MythNotes THE TROJAN WAR Powell Chh. 20-21 BACKGROUND 1) House of Atreus Tantalus and Pelops Oenomaus and Hippodamia at Elis Pelops wins a kingdom in S. Greece (hence 'Peloponnesus') Curse of Myrtilus Atreus and Thyestes at Mycenae
adultery, treachery, and a golden fleece Thyestes rapes Pelopia (who then weds Atreus)--> Aegisthus Atreus' elder sons, Agamemnon and Menelaus 2) House of Tyndareus Tyndareus of Sparta weds Leda (loved by Zeus) --> Castor and Polydeuces (=Dioscuri) --> Clytemnestra and Helen Oath of Tyndareus Agamemnon wed to Clytemnestra Menelaus and Helen 3) Marriage of Peleus and Thetis (later bears Achilles) Judgment of Paris (=Alexander) [4) Early History of TROY: Laomedon and Hesione Priam and Hecuba (and their many offspring)] THE TROJAN WAR Sacrifice of Iphigeneia at Aulis Wrath of Achilles (against Agamemnon) in the tenth year Chryses and Chryseis, and a plague upon the Greeks Achilles' prize Briseis taken from him; he withdraws from battle Thetis lobbies Zeus for Trojan victory Tragedy of Hector: Andromache and Astyanax Patroclus driven to fight in Achilles' armor, slain by Hector Achilles' Fateful Choice The slaying of Hector Priam ransoms the body Major Greek Figures: Diomedes (son of Tydeus) Ajax the Greater (son of Telamon) Odysseus Neoptolemus (son of Achilles) Gods involved (other than Zeus and Thetis): Hera, Athena, Poseidon Aphrodite, Ares The Fall of Troy Death of Achilles: Armor awarded to Odysseus; Ajax driven mad Fateful incidents: theft of Palladium coming of Neoptolemus and the bow of Philoctetes The Wooden Horse warning of Laocoon and Cassandra The Sack of Troy rape of Cassandra sacrifice of Polyxena Execution of Priam and Astyanax The Conqueror Returns Agamemnon Murdered by Clytemnestra and Aegisthus as Cassandra sings Orestes' Revenge and Trial pursued by Furies, purified by Apollo, acquitted on Areopagus with Athena presiding