Reading these pieces did help me to better understand the Trojan War.  A lot of the war was explained in class, and I also knew more about the war from other educational experiences, but I was still able to learn new things and, ultimately, learn more about the war itself.  The Trojan War Summary mentioned something that Homer did not touch on in Iliad.  At one point, Agamemnon agreed to sacrifice his own daughter to appease the angry gods.  Now, this is not the most important thing that I learned when reading the Trojan War Summary, but it demonstrates that sacrificing a family member to the gods means a lot.  It must be because sacrificing something or someone you care about is more meaningful than, let’s say, sacrificing one hundred animals.  I also read something else that interested me.

The armies are standing opposed to one another, prepared for fight, when they agree to a treaty that the whole conflict will be decided by a duel between Paris and Menelaus. Paris is overcome in the duel, and is only rescued from death by the intervention of Aphrodite. When Agamemnon presses for the fulfillment of the treaty, the Trojan Pandarus breaks the peace by shooting an arrow at Menelaus, and the agreement falls apart.  (Trojan War Summary)

This is an interesting detail.  The Greeks and the Trojans agreed to decide the entire conflict be having a duel between Paris and Menelaus.  The winner would determine the winning army.  But Aphrodite intervened when Paris was nearing death, and when Agamemnon proposed to fulfill the treaty Pandarus broke the piece with an arrow.

          I am still confused about what happened to Helen.  We talked about it in class, but neither of the documents fully explained the whereabouts of Helen by the end of the Trojan war.  So, it becomes hard to believe what was talked about in class if the two documents I just read did not mention that Helen was in Africa the entire time.  Actually, the Trojan War Summary started off by talking about the disappearance of Helen and when the other went off on his (necessary) tangents about the war, he seemed to have forgotten to explain what had happened to Helen, the reason for the war.

          I cannot be sure why the Trojan War is such a well known story.  But I think the story of the Trojan War is so well-known because it demonstrates the ways in which society worked back then.  When there was a feud between two people, it was taken to the battlefield.  It is a clear demonstration of humans’ emotional insecurities.  Throughout history, people have blown things out of proportion.  I don’t remember where I heard this from, but I read or someone once said something like, “People cause bigger issues to solve smaller ones.”

          Odysseus’ experiences in the Trojan War will influence other things in the Odyssey besides his actions.  In the Trojan War, Odysseus fought hard when he was alone, but when he needed help it came to him.  There were times when he fended off the enemy alone on the battlefield and when he needed help the most his companions would conveniently join him by his side.  This is already seen in the sections we have read in The Odyssey.  Odysseus has been at sea for nearly five years and his son is putting together a crew and going out in search of him.  His son’s action could eventually become the reason he is able to return home.  Also, Odysseus’ determination in the Trojan War will probably reflect itself in The Odyssey.