Plot
DOUBLE JEOPARDY
This is the subtitle for Book 3.
This Trojan prince, who precipitated the war by stealing the beautiful Helen from her husband, Menelaus, challenges the Achaeans to single combat with any of their warriors.
Who is Paris?
As Paris and Menelaus prepare for combat, this goddess, disguised as Hector’s sister Laodice, visits Helen in Priam’s palace.
Who is Iris?
This goddess promised Paris the most beautiful woman in the world, sparking the Trojan War when he chose her in the famous Judgment.
Who is Aphrodite?
The proposed duel between Paris and Menelaus represents an attempt to end the Trojan War by appealing to this theme, central to Greek warrior culture.
What is honor?
The Trojan army marches from the city gates and advances to meet these people.
Who are the Achaeans?
DOUBLE JEOPARDY
When this character steps forward, however, Paris loses heart and shrinks back into the Trojan ranks.
Menelaus grabs Paris by the helmet and begins dragging him through the dirt, but this goddess, an ally of the Trojans, snaps the strap of the helmet so that it breaks off in Menelaus’s hands.
Who is Aphrodite?
This legendary contest among Hera, Athena, and Aphrodite for the title of “fairest” was judged by Paris.
What is the Judgment of Paris?
Helen’s harsh words to Paris reveal her struggle with this theme, as she feels both responsible for the war and trapped by forces beyond her control.
What is shame/guilt?
DOULE JEOPARDY
Stung by Hector’s insult, Paris finally agrees to a duel with Menelaus, declaring that the contest will establish peace between these people and the Achaeans by deciding once and for all which man shall have Helen as his wife.
This is Paris’s brother and the leader of the Trojan forces, who chastises Paris for his cowardice.
Who is Hector?
This goddess is described as favoring the Greeks and hating Troy, and she grows angry at Helen when Helen resists her commands.
Who is Athena?
Before the duel between Paris and Menelaus, Priam asks the Trojans and Achaeans to swear an oath, pouring wine as a ritual act. This practice reflects the Greek mythic tradition of calling on this figure to witness oaths.
Who is Zeus?
The interference of the gods in the duel shows that mortal efforts to control events are often undermined by this overarching theme in the poem.
What is fate (or divine intervention)?
Menelaus breaks his sword over this.
What is Paris's helmet?
Priam asks Helen about the strapping young Achaeans he sees, and she identifies Agamemnon, Odysseus, and this male character.
Who is Ajax?
From the walls of Troy, Priam prays to this god to witness the duel between Paris and Menelaus, asking that the fight decide the fate of Helen.
Who is Zeus?
Helen is often compared to this mythic daughter of Zeus whose abduction also sparked a great war.
Who is Europa?
Priam’s kind words to Helen during the wall scene highlight this theme, which complicates the division between Greeks and Trojans.
What is empathy/human connection?
Aphrodite not only summons Paris to his room in Priam's palace, but this character too.
Who is Helen?
This Trojan prince challenges the Achaeans to single combat, then loses heart when confronted by Menelaus, only to be rescued by Aphrodite.
Who is Paris?
While Aphrodite intervenes most directly, these two goddesses are watching closely from Olympus, both eager for the fall of Troy.
Who are Athena and Hera?
In Greek myth, this hero is the brother of Menelaus and leads the Achaeans in the Trojan War, but in Book 3, he is mentioned by Helen from the walls of Troy as one of the great leaders.
Who is Agamemnon?
The failure of the duel to resolve the war illustrates this theme: that human conflict rarely ends through single acts of heroism or simple agreements.
What is the futility of war (or inevitability of conflict)?