The Fall of Troy
•Do you think it was right for the Greeks to win their victory through a trick? Explain.
◦I think that the Greek winning through a trick was perfectly fair because it was the Trojans fault that they let their guards down for enough time for the Greeks to think of a plan that was going to be simple to achieve.
•Almost all the Greeks have great difficulty reaching their homes again. Some will even meet with death on their return journey. For some, like Odysseus, it will take them many years to reach their home. Do they deserve these fates? Explain.
◦I think that the Greeks do not deserve these fates because they were trying to get the war over with in order to have a safe home and settle into a peaceful kingdom and not having to worry about someone killing
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your entire family. •Should war be ruthless or humane?
Explain.
◦War, in my opinion, should be humane because everyone deserves a fair chance to become a victor in a fair way. Never giving up or never showing mercy is no longer being a ruthless war adventurer, it’s being a murderous, blood thirsty monster.
•Should Philoctetes have killed Pyrrhus? Would his death have changed anything? Explain.
◦I think that when Philoctetes did not kill Pyrrhus was a greater impact than if he were to kill him because then if he decided to kill Pyrrhus, he would have been going against his original statement in towards Pyrrhus that murder was only a blood thirsty act of a beast, and by killing him, it would have ruined his reputation around the camp and it would also put a heavy blanket of guilt on his conscious.
•Philoctetes says that Greece fell along with Troy, what does he mean?
◦Philoctetes meant that when Odysseus and the Greeks hid inside the horse, it was an unfair approach for war and to finish out the Trojans, not only that, but the Greeks were killing innocent women and children in the war and does not count as a true, noble move.
Searching for Odysseus
•What does Telemachus learn on his
journey? ◦Telemachus learned on his journey that his father didn’t just leave him and go to fight in the war, he really fought and once it was over with he was faced with many more trials that ended up making the journey home so much harder for Odysseus to return home. •How is Telemachus like his father? How is Telemachus seem different than his Father? ◦Telemachus is like his father in many ways, but the main way he is like his father, in my opinion, was that he was relentless, doing anything and everything he could in order to keep his wife safe and happy and to keep the kingdom in his power. •Is Penelope a good wife? Explain. ◦Penelope is a good wife because she remained faithful for all of those years that Odysseus was gone, not ever knowing if he was dead or if he was going to return to the kingdom and take his spot as king again. •Why do you think Odysseus has been on the island of Calypso the sea nymph so long? ◦I think that Odysseus was on the island of Calypso the sea nymph for so long because she was known to keep her victims as long as ten years and using them as a personal slave, and when she met Odysseus, a king and a god, the need to keep him on the island was overwhelming for her.
The definition of a hero is unique for every individual; however there are several regulations that majority of individuals can agree on. A hero must exhibit traits such as humility, kindness, and courage. Once the candidate expresses hubris, displays cruelty, or retreats from a formidable challenge, he cannot be considered a hero. Lastly, a hero candidate must overcome challenges that defy the odds. He must deliver a gift to society that benefits society as a whole; such gifts can be freedom, liberty, or hope. Odysseus in The Odyssey, by Homer, fulfilled these requirements and rightfully earned the title of a hero. Odysseus is well deserving of the title hero because he has put the needs of others before his own, shown signs of courage in the face of adversity, and displays humility by ridding himself of his hubris.
Themistocles contribution to the defence of Greece was more significant than any other Greek individual. To what extent do you agree?
There are times in history that something will happen and it will defy all logic. It was one of those times when a few Greek city/states joined together and defeated the invasion force of the massive Persian Empire. The Greeks were able to win the Greco-Persian War because of their naval victories over the Persians, a few key strategic victories on land, as well as the cause for which they were fighting. The naval victories were the most important contribution to the overall success against the Persians. The Persian fleet was protecting the land forces from being outflanked and after they were defeated the longer had that protection. While the Greeks had very few overall victories in battle they did have some strategic victories. The Battle of Thermopylae is an example of a strategic success for the Greeks. The morale of the Persian army was extremely affected by the stout resistance put up by King Leonidas and his fellow Spartans. The Greeks fought so hard against overwhelming odds because of what they were fighting for. They were fighting for their country and their freedom. They fought so hard because they did not want to let down the man next to them in the formation. Several things contributed to the Greeks success against the Persian invasion that happened during the Second Greco-Persian War.
Homer’s The Odyssey is not just a tale of a man’s struggle on his journey home from the Trojan War, but of his struggle from the consequences of revenge. The Odyssey weaves in different characters’ tales of revenge from the gods and what impact revenge actually had on those characters. Revenge is an important underlying theme in The Odyssey because, in essence, it explains why Odysseus’ journey was so prolonged and treacherous. A few examples of revenge in the poem include Orestes’ revenge on Aegisthus, Zeus’ revenge on Odysseus and his men, and Poseidon’s revenge on Odysseus. These different examples of revenge in The Odyssey show the importance of the gods’ revenge in the epic journey of Odysseus.
Imagine leaving your wealth, home, family, and even country behind for twenty years. While away, people will inevitably attempt to steal your possessions, seduce your spouse, and act as though you will never return. Most likely, more people will try to harm your estate than those who will continue working and behaving in an honest manner. This notion holds true in Homer’s epic poem, The Odyssey. While Odysseus wages war and struggles to return to Ithaka , a multitude of suitors court his wife and live at the cost of his possessions. On the other hand, a few people like Eumaios remain steadfast to the truth and work to maintain Odysseus’ estate and possessions. Eumaios, Odysseus’ swineherd, embodies compassion, love, and loyalty.
We learned many lessons from this epic battle. One lesson is that no matter what the number of the enemy is, solid tactics by a smaller force can still devastate a much larger enemy. Another lesson is that a smaller force using the terrain to their advantage could hold off the enemy and even possibly win the battle. We all know war is never fair, but the third lesson we can learn from this is that betrayals can always occur and to always be prepared for an attacking flank. Unfortunately, this was considered a bad thing for the Greeks, because it worked out in favor of the Persians. These lessons have occurred many times throughout history and will continue past our present day. We can learn from these and should apply them to all future engagements.
...t all the Trojan men will be fighting for their beloved Troy, too keep her from tumbling. The Trojans had no choice except to fight. They had to use violence to achieve the goal of the people. They must use all the power in their mights to defend their only home. If they don't they will exhibit a weakness, in which the Greeks will then take for granted. Violence, once again, is a necessity in reaching a common goal of a city that is under attack.
Yet, the Trojans refused to surrender to the Greeks. They would rather die, than be under the control of Agamemnon, and see their city taken over. The American soldiers are in a very similar situation when battling in a small French town during WWII. The few American troops decide to fight against the several tanks and many German troops coming their way even though they know they won’t likely make it home alive. These American soldiers, like the Trojans, would rather die fighting for their nation than surrender to the enemy, and be taken alive. Ironically, this is what ends up happening on both fronts. The Trojans end up losing the war with many casualties. Although the Americans didn’t lose WWII, most of the men lost their lives while trying to defend this town in an attempt to keep the Germans from advancing.
Picture this: a hero of great legends who travels to the underworld and back to get directions to his home from a blind prophet. It sounds like quite an impossible journey, but that is exactly what makes Odysseus all the more fascinating. The Odyssey, an epic poem orally transmitted by Homer, a Greek poet who wrote The Iliad, had to contain some variety of attributes that Greeks valued in a person. That one embodiment of what the Greeks found intriguing in a character is Odysseus. Odysseus is known as what is called an epic hero. An epic hero is a protagonist of a story that represents the most important attributes of a civilization. Odysseus, being based in ancient Greece, is the embodiment of intelligence, loyalty, and strength.
It turns out that the Persians were retreating for good, and the battle had concluded. The late September seas were too rough, the sailing season was coming to an end, and Xerxes did not want to take the risk of losing any more triremes, and, or, troops. The Greek underdogs had done it. Although they did not understand the significance of that day at the time, it was one of the most important days in history, and significantly changed the course of the world we live in today.
The causes of the Peloponnesian War proved to be too great between the tension-filled stubborn Greek city-states of Athens and Sparta. As Thucydides says in Karl Walling’s article, “Never had so many human beings been exiled, or so much human blood been shed” (4). The three phases of the war, which again, are the Archidamian war, the Sicilian Expedition and the Decelean war, show the events that followed the causes of the war, while also showing the forthcoming detrimental effects that eventually consumed both Athens and eventually Sparta effectively reshaping Greece.
Patrocles was responsible for his own death. First of all, Patrocles was responsible for his own death because he requested his insertion into the battle, fully knowing that the Achaeans were. being unmercifully defeated by the snare. In Book XVI, Patroclus said Send me forth now at the head of the Myrmidon host. That I may be a light of hope to the Danaans.
Over the thousands of years that the epic story the Iliad has survived, there has no doubt been some form of alteration to Homer’s original. Last May, Wolfgang Petersen directed a movie based on the Iliad. This movie, Troy, has proven to be a very loose adaptation of Homer’s original, as are almost all stories that are made into movies, unfortunately. With its timeless storyline, amazing scenery, gorgeous actors/actresses and most of all, its reported two hundred million dollar budget, it is easy to see why Troy was hyped up to be a box office hit. However, the film critics were harsh on this movie, as they had every right to be, and it ended up being a total flop. Compared to Homer’s Iliad, Troy is rather disappointing. But, to be fair, one must keep in mind the limitations of a movie compared to those of a book, and the fact that the title is Troy, not the Iliad. It really is not as bad as expected. Troy is Homer’s Iliad gone to Hollywood. There probably are just as many similarities as differences from the original. The three major upsetting differences in Troy compared to the Iliad are the absence of the Gods, the weak character and plot development, and the addition, exclusion, and reversal of key points.
Odysseus understands the fact that these men have been away from their families for too long. Which is why he add...
An interesting and important aspect of this Greek notion of fate is the utter helplessness of the human players. No matter the choice made by the people involved in this tragedy, the gods have determined it and it is going to come to pass. T...