The Trojan war

According to the Iliad, Paris was called as right judge to choose which deity had the primate to be the most beautiful; his choice was Aphrodite who in return promised him the love of Helen, Menelaus’ bride.

Zeus declared himself as neutral umpire whereas Hera, Athena and Poseidon backed the Greeks along with Tethys and Hephaestus; in the Trojans lines the god of love Aphrodite and the god of the war Ares with Apollo backed Trojans.

The events

Menelaus asked the support of his brother, Agamemnon, the king of Mycenae, who commanded united Greek armed forces in declaring war against Troy.

Agamemnon had been begged by an Apollo’s ordained to have back his daughter, in vain; Apollo so caused a plague in Greece involving men and animals; Achilles convinced the supreme king to return the girl in order to ward off Apollo’s wax.

As he accepted, Briseis had been taken in return; The Achille’s slave.

This extortion exceeded on the outrageous felt by Achilles who swore not to fight anymore for Agamemnon.

Zeus in person made Agamemnon dreaming of an easy victory, cheating on him.

Paris offered himself in a single sword-battle against Menelaus, the winner would have brought the final victory to the corresponding faction; Menelaus, much more expert and stronger, closely killed the youngest Priam’s son who  was readily  saved by Aphrodite.

The truce was not respected and the conflict went on.

The battle assumed violent tones but in Hector had been laid the Trojan’s hopes, he alone had been showing off his greatness.

He would have ended the Greeks; in fighting with his troops Odyssey, Agamemnon and Diomedes had been hurt;  Trojan as never as before were quite certain of the victory.

As things had been falling apart, Agamemnon, convinced by the general opinion, sought for a reconciliation with Achilles;

Odysseys, Ajax and Phoenix had been send to Achilles’ tent trying to convince the hero to retake the armies…without success.

The narration of the war by Achilles’ standpoint

– I won’t leave my island to fight a war that’s not mine-  It had been the first thought of the hero as soon as known the cause of the conflict.

-May I combat for a woman’s betrayal?- He conscious of the true reason, a woman, as stone of scandal, as well as Odyssey never believed the war worthy to be fought.

-Agamemnon, the supreme chief, send to me Ajax, Odysseys and Phoenix for his interests- Achilles recognized in Agamemnon’s move a mere fact of strategy;

–Nothing is more worthy to be despised than lies and than people whose words are different from their truly thoughts–  the sincere opinion about Agamemnon that characterizes Achilles’ wounded pride.

The continuous of the war

Ajax the Great fought against Hector and, by a boulder, he almost killed the Trojan hero, who came revived by Apollo.

Once returned, Hector’s power seemed to have no equal, Greeks were going to fall…

Patroclus moved to compassion bothered Achilles to fight; Achilles accepted to yield his armature and sword to the dear friend and he also nominated him commander in chief of the Myrmidons armies.

Wearing Achilles’ war armor Patroclus had around him astonishment and fear, he bravely killed dozens of enemies .

He reached Troy’s gates trying to climb them, not obeying the Achilles’ orders…

Once there, Apollo intervened to remove Patroclus’ wits, letting him being weakened and finally hit by the spear of Hector which lead him to the death.

The wrath of Achilles

Nothing different might have been happening more concise and cruel to awaken Achilles’ warrior spirit.

The wrath is burning out of him as never before.

His all mind and his all body call for vengeance.

It is not a common mortal reaction, that’s the terrible cry for vengeance typical of the gods.

Rage.

Torment.

Achilles reconciled with Agamemnon, after having watched over for a fully night Patroclus’ body.

He needed a new armor that Hephaestus, the god of fire, forged for him as the old one got taken and won by Trojans.

As Achilles knew of Patroclus’ death nothing can set him free except the death of the man who killed his friend: Hector.

It means the reduction to odds of all his hope to come back home, one day…

The choice to fight would entail his own death, Achilles is aware of it.

Nothing but his redemption is what truly feeds his soul, he cried mortal tears from his eternal soul in name of the future glorious death.

Achilles come back to the battle ground, his fury is blinded, whoever encounters his path will encounter the death.

Trojans retreaded progressively decimated by Peleus’ son, initially Hector also could not stand Achilles’ fury;

Hector is seized by fear by looking at Achilles; he retired into the Troy’s gates managing at his best to master the fear.

Achilles called out for his enemy as no one is anymore in front of him.

Finally, just below the battlements, begged by his own dear family not to fight, Hector bravely accepted Achille’s confrontation.

Hector’s funerals and the death of Achilles

The duel, between the two best warrior from their mutual factions, is made up of great moves and memorable words.

The Hector’s request that whoever be the defeated, his body should be given back is declined by Achilles.

He hurls his spear at Hector who dodges it; as counterattack, Hector launches his owns which ended on the Greek’s buckler with no injury.

Meanwhile, with no awareness of Hector, Athena managed to have brought back to Achille his spear.

What remains to Hector is his sword but just after being pulled out Achilles’ spear pierced his throat, the only exposed part of the armor that did not protect him.

The dead body is tied to Achilles’ chariot to be driven throughout the camp, as sign of victory.

After that Priam humbly reached the tent of Achilles to have back his dearest son’s body, the Phthia’s warrior moved to compassion;

He would give back Hector’s body and released a 12-days-truce, after which the war will resume.

The Iliad ended with this happening, as Achilles found his own rest in his vengeance.

Unfortunately not durable.

Under siege Troy sees his enemies inside its walls, Achilles is among them.

Stepped in to protect a maiden bothered by two Greek soldiers, Achilles frees the woman;

Behind his back quite distant Paris is taking his aim… an arrow is shoot.

On the trajectory Apollo would change its direction until makes it reaching Achilles’ heel.

His only vulnerable part.

Signing the beginning of his legend.

Bibliography:

Matteo Nucci, Achille e Odisseo: La ferocia e l’inganno, Torino: Giulio Einaudi editore, 2020.

If you missed part 1, click here.