Troy Research Paper

About four miles from the sea, there was once a rich kingdom bordered with a giant stone wall. It is the ancient kingdom of Troy. The wall around Troy was designed to protect the city. It was made out of stone, high and tall. Climbing the wall was too slippery and going over the wall was impossible because of the Trojan bowmen that stood on the top of the wall. If they saw an intruder, they just pulled back their bowstrings and let the arrow fly towards the target. There is only one entrance into Troy - through the double gate. Many traders, farmers, and shepherds go through to sell goods, sheep fur, and silver and gold. If a armed hostile group is approaching Troy, Troy will just simply close the gate. Behind the bolted gate and the stone

wall, Troy is safe from harm. Troy was a important city in the ancient world. Priam, the king of troy was a very powerful man. He had many allies and he ruled lots of land and sea.
The Greeks spoke the same language as the Trojans and they both believed in the twelve Olympians. However, the Trojans and the Greeks are enemies, not friends.
The land which the Greeks occupied was very rocky and hilly. As a result, the Greek had to sail to Asia to buy some wheat and other goods. To get to Asia, the Greeks had to pass through a narrow passage of water that connects the Aegean Sea and the Black Sea. Troy was very close to the entrance of this channel.
Then, Priam (King of Troy) decided to take advantage of his city’s location. When a Greek cargo ship sails past, the Trojans will demand a toll, so the Greeks can enter the channel. Since cargo ships are big and heavy, they can not sail fast. So the Greeks pay the Trojans with bags of wheat, jars of oil, and gold. The Greeks are furious. Why should they have to pay to use the channel? The sea is free! But King Priam is not afraid. There is a great stone wall protecting his city. Nobody - including a Greek army can get into Troy.
In the Greek Kingdom of Sparta, King Menelaus (the King of Sparta) plots his revenge. The Trojans, in addition in finding the Greeks for access of the channel has captured his wife, Helen! King Menelaus plans to go to Troy with his army. However, he can not fight alone. The Trojans and their allies outnumber the Spartans. King Menelaus summons a messenger and gives him a message for his brother, King Agamemnon (the King of Mycenae). In the Greek Kingdom of Mycenae, King Agamemnon sits and listens to his brothers messenger’s startling news. The Trojans have kidnapped Helen! The Trojans have been pirating their ships for years! Greece must act. All of Greece must unite and fight the Trojans! The time for war has started.
So, King Agamemnon goes to the temple and he prays to Athena (god of war and wisdom). He asks Athena for her help. Agamemnon then orders his guards to place a giant bull at the feet of her statue. If Athena likes this gift, she will help the Greeks. Then, all of Greece armies sail towards Troy. As the Greek ships sail towards Troy, the Trojan scouts bring news to King Priam - “The Greeks are coming!” So, King Priam goes to the temple and he prays to Athena (god of war and wisdom). He asks Athena for her help. Priam then orders his guards to place a giant ram at the feet of her statue. If Athena likes this gift, she will help the Trojans win the war.
The Greek ships land on the sandy beach near Troy.

The Greek army moves east - horses, chariots, and soldiers. Then the Trojan gate opens. Then men of Troy have come out. The Trojan army moves west - horses, chariots, and soldiers. The two powerful armies meet on the flat, rocky fields between the city and the sea. The bowmen take aim and let their arrows fly. The spearmen throw their spears and hurtle them. The Greeks chase the Trojans. The Trojan chase the Greeks. But when the battle is over, no side has won. The Trojan go back to their city. The Greeks go to shore and build a camp. Both sides get ready for the next battle. The fighting continues - day after day, month after month, and year after year. Both sides are equal. Then the Greeks realize that the only way to defeat the Trojans is to get inside Troy. But how?

The Greeks decide the best way to get inside is to build a great wooden horse. The horse is hollow and there is a door on the side just big enough for a man to crawl through. When the construction is complete, all the Greeks that can fit go inside the horse. The rest of the Greeks board their ships and then sail away. There is an island not far from the shore. The Greek boats go toward the island, turn, and stop on the other side. The island is deserted. Nobody from Troy can see the ships. Then, a lookout goes to the front of the island. From there, he can see the wall of

Troy.
A Trojan plowman runs towards the Trojan gate shouting wonderful news - the Greeks have gone! Soon, the great gate is opened. The people of Troy come out: there want to see the deserted camp and the deserted huts. Then they notice a giant wood horse. Instantly, the Trojans are suspicious. They say: “Burn the horse!”, ”Chop it into pieces!” and “Push to the sea!” King Priam arrives. He tells his men to inspect the horse. Suddenly, there is shouting from the river. Some Trojan scouts have found a Greek man! His name is Simon. Simon is brought before the king. The king demands for an explanation of what the horse is for. Simon says that the horse is a gift for Athena. Now, King Priam is worried. If the Trojans destroy the horse, Athena will be angry. Instead of destructing the horse, the Trojans bring the horse into Troy. At the gate, there is trouble. The horse is to big to fit through the gate. To solve this problem, the Trojans break down parts of the wall to make way for the horse. Then, the horse is finally in Troy. So far, the Greek’s plan is working.
Then there is a great party/festival in the streets of Troy. Everybody celebrates - they sing, dance, drink, and feast all evening. The priests chant special prayers to the gods, especially for Athena. They all thank her for ending the war.
The night sky is filled with stars. All of Troy sleeps. Most of the citizens if not all, are full of food and wine. Everyone, except the Greek warriors inside the horse. The tiny door is opened. A rope is dropped. The Greeks come down. Some go to the wall to kill the guards. One of the Greeks at the wall lights a torch. The lookout at the front of the island sees the signal. The Greek ships sail as fast as they can to Troy. The men cross the plain. They enter Troy at the gate through the hole that the Trojans made. The second phrase of the Greek’s plan starts. The Greeks light up their torches and start to create fires. Then Troy begins to wake up. Their horses are on fire. They run out to see what’s going on. The Trojan warriors wake up too. They are very sleepy from all the food and wine. They stumble, looking for their weapons. King Priam also wakes up. His guards are shouting the news - the Greeks are inside the city! Now King Priam knows the truth. Troy has been tricked! Troy burns down to the ground. Only a few Trojans run out of the city, escaping by land and by sea; the rest die in the fire. The Greeks all make it out along with Helen, King Menelaus’s wife.