She was portrayed to be the goddess of love and beauty often shown smiling. She is the daughter of Zeus. Some myths also say they daughter of Uranus (Aphrodite, 2002). One of the more known and told myth is her helping Paris to abduct his love Helen of Troy.…
The main character of this book is Paris, a Trojan prince who steals the king of Sparta, Menelaus's, wife, Helen. Paris does not have a description of his appearance or personality, but he does complete actions such as take Helen, start a war, fall in love with a wood nymph, etc. Paris’s problem is that he brought Helen back to Troy and as a result, he started a war. Over time, Paris becomes more determined to win the war and keep Helen in Troy. Paris develops to become more of a leader. One supporting character is Menelaus, he is the king of Sparta who, until Paris takes…
Leda in Greek mythology is the wife of Tyndareus, king of Sparta. Her beauty fascinates Zeus, who, disguised as a swan (so that his wife Herald would not find out about his adultery), goes to her, seizes her by the nape of her neck, and rapes her. Consequently the famous beauty Helen is born out of an…
Athena was the goddess of power and wisdom, and she cared a lot for Odysseus, who was struggling to find his way back home, so she helped him in some difficult situations. However, she was kind of passive while he was fighting, letting him fight his own battles as she sat back and watched him prevail. She also helped Telemachus so he could earn a name for himself in battle. She is confident, smart, a great warrior, and she is also the goddess of the womanly arts. Athena lived on Mount Olympus with all the other Greek gods, and she was a big supporter of Odysseus while the other gods debated whether to help him. Athena also has an important role in the town she live in as an protector from all enemies. Athena got her name from another town name…
The competition between Hera, Athena and Aphrodite, in which Paris chooses Aphrodite so he can gain Helen as his wife.…
With a magical girdle, many idolized her, and desired her, for her looks, and intellectualness. However, at the central of her dawning beauty laid a rivalry between two other women, Hera and Athena, for the so-called “battle” of who was the most beautiful woman in the whole world. At the end of the day she won, at the choice of Trojan prince Paris, at the cost of bribery, by giving Paris Helen. However, Helen was already married, and not looking for another, or an additional man into her life. This event, of course led to a major turning point in Greek and Trojan relations, causing strife between the two nations. The importance of Aphrodite is that she caused the trouble between the Trojans and the Greeks, all over one bribe. The significance of her role in the Trojan War is legendary, even just by kick starting all of the…
The Call to Adventure or Action indeed comes when Menelaus calls all the Greek princes to go to war against Troy to free his beloved Helen who has fallen in love with Paris.…
Helen attempts to seduce Hektor in order to keep him out of battle, however he unwaveringly turns her down: “Do not, Helen,/ make me sit with you, though you love me. You will not persuade me./…I am going first to my own house, so I can visit/…my own people, my beloved wife”. (Iliad Book Six lines 359-366) Hektor, rather than even considering adultery, leaves quickly in order to speak with his own wife before he leaves again for battle. The charm that Helen has over Menelaos and Paris holds no sway over Hektor, who is faithful to Adromanche and his own people. The attempts to seduce Penelope are far more persistent and by many men. As Odysseus is held up on his voyage home, he is presumed dead and therefore Penelope a widow. As a widow she is expected to remarry. Yet in spite of the social pressure to remarry, she keeps hope that Odysseus is still alive and remains faithful to him by any means possible. For instance, in order to stall the marriage, Penelope tells the suitors that she will marry after completing a burial shroud for Laertes, Odysseus’ father, but every night unravels the work that she had done that day. This shows her hope that Odysseus is still alive, as Laertes is a metaphor for Odysseus and her refusal to believe him dead. Penelope is also always modest when dealing with the suitors, as a married woman…
The suitors draw lots after swearing an oath suggested by clever Odysseus that if anyone disrespect her husband's claims to her, they should unite and wage war against him. Odysseus rules himself and Agamemnon out of the lot, since they are both married. They agree to the oath, and Agamemnon's brother Menelaus wins. Agamemnon is visibly jealous.…
Paris is another Trojan prince that lives his life similar to Hektor’s. However, Paris seems to take the war lightly. On a visit, Hektor inspires Paris to join the ranks in the…
She was the favorite child of Zeus. Athena wasn?t born like a normal child, she burst fully grown from Zeus?s forehead. Zeus?s first wife, Metis, goddess of wisdom. In Zeus?s fear that Metis would bear a son greater than himself, Zeus swallowed her and she began to make a robe and helmet for her daughter. All the hammering of the helmet caused Zeus many painful headaches and he cried out in agony. The skilled Hephaestus ran to his father and split his skull open. From it, Athena emerged, fully grown and wearing her mother?s robe and helmet. She is the virgin mother of Erichthnonius.…
One important part of this Greek goddess is her interesting beginnings. All of the gods and goddesses are all in some way related to the Titans. The Titans were giants that ruled the cosmos before the Olympians gods came to power. The ruler of the titans was named Cronus. His wife was named Rhea, who was also his sister. Together they had Hestia, Demeter, Hera, Hades, Poseidon,…
Menelaus fought bravely at Troy, although he did not occupy as important a position as his brother Agamemnon, who was the commander-in-chief of the Greek forces. At one point he agreed to settle the conflict by single combat with Paris, but Aphrodite interfered to prevent the duel from being decisive, and Athene prompted a resumption of hostilities.…
Homer 's view of Helen is somewhat more complex than others. While reading The Iliad we can see that nearly every time her name is mentioned, it is used in a negative context.…
In life, love and war are polar opposites. However, when it comes to Aphrodite, they are what make her the most well known goddess in Greek Mythology. When people think about Aphrodite, the image of a beautiful and gentle woman comes to mind. In spite of that, she has another side to her, as shown in the Trojan War. Her role as the goddess of love and beauty, and her fighting in the Trojan War proves that she is not only the most well known and diverse goddesses, but the best out of them all.…