Introduction
The Siege of Troy is the heart of two of the greatest works of classical literature, Homer’s Iliad and Virgil’s Aeneid. The details, especially the squabbles, sulks and strategems of the gods, are pure myth of course, but the strife between the Greeks of Achaia and the city of Troy may be rooted in fact; if so, a date around 1200-1180 BC is possible — just after the Exodus, in fact.
WHEN Priam, King of Troy, sent his son Paris to Sparta on a diplomatic mission, the boy’s sister Cassandra warned him not to get involved with any of the Greek girls. Far from taking her advice, however, Paris came home with the beautiful Queen of Sparta, Helen, on his arm.*
Helen’s husband, King Menelaus, collected a tremendous force of Greek heroes, including his brother Agamemnon, Odysseus, and a young Achilles. It took years to assemble, but once all peaceful overtures had been rebuffed, the Greeks went up against Troy. In Pedasus, a neighbouring town, Agamemnon captured the daughter of a priest of Apollo, and was forced by the god to return her. In her place, Agamemnon awarded himself the girl won by Achilles.
Wrathful Achilles now refused to fight alongside Agamemnon, and his mother, the goddess Thetis, called on Zeus to ensure Agamemnon’s defeat. When news of this rift reached the Trojans, they were sure that victory was theirs.
* A little revenge was also part of it: Priam’s father Laomedon had been killed by Greek hero Heracles, and his sister had been abducted and given in marriage to Telamon. On the gods’ side, Paris’s failure to deal tactfully with the Apple of Discord still rankled. If the story is rooted in history, then the Trojan War may have taken place in about 1200-1180 BC, a generation or so after another truly epic event, the Exodus of the Israelites from Egypt. See The Story of Moses.
Précis
Paris, the Trojan prince, stole Helen from Menelaus of Sparta, and the outraged King laid siege to Troy for ten years with a band of Greek heroes. One of them, Achilles, was offended when the King’s brother, Agamemnon, appropriated a girl he had taken captive, and it seemed as if Achilles might change sides. (54 / 60 words)
Paris, the Trojan prince, stole Helen from Menelaus of Sparta, and the outraged King laid siege to Troy for ten years with a band of Greek heroes. One of them, Achilles, was offended when the King’s brother, Agamemnon, appropriated a girl he had taken captive, and it seemed as if Achilles might change sides.
Variations: 1.increase the length of this precis to exactly 60 words. 2.reduce the length of this precis to exactly 50 words. 3.introduce one of the following words into the precis: despite, just, otherwise, since, unless, whereas, whether, who.
Word Games
Sevens Based on this passage
Suggest answers to this question. See if you can limit one answer to exactly seven words.
Variations: 1.expand your answer to exactly fourteen words. 2.expand your answer further, to exactly twenty-one words. 3.include one of the following words in your answer: if, but, despite, because, (al)though, unless.
Jigsaws Based on this passage
Express the ideas below in a single sentence, using different words as much as possible. Do not be satisfied with the first answer you think of; think of several, and choose the best.
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