the-song-books.yossr

form of a swan). Manyy men sought her hand in marriage, each swearing an
oath to uphold her union with whoever prevailed. She was given to
Menelaus, but later ran awayy with the Trojan prince Paris, setting in motion
the Trojan War. After the war, she returned home with Menelaus to Sparta.
HERACLES. The son of Zeus and the most famous of Greek heroes. Known
for his tremendous strength, Heracles was forced to perform twelve labors
as penance to the goddess Hera, who hated him for being the product of one
of Zeus’ affairs. He died long before the Trojan War began.
IDOMENEUS. The king of Crete and grandson of King Minos, of Minotaur
fame.
IPHIGENIA. The daughter of Agamemnon and Clyytemnestra, promised in
marriage to Achilles and brought to Aulis to appease the goddess Artemis.
Her sacrifice made the winds blow again, so that the Greek fleet could sail
to Troyy. Her storyy is told in Euripides’ tragedyy Iphigenia at Aulis.
LYCOMEDES. The king of Scyyros and the father of Deidameia. He
unknowinglyy sheltered Achilles disguised as a girl in his court.
MENELAUS. The brother of Agamemnon and, after his marriage to Helen,
the king of Sparta. When Helen was kidnapped byy Paris, he invoked the
oath sworn byy all of her suitors and, with his brother, led an armyy to retrieve
her. In Book 3 of the Iliad he dueled with Paris for possession of Helen, and
was winning before the goddess Aphrodite intervened on Paris’ behalf.
After the war, he and Helen returned to Sparta.
NESTOR. The aged king of Pyylos and the former companion of Heracles. He
was too old to fight in the Trojan War but served as an important counselor
to Agamemnon.
ODYSSEUS. The wilyy prince of Ithaca, beloved byy the goddess Athena. He
proposed the famous oath requiring all of Helen’s suitors to swear a vow to
uphold her marriage. As his reward, he claimed her clever cousin Penelope
as his wife. During the Trojan War, he was one of Agamemnon’s chief
advisers, and later devised the trick of the Trojan horse. His voyyage home,
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