THE

TROJAN
WAR
by
Olivia Coolidge

Student Guide
 Introduction
One of the reasons for reading The Trojan War in the 6th grade is to familiarize
students with the story so they can read the originals, in translation, with more
understanding in the 7th grade.
A major goal is to implant all the characters and events clearly in the minds of
students. Students confuse similar names like Priam and Paris, Pandarus and
Palamedes, etc. Review of names and events is important throughout the study
of the book. In addition, students should be truly moved by the tragedy of the
Trojan War. Also they should enjoy the study of different character types.

Agamemnon - the haughty and ambitious leader

Achilles - the idealistic youth who resents the arrogance of his elders
Odysseus - the crafty and wily
Hector - the family man, admirable but doomed by his lack of leadership
Priam - a great man, almost like Job, who is brought to total ruin
Paris - the worthless dandy

Simple timeline of Ancient Greece:

Heroic Greece: 1200 B. C.

The four heroes immediately before the Trojan War: Hercules, Theseus,
Perseus, Jason and the Argonauts

The age of the Trojan War is known as the Mycenean Age: the great king was
Agamemnon, the great warrior was Achilles, and the other great figure was
Odysseus. These looked to Hercules, Theseus, etc. as their immediate but
greater ancestors.

Greece seemed to be overrun by barbarians and a dark age ensued. The

stories of the Trojan War had been worked by bards for 400 years when
Homer composed the Iliad and Odyssey.

The age of Homer: 800 B. C.

Classical Greece: 450 B. C.

Athens, the wars with the Persians, Pericles, Socrates, and Plato and Aristotle
in the next generation



 Sing through me
That anger which most ruinously
Inflamed Achilles, Peleus’ son
And which before the tale was done
Had glutted Hell with champions bold
Stern spirits by the thousand fold;
Ravens and dogs their corpses ate,
For thus did Zeus who watched their fate,
See his resolve, first taken when
Proud Agamemnon king of men
An insult on Achilles cast,
Achieve accomplishment at last.

Robert Graves


 The Trojan War I. Prologue 1. The Golden Apple

Facts to Know
Zeus ruler of gods and men

Thetis sea nymph; mother of Achilles

Peleus king of the Myrmidons; father of Achilles

Hera queen of the gods

Athene goddess of wisdom

Aphrodite goddess of beauty

Priam king of Troy

Hecuba queen of Troy

Paris (Alexandros) son of Priam and Hecuba

Expressions to Know
“For the Fairest.”____________________________________________________________
What is for the fairest? _ _____________________________________________________
Who is the fairest? __________________________________________________________

“What is the life of one child against the welfare of all?”

Speaker: ___________________________________________________________________
Who is the child? ___________________________________________________________
How is his life a threat to the welfare of all? ____________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________

Words to Know
1. Three great urns... ______________________________________

2. ...dark Discord was not among them. ______________________________________

3. ...to summon the soothsayers. ______________________________________

4. Their drink was nectar... ______________________________________

5. ...in haughty anger at his rejection. ______________________________________


 War, like all human fortune, came to men from the gods.

Comprehension Questions
1. Why did Zeus marry Thetis to a mortal, King Peleus? _______________________________
______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

2. Why did the goddess Discord throw the golden apple on the table during the feast, and
why did this cause a disruption?
______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

3. Explain why Priam sent his son Paris away to die. What prevented Paris’ death?
______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

4. Why was Paris chosen by the gods to be the judge of who should receive the golden
apple?
______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

5. List the promises the three goddesses made to Paris as they tried to sway him to pick
them.

Hera: _____________________________________________________________________

Athene: ___________________________________________________________________

Aphrodite: _________________________________________________________________

Honor Activities
1. Define irony. What is ironic about the actions taken by Priam and Hecuba to protect
their kingdom?

2. Discuss the Greek belief that the gods were intimately involved in all human affairs.


 The Trojan War I. Prologue 2. Helen

Facts to Know
Menelaus king of Sparta

Helen queen of Sparta; the most beautiful woman

in the world

Expressions to Know
“When he stands beside Helen, my wife, they will make the most beautiful couple
that has ever been seen upon earth.”
Speaker: ___________________________________________________________________
Who will stand beside Helen? ________________________________________________

“Hector’s gift is prowess in war. Mine is mere grace and beauty, yet you should not
despise it, since it alone is not born of practice, but comes unsought direct from the
blessed gods. No man can win it to whom it has not been given.”
Speaker: ___________________________________________________________________
Why should his gift not be despised? __________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
Could Hector’s gift be won without being given by the gods? If so, how? ___________
__________________________________________________________________________

“I promised you the fairest woman in all the world to wife.”

Speaker: ___________________________________________________________________

Words to Know
1. ...a brown face, ruddy with health. ______________________________________

2. ...too much time with my lyre... ______________________________________

3. A tawny leopard skin hung... ______________________________________

4. ...a distaff full of bright blue wool... ______________________________________


The most beautiful woman in the world had left her husband. The guest who
was treated with honor had robbed his friend.

Comprehension Questions
1. What was Hector’s attitude toward his brother Paris’ skill in music? ___________________
______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

2. Why did Menelaus not feel threatened by Paris’ beauty? Why did he have no fear that
his beautiful wife would be tempted by Paris?
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

3. Name two ways in which Paris wronged Menelaus. ________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

Honor Activities
1. Begin a “Character Catalog” of characters from these first two chapters. Include facts and
descriptions of each character and a drawing of that character. Do not neglect to include the
gods/goddesses. Your catalog should include all the people listed in the “Facts to Know” for
both of these chapters.


 The Trojan War I. Prologue 3. The Madness of Odysseus

Facts to Know

Agamemnon king of Mycenae; brother to Menelaus

Odysseus king of Ithaca; hero of the Trojan War and

The Odyssey

Penelope wife of Odysseus

Palamedes clever messenger of Menelaus

Expressions to Know
“Must get on with the plowing. Must be done by dark.”
Speaker: ___________________________________________________________________
What is he plowing? ________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
What is he sowing? _________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________

Words to Know

1. ...Menelaus was not enterprising... ______________________________________

2. ...goaded on by his more ambitious brother...______________________________________

3. ...turning the dry sand over in furrows. ______________________________________

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 “...though Odysseus is a good friend, he is a fearful enemy.”

Comprehension Questions
1. How did Helen’s father ensure that her chosen husband would be the most powerful
man in Greece? How did this help Menelaus when he needed to rescue Helen?
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________

2. Why was Odysseus unwilling to go to war in Troy on behalf of Menelaus?

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

3. Name some characteristics of Odysseus. __________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

4. How did Odysseus plan to avoid going to Troy? ____________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

5. How did Palamedes spoil Odysseus’ plan? _________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

6. What was Palamedes’ final fate? In what way was Odysseus blamed for this fate?
______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

Honor Activities
1. Locate on a map: Sparta, Ithaca, Aulis

2. Add Odysseus to your Character Catalog.

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