CMLT316 Lecture Notes - Lecture 23: Chryses, Aristeia, Chryseis
3 Jun 2018
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Class 23: The Age of Heroes - The Trojan Cycle
Trojan Cycle: Helen of Sparta
● Daughter of Leda and Zeus (in form of swan)
Trojan Cycle
Paris (Priam and Hecuba of Troy):
● Prophesied to be the destruction of Troy
● Exposed by Priam and nursed by a bear
● Shepherd raised Paris
● As a young man returned to Troy to claim his royal seat
● The judgement of Paris:
○ Gods attend wedding banquet for Peleus and Thetis
○ Eris (Strife) - gave apple ‘to the fairest’
○ Hera, Athena, and Aphrodite claim it
○ Contest to be settled by Paris
○ Hera: Paris to be king of Asia - Power
○ Athena: Paris to be a great warrior - Fame/Honor
○ Aphrodite: Paris to have the most beautiful woman alive (Helen) - Carnal
Pleasures
The Trojan Saga
“The Rape of Helen”
● Menelaus asked all the kings of Greece to swear an oath to assist if anything should
happen to his wife, the lovely Helen
● Bound by this pact, the kings agreed to help recover Helen from Troy
● Mission justified because Paris had broken the custom of xenia visiting Sparta
The Greek Contingent
● Agamemnon (Argos - de facto leader)
● Menelaus (Sparta - husband of Helen)
● Diomedes (Argos)
● Odysseus (Ithaca)
● Warriors
○ Ajax (Telamonian)
○ Patroclos
● Achilles (son of Peleus and Thetis)
The Trojan Characters
● Priam and wife Hecuba (king and queen)
● Paris
● Hector and Andromache
● Also Aeneas (son of Anchises and Aphrodite) and Sarpedon (son Zeus)
The Iliad
● Set in the 10th year of the war
● Covers only 40 days and ends before the fall of Troy
find more resources at oneclass.com
find more resources at oneclass.com
Document Summary
Class 23: the age of heroes - the trojan cycle. Daughter of leda and zeus (in form of swan) Prophesied to be the destruction of troy. Exposed by priam and nursed by a bear. As a young man returned to troy to claim his royal seat. Gods attend wedding banquet for peleus and thetis. Eris (strife) - gave apple to the fairest". Hera: paris to be king of asia - power. Athena: paris to be a great warrior - fame/honor. Aphrodite: paris to have the most beautiful woman alive (helen) - carnal. Menelaus asked all the kings of greece to swear an oath to assist if anything should happen to his wife, the lovely helen. Bound by this pact, the kings agreed to help recover helen from troy. Mission justified because paris had broken the custom of xenia visiting sparta. Priam and wife hecuba (king and queen) Also aeneas (son of anchises and aphrodite) and sarpedon (son zeus)
