The legend will live” claim ads for Warner Bros. $200-million-plus epic “Troy,” inspired by Homer’s “The Iliad,” which chronicles the Trojan War.
But how closely does the film resemble Homer’s work? We sat down with three professors from Loyola University Chicago’s classical studies department to compare scenes of director Wolfgang Petersen’s epic with Homer’s material. Included in the panel are Gregory Dobrov, who teaches mythology and Greek language classes; Brian Lavelle, chair of the department; and John Makowski, president of the Chicago Classics Club currently teaching a Greek mythology and film class.
SCENE 1: OPENING ONSLAUGHT
As a massive fleet of Greek ships hits the shores of Troy to retrieve the kidnapped Helen (Diane Kruger), Achilles (Brad Pitt) storms from his vessel, killing Trojan soldiers on the beach. He leads his men into Apollo’s temple, where they slaughter the priests and Achilles chops off the head of Apollo’s statue.
Dobrov: At the end of the [Trojan] War, [ the Greeks] begin plundering and raping and killing babies. But the context was after a decade of frustration. So it’s odd for Achilles to land and start attacking temples and priests.
Lavelle: It’s complete sacrilege. The Greeks had the penalty of death decreed for temple robbers and temple desecrators, so they wouldn’t go against what they decree.
Dobrov: [Achilles’] mother [Thetis] is a goddess. So what’s the motivation? It makes Achilles unnecessarily savage; he’s a wild and crazy warrior.
SCENE 2: THREE’S A CROWD
After a day of combat, Paris (Orlando Bloom) proposes to end the war by fighting Menelaus (Brendan Gleeson) to the death for Helen’s hand. Just as it seems that Menelaus will win, Paris crawls to his brother Hector (Eric Bana) and grabs his leg for help. Hector then comes to Paris’ aid, killing Menelaus, and war between the armies breaks out again as Paris escapes to safety.
Lavelle: [This scene is] complicated in “The Iliad” by the intervention of the goddess Aphrodite, who wafted [Paris] away from battle and back into bed. Whether he is a coward in “The Iliad” is blurred by what Aphrodite has made of him, whereas Petersen has made the guy unredeemably cowardly.
Dobrov: I was shocked that the noble Hector would stab Menelaus in an ambush move. This is the brother of Agamemnon, the brother of the perpetrator. It is just so wrong.
Makowski: Menelaus and Helen [end up together]. When you see them in [Homer’s] “The Odyssey” it’s like the Trojan War never happened. They seem to be living together very happily, they’re wealthy, they’re like a middle-aged couple.
SCENE 3: MISTAKEN IDENTITY
The Trojans stage a surprise attack, but the Greeks retaliate, with Achilles, who had ceased fighting, seeming to return to the battlefield. After slaying some Trojans, he fights Hector, who slashes his throat. Hector takes off his helmet, learns that he killed Achilles’ cousin Patroclus (Garrett Hedlund) wearing Achilles’ armor, and lets the Greeks take his corpse.
Lavelle: This is a turning point for [“The Iliad”] because this is the moment that puts Achilles’ wrath back into the fray.
Dobrov: Patroclus in the story first argues with Achilles, he pleads with him [to fight again]. The next stage he asks, “at least lend your armor [for me to wear].” He agrees, and Patroclus is slain. It’s a horrific identity switch.
Makowski: In “The Iliad,” they are the closest of buddies. From the time of Aeschylus to Plato, writers have been reading the relationship as a lover relationship. I find it a little odd that the movie suppresses that completely. They simply practice swordfighting.
SCENE 4: ACHILLES’ RAGE
After learning that Patroclus was killed, Achilles rides his chariot alone to Troy’s city walls and cries out to Hector. The Trojan prince embraces his family and goes out to confront Achilles. The two engage in a furious battle until Achilles slays Hector, ties him to the back of his chariot and drags his body back to the Greek camp.
Lavelle: I thought this was one of the better scenes and more reflective of [“The Iliad”], because it went from all these melees to this single combat, which is what “The Iliad” is building to. But the way they fought was more martial arts then it was reflective of realistic [fighting].
Hector’s courage, that’s something that comes through, because he decides finally, “I’m going to do this and if I die at least I’ll leave something behind for people to talk about.”
SCENE 5: END OF WRATH
The evening after Hector’s death, Achilles is surprised to see a mysterious old man enter his tent, kneel before him and kiss his hand. It is Priam (Peter
O’ Toole), King of Troy and father of Hector, who has come to plead with Achilles to give his son’s body back. “You are still my enemy tonight,” Priam says, “but even enemies can show respect.”
Moved by his courage, Achilles agrees. But before he hands Hector over, he weeps alone over the warrior’s body.
Makowski: That’s right out of “The Iliad.” The point of the scene is that Achilles gets his humanity back. It’s crucial because “The Iliad” has been about his wrath since the beginning, and this marks the end of that wrath.
Lavelle: This scene is about older and younger, and in “The Iliad” Achilles sees in Priam his own father and that his death is going to follow hard on the heels of Hector. So he can see his own lot and feel for other people where he couldn’t feel for himself before. That was the best scene [in the film], and it works for the reasons that it works in “The Iliad.”
When Achilles [weeps] and says [to Hector’s corpse], “I will be with you soon my brother,” it’s just the merest vestige I think of the conflation of the two identities in “The Iliad.” Seeing Hector I would imagine we’re supposed to think [Achilles] sees himself, and all the sins that he’s committed and all the people that he has killed. He doesn’t want it to happen anymore.
SCENE 6: THE TROJAN HORSE
Apparently ravaged by plague, the Greeks seem to have abandoned their camp, leaving behind a large wooden horse as a gift for the Trojans, who bring it into their city as an offering for the gods.
That night, Achilles and the other Greeks jump out of the horse and all chaos breaks loose. Troy burns. Paris kills Achilles with his arrows. And Paris and Helen escape from the collapsing city.
Lavelle: The actual taking of Troy takes place in Book 2 of [Virgil’s] “The Aeneid.”
Makowski: Having Achilles in the horse is wrong; he should be dead by then.
Dobrov: Every telling of a myth is potentially a retelling at the poet’s will. So Achilles goes to Troy — what effect does he have? Does he spear a couple of babies? How many women does he rape? All the rank and file warriors, they just do what warriors do. Achilles is the interesting one. He goes through the darkness of rage and grief, and has a change of heart [as he tries to save a woman]. But then he dies.
Makowski: And Paris and Helen will live happily ever after.
Lavelle: I get the feeling that it’s OK to do what you want for love or really lust, because pretty people looking at each other is lust. [Helen and Paris] are the ones that have triumphed after all of this carnage that they have created. It’s a very self-centered sort of message to do what you feel.
– – –
Cast of characters
THETIS
(JULIE CHRISTIE)
Thetis was a Nereid who was desired by Zeus, but she rejected him. As a result, the goddess Themis revealed that Thetis would bear a son who was mightier than his father. So Zeus gave Thetis to a mortal, Peleus, to marry. Thetis bore one son, Achilles, whom she tried unsuccessfully to make immortal.
Achilles
(Brad Pitt)
Achilles was the son of Peleus and Thetis. He was the mightiest of the Greeks who fought in the Trojan War, and was the hero of Homer’s “The Iliad.”
Priam
(Peter O’Toole)
Priam was the king of Troy and the father, by his wife Hecuba and other women, of more than 50 children, including Hector, Paris and Cassandra. He unsuccessfully defended his city during the Trojan War.
Hector
(Eric Bana)
Hector was the eldest son of Priam. Hector was the mightiest warrior on the side of Troy during the Trojan War, and he led many of the attacks against the Greek troops.
Paris
(Orlando Bloom)
Paris was the youngest son of Priam. When he was born, his mother, Hecuba, was told in a dream that he would be the cause of the downfall of Troy.
Helen
(Diane Kruger)
Helen was the daughter of Leda and Zeus. Reputed to be the most beautiful woman in the world, Helen was courted by all the greatest men in Greece when she reached marriageable age.
Menelaus
(Brendan Gleeson)
Menelaus was married to Helen for several years and had a daughter, Hermione, with her. But Helen eventually was abducted by — or ran off with — Paris. To get her back, the Greek leaders mustered the greatest army of the time and set off to wage the Trojan War.
Patroclus
(Garrett Hedlund)
Patroclus was Achilles’ cousin and close friend. He is killed in a case of mistaken identity when he wears Achilles’ armor into battle.
Source: Movie City News
