WOAH...

That is a lot to take in, and having it occur in so many days. But the war is not over yet, not until those walls fall down and Troy is no more. Hector, their leader and breaker of horses, gone and all that is left is to find a way to invade the walls of Troy. But how are the Greeks going to do that? Sneak in? Someone cunning will come up with some plan for them to cram together and get in.

Inspired by: The Trojan Horse at the Close of the "Iliad" George Fredric Franko The Classical Journal, Vol. 101, No. 2 (Dec. - Jan., 2005/2006), pp. 121-123. http://www.jstor.org/stable/30038644?origin=JSTOR-pdf

Even though his father opened the gates, Hector refuses to retreat. When Achilles attacks him, Hector runs from him. Upon Zeus' consent, Athena disguises herself as Deïphobos and persuades him to stop running, but disappears when Hector turns to her to fight against Achilles. Hector pleads to respect the loser's body, which Achilles denies and attacks anyways. Achilles kills him and drags him away by his chariot. The city of Troy falls into despair, especially Hector's wife, Andromache. After an appearance from Patroklos' ghost, Achilles gives him a proper burial, and the funeral games commence, even though Achilles does not participate in them. Achilles, still distraught of his friend's death, beats the body of Hector. With the help of the gods, Priam is able to infiltrate the Greek camp to ask for his son's body. Both Achilles and Priam eat and when Priam returns with the body, the Trojans mourn for nine days, burn his body on the tenth and bury his body on the eleventh day.

Now the Trojans have the rest of the war to worry about. There will be nothing of the walls I built left when the Greeks are done. And Achilles seemed to let go of his close friend, if only for a bit and was able to mourn with Priam.



Image source: http://www.tate.org.uk/art/artworks/hamilton-priam-pleading-with-achilles-for-the-body-of-hector-t00864

Achilles got his armor and suited up. He calls the Greeks to assembly and says that even though he's still mad at Agamemnon, he regrets leaving battle. Agamemnon never blames himself, but agrees and reminds Achilles of the gifts, which Achilles does not care about them, only battle. Odysseus reminds them that the soldiers need food, only Achilles disagrees. While the rest of the Danaans eat Zeus sends down ambrosia and nector from Olympus for Achilles. He rides off to battle after his horse gives him a warning of his death. Zeus finally told us that we could join the battle and us on the Greeks' wait it out to see what Achilles will do. Achilles then starts to fight Aeneas, and almost kills him, but I remember that the Trojan has a destiny to fulfill and save him from Achilles. After heeding Apollo's warning of not attacking Achilles, Hector does after the death of his brother. Since he has killed so many people, Skamander's, the river-god's, son, Asterpaios tells Achilles to stop dirtying the river and Achilles kills him. Despite his promise with Skamander, they start fighting. In defense, we all start fighting each other, expect Apollo doesn't want to fight me. Priam opens the gates to the city, allowing the remaining Trojan soldiers to retreat.

There is nothing that can stop this boy now, even some of the little gods on Earth. Of course we have to protect Achilles, but not ruin the future of an entire race when he's on a rampage. But now Hector's time is near and Achilles must be the one to do it.

Thetis Bringing theArmor to Achillesby Benjamin West, 1806-1808

Image Source: http://mythmaniacs.com/achilles04.html

During all this fighting, Patroklos runs to Achilles and begs him to go back into battle, but he is told to wear Achilles' armor. Patroklos is able to kill plenty of Trojans, including Sarpedon, one of Zeus' many children. He continue to fight until Zeus sends down Apollo to strip him of Achilles' armor, and is killed by Euphorbos and Hector. Ajax and Menelaos protect Patroklos' body, while Hector takes Achilles' armor. Achilles' horses go to retrieve Patroklos' body; Hector and Aeneas unsuccessfully try to capture them. With the help of the gods, the Trojans gain the upper hand, and the Greeks send someone to tell Achilles of the death of Patroklos and the Trojans might drag his body away. But Menelaos and Meriones manage to carry the boy's body back to the ships and the Trojans are kept back. When Achilles hears of the death of Patroklos, he begins weeping so much that Thetis hears him and comes down from Olympus and cries with her son when she hears the news. They both agree that it is time for Achilles to return to battle. Thetis goes to Hephaestus to make new armor and Achilles goes to the battle. He lets out a battle cry and with the help of Athena, the Trojans retreat. Going against advice, Hector declares that he is able to take on Achilles himself. During the ceremony of Patroklos' body, Achilles swears vengeance and human sacrifices of Trojans at his friend's pyre. Thetis retrieves the splendid armor from Hephaestus.

There is a reason why you must follow the rules that other give you, and Patroklos had to suffer from it. Even then his body couldn't rest in peace, when the Trojans want to take the body away. Achilles wanted the Greeks to suffer, but he forgot he is a Greek too.



Image Source: http://theredlist.com/wiki-2-351-861-414-400-416-view-neoclassicism-profile-hamilton-gavin.html

Since little brother wasn't watching the invasion of the Greek camp today, I decided to help out the Greeks. Give them a rousing speech, since they can chase out these Trojans. But I really didn't want to get too involved, lightning and water don't mix well. So I did what I could, "bustling about the battle where men win glory" and the Trojans retreated*. After this Agamemnon wants to sail back to Greece, not a good idea, seeing as the Trojans would slaughter everyone. They decide to go back to fighting, which I encourage everyone to go out with all their strength. While on Olypmus, Hera put Zeus to sleep so I could lead the Greeks into battle without being punished too badly. We were doing so well, having the Trojans run all the way back to their chariots, but then Zeus had to call me back to Olympus. Zeus then sends down Apollo to heal Hector, who was injured by Ajax, and the Greeks retreat to the ships. When the Trojans finally reach them, Hector threatens to burn them.

I did what I could, but of course the Greeks can't do anything without Achilles. Can he just give up this singing job and go back to fighting? That is what he does best. But Zeus had to wake up and pull me away, right when the Greeks could be burned and lose this war.



Image Source: http://www.troy-in-england.co.uk/trojan-war/trojan-war-1.htm

*Source: Lattimore, Richmond. "Book 14." In The Iliad;, Lines: 155-156. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1961.

That night Agamemnon and Menelaos think about sending spies to the Trojan camp. After consulting Nestor, Diomedes and Odysseus go. Meanwhile, Hector plans the same thing and sends over Dolon, who is eventually caught by Diomedes and Odysseus. Dolon tells them everything that they want to know, especially about the Thracian king, Rheos. Diomedes kills him and he and Odysseus go to the Thracian camp, kill some soldiers and took the chariot of King Rheos. During the next day of battle, Agamemnon puts on his armor. Paris shoots Diomedes in the foot and injures the Greek physician. Odysseus also gets injured. Patroklos goes to Nestor, who is treating the physican's wounds. Nestor pleas with him to get Achilles to fight, or for Patroklos to wear Achilles' armor. The Trojans chase the Greeks back to their wall, and Hector goes against the advice of Poulydamas to retreat and they break open the gates.

This is not an honorable way to fight, spying. All of Olympus knows of all the plundering that the Greeks have done to sustain themselves during this war, but not it's a little much. And of course the powerful Greek soldiers get injured, how is Achilles going to come back? Definitely not by Patroklos' pleas. Nothing good can come from this.



Image Source: https://www.awesomestories.com/asset/view/Patroclus-Using-the-Shield-of-Achilles

Now we're all fighting about who won the duel, but Hera wants the destruction of Troy. After arguing with my sister, Zeus sends Athena to start the war again. The Achaean soldier, Diomedes, is wounded, and with the help of Athena, is thrown into a killing spree of the Trojans. He hurts Aphrodite's precious son, Aeneas, and even though she and Apollo try to help him, Diomedes injures them both. That's when everyone else joins in, fighting on the side they chose, except me. It keeps going until Ares is hurt and has to complain to Zeus that, even though brother told him he deserved it, fighting alongside Hector. Everyone else withdraws back to Olympus. Hector retreats back into the walls and looks for Paris, who is to cowardly to fight. He visits his wife and child and returns to battle with Paris.

I am so glad I didn't join the fighting, I would have given Ares something else to cry about. And he calls himself the god of war, the baby. But it was not the right time for us to join the fighting, but we have our favorites to protect. Luckily, there's no one I have to save.



Image Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Diomedes_attacking_Aeneas.jpg

I was talking to Zeus before the council. Hector challenged a Greek to a duel, and Menelaos stepped forward, but Agamemnon pulled him back, after some debate  he goes against Ajax. These two fight through the entire day, and exchange gifts at the end of the day, since they evenly matched. Everyone eventually agrees to take the next day off to collect the dead. After returning to the camp, the Greeks build a wall around their camp to keep Trojans out. Zeus told us to stay out of the war, and the battle for the day begins. After some fighting, Hera starts begging me to come down and save the day, I'm not stupid enough to go down there. She and Athena did, but came right back up to Olympus after Zeus threatened them; however, Hera pleads with him to send Patroklos to Troy. The Trojans plan to chase the Greeks back to their ships. Agamemnon decides to have Odysseus, Phoinix and Ajax to plead with him and have a long list of gifts that Agamemnon will give to him if he returns. Achilles refuses despite the pleading.

I can't believe that the Greeks would build a wall that could out-build my own that the Trojans use. But I'm not certainly not stupid enough to go down there, I don't want to be cast down from Olympus again. But Achilles doesn't have to be so stubborn about the whole thing, just join the fighting and get this over with.



Image Source: http://www.19thcenturyart-facos.com/artwork/ambassadors-agamemnon-tent-achilles

I heard at the feast today from Zeus about what was happening with the war. True to his word, my brother, Zeus sent a dream to Agamemnon about when to attack the Trojans. Despite the trust that he had in soldiers, his plan to trick them, including those commanders who knew what the actual dream was about, all his soldiers started packing up the campsite. Odysseus, with the help of Athena, orders everyone to stay, even though that one soldier said no. Odysseus and Nestor tell Agamemnon they must take down Troy at all costs. The Trojans are also gathering their forces together to fight. Pretty Paris charges at the Greeks first, asking for a duel, only to be challenged by Menelaus. And little Paris runs away, little shame that he is. But Hector persuades him to fight, and the little brat almost lost too, if it wasn't for Aphrodite, taking that excuse of a man, Paris, away and leaving him in the palace.

Menelaus in Single Combat with Paris by Johann Heinrich Tischbein, 1757

Of course Aphrodite had to step in, Paris is too much of a wimp to do anything but try to please the wife she gave him. Poor Menelaus had to fight that little boy for nothing, no wonder they should fight; forget they oath. And even though the Greeks are good warriors, they are so stupid to realize they need to fight, not just run with their tales between their legs. It seems like sooner or later they are going to need me.

Image source: http://www.shmoop.com/menelaus/photo-paris-is-a-wuss.html

Finally...

After nine years of nothing happening, the Greeks have to start taking things from other cities. Apollo told me the other day that the Greeks raided another town and Agamemnon was stupid enough to take a preist's daughter, named Chryseis. Being the Greek leader that he is, leader Agamemnon refused to give up this girl, even stooping so low to saw no god will help this priest. This priest pled with Apollo, who was willing to help. Apollo sent disease to all the Greeks' supplies and men on the camp, and so much death followed. Achilles, brother's favorite, went against his leader after ten days and told the men they must persuade their leader to give up Chryseis. Agamemnon agreed, but only if he took Achilles' girl, Bruseis, as his prize. Of course Achilles was extemely reluctant to let her go, even willing to fight for her, but with the help of Athena and Nestor, that didn't happen. Once the girl returned to her father, Apollo lifted the plague. Achilles was angered enough to ask his mother, Thetis to have Zeus punish the Trojans, which baby brother does reluctantly.

Why would you give your Bruseis away, Achilles? Just say no and take Agamemnon's position, that's what I would do. Who needs the same boring leader all the time anyways, not me. At least little brother Zeus chose a good side to root for and not those Trojans. Maybe after Achilles decides to fight again, he can be the Greeks' role as leader and end this long war, despite the fact that he has already caused so much trouble for Agamemnon already. I guess I'll have to wait and see.

Image source: Peter Paul Rebens: The Wrath of Achilles

I am Poseidon, "Earth Shaker" and God of the Sea. I am the second son of Cronus and Rhea, which makes me Zeus' big brother (I don't know what gave him the right to rule over me...). While in competition with Athena, I created horses. When I jab the ground with my trident, I can make the earth tremble under me and bring the worst storms over my enemies.
I helped build the walls surrounding Troy, but got nothing in return from that lousy Laomedon. For that, I hope those Greeks overpower them even though by baby brother may not agree with me.

image: "Poseidon" by artmus