Iliad

Narrator: Homer was called the blind poet of Greece. Very little is known about him, but his
transcended genius is vividly impressed upon his works. His country folks called him “the Poet”.
His two epics, the Iliad and the Odyssey, were learned by heart, and wherever a Greek settled, he
or she carried with him or her love for Homer.
The Iliad and the Odyssey depict the complete life of the ancient Greeks in action. The Iliad
showcases the passions found in and the cruelty of war. It is a story of love and heroism. The
Odyssey speaks of great adventures. These are great epics, studies of men and women of the time
and the way of life and ideal of a great civilization that has vanished but is still wonderfully alive in
people’s heart.
The theme of both the Iliad and the Odyssey is the affirmation of the truth that one’s fate is the
result of one’s actions. Ill fate results from ignorance and unguided and immoderate passions. The
deities give only what a person asks for; one’s destiny is largely a matter of one’s own making.
Narrator: As we begin this story, Zeus, the Father of deities seems to have realized that the earth is
getting overcrowded. And he has to think of a solution to solve this problem.
Zeus: What will I do? The earth is getting terribly overcrowded and the population is getting bigger
and bigger.. (hmmm.) Ah! Maybe a great war will sweep the people over Greece.
Narrator: This war is the Trojan War, but before the Trojan War, Thetis, a minor goddess is
married to a mortal Peleus. Through this, Achilles, the greatest warrior, is born.
Friends of Thetis and Peleus: This is a great wedding banquet!
Narrator: Meanwhile, Eris, the goddess of mischief is not invited to the wedding feast and makes
him feel insulted.
Eris: Why, why don’t they invite me to their wedding? How dare they are to disrespect me, Eris the
goddess of mischief and discord. They will taste my revenge for what they have done to me. Ha ha
ha (evil laugh)
Narrator: So into the middle of the marriage feast, she throws a golden apple with a note saying
“To the fairest of the goddesses”. Each of the most beautiful goddesses namely Hera, Athena and
Aphrodite made a claim for the golden apple.
Hera: This note is for me.
Athena: No! It’s for me.
Aphrodite: Why do you both have to quarrel for this note? Why don’t we let father Zeus to decide
who among us three is the most beautiful.
Zeus: I can’t decide my dears; I am greatly puzzled because all of you are beautiful. Therefore, I will
send you to Paris, the prince of Troy and let him decide who among you is the most beautiful.
Narrator: Zeus cannot decide since Hera is his own wife and Athena and Aphrodite are his own
daughters. So Zeus gave the task of judging to Paris, the handsome young shepherd. Each of the
goddesses promised Paris something if he would choose her.
Paris: Why have you come here beautiful goddesses?
Aphrodite: Father Zeus has sent us here for you to decide which among us is the most beautiful
and will be awarded with the golden apple.
Hera: Choose me and I will grant you immense power and wealth.
Athena: If you award the apple to me, I will make you the wisest of men and great in war.
Aphrodite: Ah, dear Paris, give the golden apple to me, and I will give you, to be your wife, the
fairest woman in the world.
Paris: Let me think. . All of you have great offers that a man could ever have but I choose to give
the apple to Aphrodite.
Narrator: Then the golden apple was awarded to Aphrodite and as a reward Aphrodite promise to
give the most beautiful woman to Paris, but it happened that Helen, the most beautiful woman in
the world was already married to Menelaus, king of Sparta.
Aphrodite: We will abduct Helen and take her here in Troy.
Narrator: With help of Aphrodite, Paris abducted Helen and took her in Troy where she remained
until the end of the ensuing Trojan War. That is why she is called Helen of Troy.
The Greeks planned to restore Helen to Menelaus, king of Sparta.
Agamemnon, the wealth and powerful King of Mycenae.
Many Greek heroes joined the expeditionary forces. Among them was Achilles, the greatest and
bravest of the Greek heroes. Odysseus, the clever and wily warrior, Diomedes, the bold one,
Nestor, the prudent old man, Aias, the giant and the host of other heroes.
Aias: Listen to me; we must join forces to win this war against Troy.
Agamemnon: We must be skilled and gain more strength to endure until the end.
Narrator: After the years of preparation the Greek army landed in Troy and began to attack its
fortifications.
Aias: Achaians. Attack !!!
Narrator: But before this, here was a violent quarrel between Agamemnon, the commander in
chief of the Greeks army and Achilles the greatest and bravest warrior.
Achilles: What have you done to me? You have taken Briseis even though she’s my concubine and
not my legal wife. I have loved her more than anything else.
Agamemnon: She’s mine now. Hahaha
Briseis: Achilles help me! Please..
Achilles: You will pay for what you have done!
Agamemnon: Guards!
Narrator: Achilles fell asleep and when he woke up they are gone.
Achilles: I will no longer fight anymore.
Narrator: For the duration of most of the pitched battles of the Greeks and Trojans, Achilles stays
sulking in his tent.
Patroclus: Achilles! Achilles!
Achilles: What is it my friend Patroclus?
Patroclus: Because of your absence in the battlefield, the Trojans led by Prince Hector make bold
advances in battle and the Greeks are driven back. Their situation rapidly become worse until most
of the leaders are rounded and forced to leave the battle.
Achilles: What do you want me to do?
Patroclus: Help us! I am saddened by the growing losses of our countrymen. So please lead your
men, Myrmidons.
Achilles: I’m still angry with Agamemnon. Sorry but I can’t fight.
Patroclus: Alright! But let me lead the Myrmidons.
Narrator: Achilles gives him his permission then Patroclus rallies the Greeks and succeeds in
making the Trojans to retreat.
Patroclus: Myrmidons. Attack!!
Narrator: Unfortunately, he has been killed by Hector.
Aias: Achilles, Achilles, your friend Patroclus has been slain by Hector.
Achilles: He will pay for this.
Narrator: Angered by the death of his dear comrade, Achilles now enters the fight, routes the
Trojans, killing them mercilessly.
Hector: I’ve been searching for you Achilles. It seems that something led you to this place.
Achilles: You will pay for this!
(FIGHTING SCENE OF HECTOR AND ACHILLES)
Narrator: Filled with the dark passion of revenge, he goes after Hector and slays him.