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    • HOW ULYSSES STOLE THE LUCK OF TROY Cover
      by LovelyMay In the chapter “How Ulysses Stole the Luck of Troy” from "Tales of Troy," the narrative progresses after Hector's burial, with the siege of Troy continuing languidly. The Greeks, inexperienced in siege warfare, cannot breach the Trojans' defenses, bolstered by their anticipation of reinforcements, including the Amazons and the Khita, led by King Memnon. Central to Trojan defense is the Palladium, an ancient divine image within the temple of Pallas Athene, believed to secure Troy's…
    • THE CRUELTY OF ACHILLES, AND THE RANSOMING OF HECTOR Cover
      by LovelyMay In the tale of "The Cruelty of Achilles, and the Ransoming of Hector" from "Tales of Troy," the story begins with the ghost of Patroclus appearing to Achilles, urging him to conduct funeral rites. Achilles responds by gathering wood for a massive funeral pyre, covering Patroclus in white linen, and sacrificing cattle along with twelve Trojan prisoners as an honor—but this act is marked by shame due to Achilles' wrath and grief. After the pyre burns through the night, Patroclus' bones are encased in gold…
    • THE SLAYING AND AVENGING OF PATROCLUS Cover
      by LovelyMay At a critical moment, with the Greek ships under threat, Patroclus seeks Achilles' aid, proposing to wear his armor and lead the fresh Myrmidons into battle. Achilles consents but instructs Patroclus to only repel the Trojans, not pursue them. Patroclus, donning Achilles' feared armor, successfully pushes the Trojans back with the Myrmidons' aid, mistakenly believing Achilles has returned to the fray. Despite his victory near the ships, Patroclus overextends into the Trojan ranks, aiming to breach their…
    • BATTLE AT THE SHIPS Cover
      by LovelyMay With the break of dawn, Agamemnon, the Greek king, awakens, his fear dissipated. He armors himself, orders the chiefs in front of their chariots, and the army takes formation, with spearmen in the center and bowmen and slingers at the flanks under a foreboding black cloud raining red. The Trojans, with Hector in shining armor darting across their ranks like a fleeting star, assemble on a height across the plain. As the two armies collide, a brutal struggle ensues, likened to reapers slicing through corn.…
    • TROJAN VICTORIES Cover
      by LovelyMay The chapter "Trojan Victories" from "Tales of Troy" unfolds amidst the tumult and valor of ancient warfare, rekindling the events that pushed the Greeks and Trojans deeper into conflict. Pandarus, a Trojan prince, ignites the flames of war anew by breaking the peace oath and wounding Menelaus with an arrow, provoking Greek fury. Agamemnon, stirred by brotherly love and the threat of dishonor, rallies the Greeks, accusing leaders like Ulysses and Diomede of cowardice, a charge both swiftly refute. The…
    • THE WOOING OF HELEN OF THE FAIR HANDS Cover
      by LovelyMay In "The Wooing of Helen of The Fair Hands," the narrative sets in an ancient time marked by the valor and quests of young princes aiming at marriage with prestigious ladies. Among these ladies, Helen, the daughter of King Tyndicus, stands peerless in beauty, attracting suitors from far and wide. Despite the considerable competition, Ulysses, hailing from a small kingdom, joins the contest for Helen's hand. Unlike his taller, wealthier opponents adorned in gold, Ulysses, a man of shorter stature with broad…
    • HOW PEOPLE LIVED IN THE TIME OF ULYSSES Cover
      by LovelyMay In the age of Ulysses, Greece was a collection of small kingdoms, each with its own monarch, nobility, and clear societal hierarchy. Kings ruled over their domains from heavily fortified cities, surrounded by massive stone walls that later generations attributed to giant builders. These rulers presided from palaces that were centers of administrative and social life, featuring grand halls where the fire burned continuously. This setting was not just the heart of political power but also of cultural life,…
    • THE BOYHOOD AND PARENTS OF ULYSSES Cover
      by LovelyMay In ancient Ithaca, a rugged, mountainous island on Greece's west coast, reigned a king named Laertes. This tiny kingdom, described as shield-shaped due to its twin peaks and valley, lacked horses, thus, chariot warfare was absent. Laertes' son, Ulysses, unlike others, fought on foot. Despite the absence of horses, Ithaca flourished with livestock and wildlife, and its seas teemed with fish, ensuring a prosperous life for its inhabitants. Its climate was mild, adorned with a long summer and brief winter,…
    • Tales of Troy Cover
      by LovelyMay Tales of Troy by Andrew Lang is a retelling of the ancient Greek myths surrounding the Trojan War, including the stories of heroes like Achilles, Hector, and Odysseus, as well as the legendary events leading up to and following the fall of Troy, presented in a captivating and accessible narrative style for young readers.
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      NOTES

      NOTES Cover
      by LovelyMay "THE BLENDING"--of alternate prose and verse--"is not unknown in various countries." Thus in Dr. Steere's Swahili Tales (London, 1870), p. vii. we read: "It is a constant characteristic of popular native tales to have a sort of burden, which all join in singing. Frequently the skeleton of the story seems to be contained in these snatches of singing, which the story-teller connects by an extemporized account of the intervening history . . . Almost all these stories had sung parts, and of some of these,…
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