The Trojan War

The Trojan War is the main issue of the Iliad by Homer, and its later sequence is described in the
Aeneid by Virgil.
The war took place between Achaeans and Trojans, and raged for ten years.
As a consequence of the Judgement of Paris , Helen (wife of the Spartan king Menelaus) was
abducted by Paris (son of king Priam of Troy).
Through most of the war, because of Achilles' withdrawal, Agamemnon ( king of the Achaeans and
brother of Menelaus) was unable to penetrate the fortified city of Troy. On the tenth year,
Achilles joined the Achaian's army and killed Hector, the Trojan prince.
After the death of Achilles, the Achaeans built a Wooden horse, filled it with warriors and brought
it into the city. Once the city was captured, it was destroyed by the Achaeans.
The Trojan king Priam and most of his family were killed, Cassandra, his daughter, was raped and
taken as slave to Greece, and Helen, whose abduction had started the war, returned to Menelaus.

I. Judgement of Paris (see under Hera III and Hermes V)

II. Abduction of Helen
Helen elopes with Paris, Attic red-figure skyphos, (490-480 B.C. ) Follower of Fra Angelico, The
Abduction of Helen, (c. 1450) Heemskerck, Maarten, Van, L'enlevement d'Helene, (1536) Francken,
Frans II, L'enlevement d'Helen, (1625) Reni, Guido, The Abduction of Helen, (1627-29) David,
Jacques-Louis, Paris and Helen, (1788) Rossetti, Dante Gabriel, Helen of Troy, (1863) Moreau,
Gustave, Helen under the Walls of Troy, (1885)
III. Briseis and Achilles
Briseis Painter, Briseis taken from Achilles (c. 480 B.C.) Triptolemos Painter, The Embassy to
Achilles, (c. 480 B.C.) Roman wall painting, Briseis taken from Achilles, (1st century A D) Flaxman,
John, The Departure of Briseis from the tent of Achilles, (1755_1826)
IV. Achilles and Hecktor
Makron, The ransom for the body of Hecktor,(c. 480 B.C.) Brygos Painter, Priam Comes to Achilles
To Recover the body of Hecktor, (c. 490 B.C.) Silver cup, Priam imploring Achilles to return the
body of Hecktor, (1st century B.C.) Rubens and Assistent, Achilles Vanquishes Hecktor, (1630-1632)
Leefdael, J. van, Achilles Vanquishing Hecktor, (17th. century) Kokoshka, Oskar, Achilles dragging
the body of Hecktor, (1806) David, Jacques-Louis, Andromache Mourning Hecktor, (1873)
V. The Wooden Horse
Relief Amphora from Mykonos, The Trojan Horse, (7th. century B.C.) Medieval, illuminated
manuscript, the Trojan Horse. Raoul Lefevre, The Trojan Horse, (1464) Arcimboldo, Giuseppe, The
Trojan Horse, (16th. Century) Anonymous, The Horse Entering the City of Troy, (early 17 Century)
Tiepolo, Giovanni Domenico, The Building of the Trojan Horse, (1727-1804) Tiepolo Giovanni
Domenico, The Procession of the Trojan Horse into Troy, (1727-1804)
VI. The Fall and Burning of Troy
Brueghel, Jan the Elder, The burning of Troy, (c.1671-72)
VII. The Rape and Murder of Cassandra (See also under Athena XI)
Kleophrades Painter, The Fall of Troy: Ajax attacking Cassandra, (c. 480 B.C.) Codros Painter, Rape
of Cassandra, (c. 430 B.C.) Gold ring, Cassandra kneeling before the Palladion, (400-380 B.C.)
Lycurgus Painter, Ajax attacking Cassandra (c. 360-350 B.C.) Marlay Painter, Klytemnestra kills
Cassandra, (ca 430 B.C.)
VIII. Leaving Troy
Painter of Louvre F 118, Aeneas carrying Anchises, (c. 510-500 B.C.) Roman coin, Aeneas, Anchises
and Ascanius Leaving Troy, (47-46 B.C.) Bernini, Gilan Lorenzo, Aeneas, Anchises and Ascanius
leaving Troy, (1617)