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Helen is the most beautiful woman in Greek mythology, having the face which launches "a thousand ships." Fathered by Zeus, she is the daughter of Leda and the sister of Castor, Pollux and Clytemnestra. Famous for her beauty even as a child, she is abducted at a young age by Theseus and rescued quickly by her brothers.
When she is pressed by her suitors to choose a husband from among them, they display so much jealousy and rivalry that her foster father, Tyndareos, demands that they all swear to defend the winner before Helen will choose. They agree, and Helen chooses Menelaus, King of Sparta and brother of High King Agamemnon of Mycenae. Her sister Clytemnestra later marries Agamemnon, and her cousin Penelope marries Odysseus, King of Ithaka.
Sometime after the marriage of Helen to Menelaus, Aphrodite promises Helen to Paris as a reward if he names her "The Most Fair." Arguing the truth of legends is absurd, but Homer tells us this judgement occurs in Paris' sheepfold1. However, there is an equally prevalent legend telling us he is attending the wedding of Peleus and Thetis, the parents-to-be of Achilles, when the uninvited goddess Eris tosses into the crowd a golden apple inscribed "To the Most Fair." An argument ensues between Hera, Athena and Aphrodite. Hera offers Paris a royal kingdom and wealth, and Athena hopes to bribe him with success as a warrior. He chooses the promise of the most beautiful woman, and gives the apple to Aphrodite, who causes Helen to fall in love with Paris when he comes to Sparta in search of her. When Menelaus discovers that Paris has abducted Helen and has taken her back to Troy, he summons all the suitors who had sworn to defend him. They assemble an army under the command of Agamemnon, launching "a thousand ships" and undertaking a ten year war to restore her to her rightful husband.
Paris is one of one hundred children born to King Priam of Troy. His mother, Hecuba, gave birth to 19 of the 100, including Hektor, Helenus, Cassandra, Creusa, Polyxena, Polydorus, Troilus and Deiphobus. Fated to bring fire to Troy, Priam orders the abandonment of the newborn prince on a hillside when he hears this prophecy about his son.
Shepherds find the abandoned baby, rescue him and raise him up in the countryside. As he grows to manhood, Paris enjoys the love of the nymph Oenonis. Perhaps she accompanies him to the wedding party of Peleus and Thetis, where he is chosen to be a judge of "The Most Fair" between the goddesses Hera, Athena and Aphrodite. Aphrodite wins his vote, and in return he wins her promise of Helen, the most beautiful mortal woman, for a wife.
When Paris learns that the King of Troy is hosting athletic games, he goes down to the city, enters the competitions and wins. Cassandra recognizes him and announces that this is her brother, Paris. He and his father are reconciled and, perhaps to be rid of him again, the King awards Paris a ship and crew for his prize. It is by this ship that Paris sails to claim his other prize, the beautiful Helen of Sparta, returning finally to Troy to deliver the his ill-fated fire.
When it is prophesied that the son of Thetis will be stronger than both Zeus and Poseidon, they change their minds about marrying her. One of the fifty daughters of Nereus, The Old Man of the Sea, and his wife Doris, Thetis is a sea nymph living in the Mediterranean Sea. After this prophecy, she is ordered to marry a mortal, and Peleus Aiakides is chosen.
Peleus is the son of King Aiakos of Aegina, and the brother of Telamon, who is the father of Telamonian Aias, known also as Ajax. After killing their half-brother Phocis, Telamon and Peleus escape Aegina, with Peleus settling in Thessaly, and assuming control as King. Setting his sights on Thetis, she struggles to escape the grip of Peleus, changing her shape into water, animals and even fire. But his grip does not fail and after he conquers her, Peleus marries Thetis.
Hoping to avoid trouble, they invite all the gods and goddesses to their wedding except the goddess of strife, Eris. Unfortunately, she invites herself and tosses among the crowd the golden apple that causes all the trouble between Hera, Athena, and Aphrodite. Thus the seed of strife is sown between the Trojans and Greeks, by way of Paris awarding the golden apple to "The Most Fair" Aphrodite, who promises Helen to Paris as a reward. Achilles' death is predestined before his conception. And upon his birth it is prophesied that Achilles will either die after a short life full of glory, or after a long and uneventful life. Planning a long life for her son, Thetis hopes to make him immortal by dipping him by the ankles into the river Styx.
When Agamemnon is assembling his army for the war, Thetis sends Achilles to King Lykomedes on the island of Skyros. Disguised as a girl and hiding among the women at court, he falls in love with Deidameia, one of the King's daughters, and she gives birth to Achilles' son, Neoptolemos. Odysseus comes to Skyros in search of Achilles, inviting all the girls to pick presents of jewelry and finery from his cart. Achilles' eye lands on the fine armor also in the cart and goes to look at it, giving himself away to Odysseus, who then tells Achilles why he has come. Achilles immediately requests to return with Odysseus, and there assembles 50 ships of his own soldiers, the Myrmidons, to join Agamemnon in his war against Troy.
In the course of the war many prizes are plundered, and women are the more highly valued prizes. After all, a woman is a much more tangible asset to his person when a soldier comes home to his tent after a long day at the war. He finds his food already cooked, his clothes ready to change into, someone to tend his wounds, and a face much nicer to look at than those of his companions. And so it happens that Agamemnon captures Chryseis, the daughter of a Trojan priest of Apollo, taking her as a war prize. But then the Greeks are inflicted with plagues in their camp and they blame Agamemnon for offending Apollo. Achilles announces that Agamemnon should return the daughter of the priest to her father, in order to receive forgiveness from Apollo. Agamemnon complies, but to punish Achilles for his insubordination, he orders Achilles to give him his girl prize, Briseis, to replace Chryseis. Achilles angrily complies, and in retaliation he gives Agamemnon his oath that he will not again take part in the war against Troy.
Achilles' Myrmidons sit in their camp day after day, shining their armor and doing exercises to keep their bodies ready. Achilles likewise spends his days, uninterested in the fate of the Greeks. But the tide of war turns and soon the Greeks are hard pressed by the Trojans, beating them almost back to their ships. Agamemnon knows he needs Achilles and his soldiers, now if not sooner, so he forms an embassy of officers and sends them to Achilles. Achilles entertains them in his tent, and then they speak one by one hoping to light a spark of compassion in Achilles. They list the wonderful gifts Agamemnon offers, if only Achilles will take back his oath and re-enter the battle. But competition burns fiercely in the heart of Achilles and he finds no room for compassion. None of the officers knows Achilles as his beloved and best friend Patroklos. Achilles' armor hangs in his tent, freshly shined from its daily shining. Patroklos points out what a waste are his arms, shining and no battle to shine in. No argument has the power to persuade Achilles, like the power of ungained glory. Patroklos uses competition to beat competition, and it works, but only to a point. Achilles allows Patroklos to wear his armor and to command the Myrmidons in his stead.
Fresh ranks of shining soldiers burst forth in the morning, powerful and hungry for Trojans. At the front of the ranks the Trojans see Achilles, recognizing his armor, his horses and his chariot. Fear like lightning bolts staggers the Trojans and reeling from the shock of fresh soldiers and fierce battle, they retreat back to the city gates. But Hektor, the hero of the Trojans, eldest son of King Priam, enters the battle at just this moment, encouraging the spirits of his men. Racing to engage the fearsome hero of the Greeks, Hektor believes he is facing Achilles. It is, however, Patroklos, shining in the glory of near victory, and forsaking the final words of Achilles. Although he has been advised to turn back when he sees the city gate, and return to Achilles in safety, facing Hektor is Patroklos' fate.
When the news reaches Achilles that Hektor has slain Patroklos, his cries of grief and anguish are heart-wrenching to every single soul; every reader will swear he hears him, too. Even the sea nymphs under the ocean hear him, and his mother screams and flies to his side. Taking Achilles' face in her hands, she holds him and consoles him, and cries uncontrollably beside him. Because Hektor has stripped the armor from off Patroklos' body, and is wearing it now as a prize, Thetis offers her son some hope. Promising to petition Hephaistos for new armor, she flies to Olympos after seeing Achilles' spirits restore. Only with new armor can he re-enter the battle, revenge the death of Patroklos, and retrieve the lost hope of great glory.
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