Topic Research: Women of Troy



Helen:

So, apparently, there is a story that says the Helen of Troy we all know—the one who is blamed for the ten year Trojan war—was an eidolon, or an empty copy of someone. The real Helen was in Egypt the entire time. Helen was promised to Paris after Paris judged Aphrodite the fairest goddess. Hera offered Paris wealth and power and Athena offered Paris knowledge. Aphrodite offered Paris the most beautiful woman in the world. Some say that Athena and Hera replaced Helen with a copy in order to get back at Aphrodite. After the Trojan war, Menelaus winds up in Egypt. He and Helen recognize each other. The eidolon of Helen vanishes into thin air, and Menelaus and the real Helen sail away.

Cassandra: 

Cassandra was the daughter of Priam and Hecuba. She had the gift of prophecy. When she would not sleep with Apollo, he cursed her so that no one would ever believe what she prophesied. She saw the fall of Troy before it happened, but no one believed her. In this story where Helen is not really Helen (although there does not seems to be an eidolon of her, she just is not there in Troy), Cassandra finds this out. Priam, her father, tells her not to say anything. Cassandra and Aeneas (her lover) meet for the last time before Troy falls. Aeneas asks her to leave Troy with him, but she refuses. Aeneas will become a hero, and she “cannot love a hero”.

Information on Cassandra

Cassandra and Troy


Andromache:

Andromache was the wife of Hector. After Hector died fighting Achilles and after Troy fell, her son Astyanax was thrown over the walls of Troy and killed by Neoptolemus. Neoptolemus then takes her as a concubine. (He also takes Helenus, brother of Cassandra, as a slave.) Andromache then has three more sons by Neoptolemus before he dies. After that, Andromache marries Helenus and becomes Queen of Epirus. She has another son with Helenus.

Information on Andromache 

Information on Epirus


                                                                     Ancient Epirus

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