1. The Iliad and the Odyssey by Homer
Ch. 6-3
Classic Play – Scope Magazine
Video: The Trojan War – 23m
Video: The Journeys of Odysseus – 23m

2. The Trojan War
The Iliad, an epic written by Homer, tells of a war between Greece and the city of Troy c1250 BC.
Legend says the war was caused by the most beautiful woman in the world – Helen, the princess of Sparta.
All Greek men wanted to marry her, but her father made them swear support to the man he chose as her husband.

3. The Trojan War Menelaus of Sparta was chosen as Helen’s husband.
Helen fell in love with Paris, the son of King Priam of Troy.
When they met and fell in love, they ran away to Troy.
Menelaus was furious and organized a great military expedition to bring Helen back.

4. Ten Years and No Gain For ten years the Greeks battled with Troy.
The city had a high wall and the Greeks could not find a way to enter the city.
The Greek king Odysseus thought of a way to get into the city.
He got his men to build a large wooden horse and rolled it to the city gates.
The Greeks boarded their ships and sailed away.

6. The Trojan Horse
The people of Troy thought the horse was a gift, opened the gates, and rolled the horse inside.
Inside were 30 Greek soldiers.
That night the Greeks crept outside and opened the city gates.
The Greek army returned to storm in and destroy the city.

8. The Odyssey
Three thousand years ago, a legend explains that a soldier named Odysseus helped the Greeks defeat the Trojans in a bloody 10 year war. Getting home to his family will be even harder for Odysseus than winning the war.
Odysseus is given credit for the idea of the Trojan Horse.

9. Question for Thought
If your father were missing in action after a war, how long would you wait before you gave up on him ever returning home?
If he came back, would you recognize him?

10. Characters Odysseus – (o DIS e us) soldier and king of Ithaca
Telemachus (tel EM ah cus) his son
Penelope – Odysseus’ wife
Cyclops – an evil giant
Nestor – Odysseus’ war buddy
Menelaus (men a LEY us) another war buddy
Athena – goddess of wisdom
Poseidon – (po SIGH don) god of the sea
Suitors – seeking love of Penelope

11. Homer
According to legend, the blind poet Homer told the story of Odysseus’ life about 750 B.C., centuries before the tale was ever written down.
The trouble is, no one knows much about the great poet. Even the ancient Greeks couldn’t agree on when Homer lived and who he was.
Today experts still disagree about whether one poet wrote the famous epic poems The Iliad and The Odyssey.

12. Directions Read the play on pages 14-20.
After you have read the play carefully, take a question sheet from the front table.
Using notebook paper, write complete sentence answers for each question.
Keep your work when you finish.