Trojan War: The War with the East II
Ok recap:
Suitor’s military alliance: Helen’s “kidnapping” sparked a
war with Troy and her allies. Leaders of Greece assemble for the Rescue of
Helen and the Destruction of Troy.
Nine years: Pillaging and raping the cities and nations that support Troy.
Drama queen: Achilles refused to fight after an insult to his pride.
Divine Intervention: Gods are heavily involved in the war.
To War:
The next day, fierce fighting continued. At first, the Greeks were able to drive the Trojans back. Zeus had decided to honor his promise to Thetis. Zeus ordered all of the gods and goddesses not to take part in the war. But the tide turned at mid-morning in favor of the Trojans. Several hours before noon, three Greek leaders were wounded: Agamemnon, Odysseus and Diomedes.
With three prominent leaders out of the fighting, the Greeks were driven back to face the Trojans behind the wall. Another Greek leader, named Eurypylus, received a leg wound from the arrow of Paris. Eurypylus returned to the Greek camp, where Patroclus, the lover of Achilles, attended and dressing his wound. Patroclus heard the disastrous news from Eurypylus about how the Greeks were forced to retreat behind their defensive walls. It was this news that Patroclus was determined to push Achilles into action, and save the Greeks from defeat. Patroclus returned to the Achilles' camp.
Zeus and Apollo inspired the Trojans, broke through Greek defensive walls and entered the camp. It was Hector himself, who broke through the gate. The Trojans entered through this gate, even bringing in chariots. And despite Ajax bravely defending the Greek fleet, he could not prevent Hector from burning one of the ships.
When Achilles saw that one of the ships was set ablaze, he allowed his beloved Patroclus to lead the Myrmidons and to drive the Trojans out of the Greek camp. Achilles also allowed Patroclus to wear his armor and told his boyfriend to return after the Trojans were out of the Greek camp. But his pride wouldn't allow him to actually rejoin the fighting. Such a drama queen.
The Trojans thought that Achilles had returned to the fighting and were driven out of Greek camp by Patroclus and the Myrmidons. Many Trojans were killed at the gate of the Greek camp, because the gate caused a bottleneck in the retreat, which caused the Trojan chariots to crash into one another.
In the fighting, Patroclus killed Sarpedon, the Lycian leader and son of Zeus. Apollo sent Hypnos and Thanatos to spirit Sarpedon's body back to Lycia, for proper funeral.
Rather than returning to Achilles after driving the Trojans out of the Greek camp, Patroclus kept on fighting. It look like the Greeks would drive the Trojans back to the city, with Patroclus leading the charge. Apollo stunned Patroclus with a blow to his head. Hector killed Patroclus when he was stunned and helpless think that he was Achilles. Hector stripped Achilles' armor from Patroclus' body and wore the god-fashioned armor.
Though Ajax and Menelaus managed to recover Patroclus' body, there was fierce fighting around the body. The fighting ended only when Achilles heard that Hector had killed his friend. Since Hector had taken the armor of Peleus from Patroclus' body, Achilles could not possibly rejoin the fight, but Athena told Achilles to go to the top of the wall, unarmed and shouts three times. Achilles did what Athena told him; everyone in the battlefield heard his shouts. With the setting sun behind his back, Achilles looked the sun god himself. The Trojans were taken aback by this phenomenon and hastily withdrew back to their city wall, ending the day's fighting. The Trojans know that they are fucked!!! Achilles was grief stricken by Patroclus' death. He realized that his pride had cost him his friend's life. Achilles decided to return to the battle and avenge Patroclus' death.
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