FERNANDO G. RODRIGUEZ Author and illustrations

Author and illustrations FERNANDO G. RODRIGUEZ

EDITORIAL WEEBLE

2014 Editorial Weeble Author: Fernando G. Rodríguez [email protected] Illustrations: Fernando G. Rodríguez Translation: Amanda D’Singh http://eng.editorialweeble.com Madrid, Spain, July 2014

Licence: Creative Commons AttributionNonCommercial-Share Alike 3.0 1

“Men are haunted by the vastness of eternity. And so we ask ourselves: will our actions echo across the centuries? Will strangers hear our names long after we are gone, and wonder who we were, how bravely we fought, how fiercely we loved?” Taken from the film ‘Troy’

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This story took place over 3000 years ago, at a time when gods were confused with heroes and heroes with men. In an era where reality was mixed with myth. Envy, vengeance, love and war come together in this story.

A fascinating story. Are you ready to discover it?

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Our story begins more than

3000 years ago in Troy, a wealthy city located in what is now Turkey. The location and wealth of Troy are envied by all of the Greek kings. Meanwhile, Greece is divided into numerous cities with their own kings and princes. They have fought between themselves for many years in order to gain control of the Peloponnese.

Lemnos

Delphi Corinth Athens Mycenae Sparta

Troy

Lesbos

Aegean Sea Crete 4

Priam, the King of Troy has just had another son, Paris. The priests of the god Apollo, the god of the sun, warn the king: - This child will be the downfall of Troy. Kill him!-. Priam does not believe the priests’ warnings. He cannot kill his own son and secretly orders that he be left beside a bush on Mount Ida.

Nine days later, Agelaus, the herdsman, watches in amazement as a bear suckles the child. He takes him home as if he were his own son and secretly brings him up. 5

Paris is raised as part of Agelaus’ family. After a few years, Paris turns into a handsome young man. The people who know him, appreciate the fairness with which he resolves various matters. As a result, Zeus, the king of the gods, orders him to intervene in a

dispute between the goddesses Hera, Athena and Aphrodite, and choose the most beautiful of them. All three are equally beautiful. In the end, Paris chooses Aphrodite, and by way of reward she promises him that the most beautiful woman on Earth will fall in love with him. Hera and Athena leave, both vowing revenge against Paris for his choice. 6

During some local celebrations in Troy, Paris participates in various tests of skill. He wins all of them, beating several noblemen, including King Priam’s sons. This really infuriates them and they start to chase after him. When they have caught him, Agelaus forces his way through the crowd and shouts to Priam: - Your Majesty, it’s your long-lost son! Don’t hurt him!-

Priam, surprised but delighted after so many years, invites Paris to remain at the palace as his son, despite renewed warnings from Apollo’s priests. 7

Meanwhile, in Sparta, a city in Greece, Helen, the most

beautiful woman of the Peloponnese is ready to marry. Her suitors include almost all of the Greek princes and kings: Diomedes, Patroclus, Palamedes, Ajax, Odysseus, Menelaus… Odysseus asks them to swear an oath to defend the chosen one against anyone who bears a grudge, so as to prevent quarrels between them after Helen makes her choice. They all do as they are asked. In the end, Helen chooses

Menelaus, the King of Sparta and brother of Agamemnon, the King of Mycenae and the most powerful Greek king. 8

Several months later, Menelaus comes to Troy on a commercial visit and meets the young Paris. They get on well with each other and Menelaus invites him to go to Sparta with him. Paris accepts.

In Sparta he meets Helen, who falls hopelessly in love with him. They plan to run off and, taking advantage of the fact that Menelaus has an urgent trip to Crete, they flee to Troy, taking important Spartan treasures with them. The promise that the goddess Aphrodite had made to Paris was becoming a reality. 9

By way of revenge against Paris, the goddess Hera sends a big storm which does not sink the lovers’ ship but does alter its course. They eventually arrive off the coast of Cyprus. Paris subsequently conquers the city of Sidon and with it numerous treasures that he takes with him.

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When Menelaus finds out about Helen’s elopement, he calls a meeting

of the Greek kings and princes who swore to defend him and asks them to honour their oath: - My dear kings and princes, in Sparta you swore to defend me against those who tried to steal Helen from me. Now is the time to keep your promise.Troy was a virtually unassailable city due to its high and well-defended walls, but they have no option but to honour their oath. One by one they all end up agreeing, even the hero Achilles. According to the prophecy, without him Troy could not be taken.

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Meanwhile, Paris and Helen arrive in Troy. They are both well received in the city because Helen’s beauty is such that all of the Trojans immediately fall in love with her. As a sign of respect, Paris gives Apollo’s priests many of the treasures that he acquired in Sparta and Sidon, thereby gaining their acceptance.

King Priam receives them in the palace and grants them the protection of Troy. Hector, Paris’ brother also does the same.

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In the meantime, in Greece, the Greek fleet, made up of over 1000

ships, comes together under the control of King Agamemnon to embark on the journey to Troy. It was the first time in History that such a fleet had been seen. It covered the sea from East to West, and the ships went far beyond the horizon.

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After a long and very difficult voyage,

the Greeks reached the beach close to Troy. When they disembarked, the Trojans were waiting for them and the first battle took place.

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The Greeks managed to disembark and set up camp on the beach, next to their ships. In the distance, they could make out the high walls of the wealthy city of Troy. The Greeks had wanted to invade this city for many years and now they had their opportunity. Following a few failed attempts, they realise that they cannot take the city and opt to besiege it until its inhabitants run out of food.

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Whilst the siege continues, Achilles and his Myrmidons take the nearby cities that are allies of Troy. Some thirty cities fall to him. In one of them he takes Cressida prisoner, she is the daughter of one of Apollo’s priests, along with

Briseida, who is King Minos’ widow. Agamemnon chooses Cressida as his slave and Achilles chooses Briseida.

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The years of the Trojan war and siege passed in this way, with regular battles. One day, Chryseis, Cressida’s father, visits Agamemnon and asks him to return his daughter in exchange for numerous treasures. Agamemnon refuses. - Cressida is my slave and I will not exchange her for all the gold that you can bring me - Agamemnon declared. An annoyed Chryseis persuades the god Apollo to shoot arrows infected by the plague at the camp.

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Seeing how the plague takes hold of the Greek camp and having found out the reason behind the curse, Achilles forces Agamemnon to hand

over Cressida. - Bad King, you are making the Greeks suffer for your own benefit. Hand over Cressida and free us from Apollo’s spell - says Achilles threateningly. In the end, Agamemnon agrees in order to save the camp from the plague and to appease the anger of his best warrior. Troy is at stake.

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However, Agamemnon does not want to completely give in to Achilles and sets out his conditions: - I will hand over Cressida, but not because you have asked me to. You are just a soldier in my army. In return I will keep your slave,

that girl Briseida - declared the king. - Soldiers, go to Achilles’ tent and bring me his slave. - You bad king, you just think about yourself. The gods will curse you as I am doing now - replied Achilles furiously. From then onwards,

Achilles refuses to fight for the Greeks.

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When they find out about the argument between Agamemnon and Achilles, the Trojans take advantage of the situation to attack the Greek camp and are just about to set fire to the ships. Achilles and his Myrmidons just watch and do not take part in the battle. After a couple of defeats for the Greeks, Agamemnon, in view of the danger posed by the Trojans and the continued absence of Achilles, tries to convince him to return to battle by offering him treasures and titles. Achilles does not accept them and continues to refuse to participate in the war.

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Patroclus, one of Achilles’ companions, asks him if he can take charge of the Myrmidons temporarily in order to hold off Hector who was close to the ships again. - You can take them into battle, but only to stop Hector from advancing. Do not go after the Trojans - Achilles replied. After holding off the Trojan attack, Patroclus, ignoring Achilles’

advice, pursues Hector until they reach Troy itself. At some point, Hector challenges him and kills him thinking that he is Achilles, since Patroclus was wearing his armour.

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When Achilles finds out about the death of his companion Patroclus, he decides to seek revenge and

leads the Greeks into battle once more. Agamemnon sees Achilles putting his helmet on in order to fight the Trojans again and smiling he turns to his deputies and says: - Without realising, young Patroclus has changed the course of this war. -

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Achilles manages to hold off the Trojan army right up to the walls of Troy. There he duels with Hector and kills him. Such is his anger about Patroclus’ death that he ties Hector’s corpse to his chariot and, by way of revenge, he drags it to the Greek camp. Priam, unable to do anything, watches in horror as his son’s body is taken away.

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Having observed several days of funeral rites following the death of Patroclus, one night King Priam discreetly enters Achilles’ tent. Achilles is surprised at his appearance. - Great warrior, allow me to bury my son Hector as the prince and warrior that he is. It was a fair fight. It’s not about reproach - the Trojan king says. - Great King of Troy - Achilles replies, -I admire your courage in coming to my tent. If only our king was like you.

Take your son’s body. The Myrmidons will escort you through the camp. Do not be afraid.” 24

- By way of gratitude, I will

allow you to marry my daughter, Polyxena - says Priam. Achilles had already met Polyxena at Apollo’s temple and he had fallen in love with her. They arrange a secret ceremony to celebrate the marriage.

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However, the ceremony does not go to plan. When they first met, Achilles had told Polyxena his secret: when he was born, his mother, the goddess Thetis, submerged him in the River Styx in order to make him invincible, but she held him by the heel, which became his only vulnerable part. Paris discovers Achilles’ secret through Polyxena and decides to ambush him. At some time during the celebration, Paris, hiding behind a column in the temple, shoots an arrow which, guided by the hand of the goddess Aphrodite, mortally wounds Achilles in the

heel.

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The Greek camp becomes deeply dejected when it learns of the unfortunate death of its hero. During the cremation ceremony, the smoke from the funeral pyre spreads throughout the camp like a ghost and goes inside all of the Greek tents.

The Greeks are left without their hero and leader.

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However, in the next battle, Philoctetes, the great Greek archer who had Heracles’ bow and arrows, challenges Paris and

mortally wounds him with three shots. Now the person responsible for causing the war is dead and Helen is a widow. Priam forces Helen to marry another of his sons, Deiphobus. Following the death of his two sons, Priam cannot tolerate the idea of handing her back to Menelaus. However, Helen no longer has anything which ties her to Troy and she gradually distances herself from it. 28

After nine years at war and exhausted by the siege of Troy, the ingenious Odysseus devises a strategy to enter the city. - We will build an enormous wooden horse inside

which we will hide our best warriors - he suggests to Agamemnon. Agamemnon thinks that it is a good idea. The fact is that there were no other ideas, and they set about drawing up a plan. By way of preparation, the Greeks break camp and hide the fleet out of sight of the Trojans, making them think that they have gone.

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One morning the Trojan sentinels cannot see either the camp or the Greeks. It looks like they have finally returned to Greece. All that remains on the beach is an enormous wooden horse. - Priam, the Greeks have gone! - the priests tell the king. Priam arrives at the beach and studies the wooden horse. - Look, they have left a horse as an offering to the god Poseidon so as to have a safe journey. We will take it to

the city - says King Priam. - No, burn it - say the priests.

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Likewise, his daughter Cassandra, who had the gift of prophecy, warns her father: - This horse is full of soldiers; it will be the destruction of Troy.But no one paid her any attention. - We will take it to the city - said King Priam once more. And that is what happens. The Greeks’ plan

was working.

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That night, the city of Troy is holding a big party, celebrating victory over the Greeks. Afterwards, everyone goes to bed. That was the moment that the Greeks were waiting for. In silence, they

came out of the horse, led by Menelaus, Neoptolemus, the son of Achilles, and Odysseus, and they head for the city gates.

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The Greeks open the city gates to the rest of the army which had come ashore once again.

The Greek army surprises the Trojans who cannot do anything to defend their city.

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The Greeks plunder and set fire to Troy for three days and three

nights. Neoptolemus kills King Priam. Agamemnon takes his daughter Cassandra prisoner, although she warns him of the tragic fate that awaits him if he returns to Mycenae. Polyxena is sacrificed on Achilles’ tomb. 34

After almost ten years of war, the Greeks set out on their journey home. However, during those years they had provoked the anger of so many gods that they had an awful journey… Menelaus and Helen took a further nine years to reach Sparta. On their arrival in Mycenae, Cassandra and Agamemnon were murdered by the king’s previous wife. Odysseus took ten years to return. As such, the destiny of the victorious and

the defeated was joined forever, leaving a trail of death and desolation behind them. Only the names and heroic deeds of the protagonists will be remembered by history. 35

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2014 Editorial Weeble Author: Fernando G. Rodríguez [email protected] Illustrations: Fernando G. Rodríguez Translation: Amanda D’Singh http://eng.editorialweeble.com Madrid, Spain, July 2014

Licence: Creative Commons AttributionNonCommercial-Share Alike 3.0