after Agamemnon told them his dream was to retreat I felt hope once again. I called to Hektors wife and sat on the balcony hoping that the soldiers would leave and never come back. Agamemnon must have been so upset to see how eager his troops were to leave and how low moral they must have had. We kept getting such great news that even when we got our message from Zeus we knew that we had Gods on our side. Once the message was received and Hektor was in charge I could tell the things were about to change.  

                                                                     accessed 9/8/13 https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYOuXG9t3kQyWj3XpAVbej8-ihFXOOMzyqu9g1MJ-1sIrJVpVExLEONSO8W_NZ7wqzFrQFe0z5JOYso9EIfQncZPlMzOC_-YjoK6wZF-NO9OhMrwP4p-4oN4XWQD-qHLYF7HRFI-DrveA/s1600/Greek+shipS+Troy.jpg

The Beginning of My Story

Hello everyone! I am here to tell my side of the story and how the Trojan War turned into what it became. However, before I do that I would like to tell you more about who I am. My name is Helen and am the daughter of Zeus and Leda. My whole life I was seen as one of the most beautiful woman alive and constantly had many suitors who wanted to fight for my hand in marriage. Unfortunately Menelaus of Sparta will win my hand, and I will be forced into a marriage I am not content with. Luckily for me when the Prince of Troy Paris, comes to Sparta I am able to find true love. However, what we didn't know is our actions would start a war that history would never forget.