Top News -- WAR in TROY - THOUSANDS OF GREEK SOLDIERS CONTINUE TO LAND ON THE TROJAN SHORES -- THIS IS THE MOST DIRECT CONFRONTATION OF THE TWO ARMIES IN THE NINE YEAR HISTORY OF THE WAR -- HECTOR, LEADER OF THE TROJANS, HAS PROPOSED THAT PARIS AND MENELAUS SETTLE THEIR CONFLICT OVER HELEN IN A ONE-ON-ONE BATTLE INSTEAD OF LEADING THEIR ARMIES INTO A COSTLY BATTLE -- PROPOSAL WAS ACCEPTED BY BOTH SIDES, BUT AS MENELAUS WAS ABOUT TO KILL HIM, PARIS DISAPPEARED WITHOUT A TRACE -- DIVINE INTERVENTION IS BELIEVED TO BE THE CAUSE AT THIS TIME IN THE INVESTIGATION -- ARROW SHOT AT THE GREEKS STARTED UP FIGHTING AGAIN -- GREECE STILL AWAITING NEWS ON SOLDIER CASUALTIES -- SHIP TRANSPORTING SILIUS, SON OF IONIUS VENIUS, HAS BEEN LOST AT SEA --

WAR CONTINUES IN TROY
 

TROY (AAP) - The Trojan War has continued into its ninth year, but the end may be within sight.  The armies now stand face to face on the coastal banks of Troy, just outside of the great city wall that was built by Poseidon himself.

 

The argument began when Paris, son of Priam, the Trojan King, seduced and kidnapped the wife of Menelaus, Helen, who is the most beautiful woman in the world.  He claimed she was a gift from Aphrodite, but that did not satisfy Menelaus, the king of Sparta.  An envoy was sent to Troy to demand her return, but when he was turned down he rallied his own soldiers as well as the full fighting force of Greece, led by Agamemnon, his brother and king of Mycenae.

 

The greatest heroes of all Greece were assembled, including Odysseus, despite his initial reluctance to go to war, Diomedes, a great warrior who used to be deeply in love with Helen, Nestor, the king of Pylus and a wise man whose counsel is greatly prized, and Ajax, the warrior whose size and strength is legendary.  And of course there was Achilles, the greatest of all Greek warriors, whose skill in battle is that of the gods.

 

The war went on for nine years, with battles taking place in several locations, but now the two armies are preparing for a great battle at the foot of the gates of Troy.

 

The heroes of Greece have stiff opposition, including Paris, the one who provoked the war, and Hector, the greatest of Trojan soldiers.

 

It is believed that both Hera and Athena are fighting for the Greeks, and Poseidon is angry at the Trojans.  Zeus and Aphrodite defend Troy for now, but the largest threat to the Greeks recently has been Apollo.

 

Agamemnon's war prize, Chryseis, was apparently the daughter of a priest of Apollo.  When Agamemnon seized her, the priest prayed to Apollo, who then sent a plague through the Greek camps.  Calchas, a seer with prophetic powers, said that the only way to please Apollo would be to send Chryseis back.  For the sake of his army, Agamemnon accepted reluctantly, but he didn't want to be left without a prize for his hard work in the previous battles.  He ordered Achilles to sacrifice his prize, Briseis, to him.

 

Although Agamemnon had the right to do this, Achilles was enraged.  When he was interviewed about the whole event, he said, "What a worthless, burnt-out coward I'd be called if I would submit to Agamemnon and all his orders, whatever he blurts out.  He can fling them at others, but he cannot give me commands."

 

Achilles swore he would not fight alongside of Agamemnon any longer, and even called upon his mother Thetis for help.  She went to Zeus, who agreed to give aid to the Trojans just to make Agamemnon look bad.

 

Agamemnon decided that a full scale battle between the Greek and Trojan armies would work in his favor, so the fleets of Triremes and transport ships set sail for Troy.

 

Once the army landed and the opposing forces lined up, Hector, the greatest warrior of the Trojan army came forward and proposed that Paris and Menelaus, the two men that started the war over Helen, settle the dispute in a one-on-one combat.  Both sides agreed to the fight, as it would be much easier than going through an immensely deadly and costly battle.  Menelaus was clearly winning, but as he was about to finish off his opponent, Paris was swept off the field.  Most sources say that only the gods could perform such a feat, and Aphrodite is suspect for ending the confrontation prematurely.

 

While both sides were contemplating what to do now that the showdown had been interrupted, a Trojan soldier loosed an arrow at Menelaus, injuring him in the thigh.  This ended the temporary truce, and the battle has now broken out into full scale war.

 

The latest news is that Agamemnon believes he will not be able to achieve victory, so Odysseus has been sent to try and convince Achilles to rejoin battle by offering the return of Briseis as well as many other lavish gifts.  It is expected that this offer will be accepted, but if it is not, Agamemnon will be forced to depend on his comrades to come up with a plan to win the war.

 

 

    

   
Media
Our embedded reporters have been able to capture some exceptional photographs of the war as it unfolds.  Click on an image to see the full picture.
 
The Greek ships approach the shores of Troy.
Achilles talks with Agamemnon in the Greek camp.
The army of Troy.
Battle breaks loose when Paris flees from a combat with Menelaus.
Another scene filled with fighting.
The gates of Troy.
 

Back to Top
Pictures made using Age of Mythology™
Page and article created by Scott Zuke 3/23/2003