Std 9th English The Fall Of Troy Part 1
MY ENGLISH COURSEBOOK
STANDARD NINE
UNIT THREE
2.2 The Fall Of Troy Part 1
The Iliad is the story of Ilium or Troy, a rich trading city in Asia Minor near the narrow sea that leads from the Aegean to the Black Sea. It was well situated, both for commerce and agriculture. In front of the city was the sea over which sailed the ships of Troy, carrying goods and grain. At the back rose the high peak of Mount Ida, from which flowed many rivers and streams. The valleys among the hills were well-watered and fertile, with corn growing in fertile fields and cattle feeding on the rich grass of the meadows while sheep fed on the slopes of the hills.
Round their city the Trojans had built a strong wall so that no enemy should attack them from the sea. The wall was so broad that people could stand and sit and walk on it. The great gates stood open, and people could go to the seashore outside and come in as they pleased. But in time of war the gates would be closed; and then the city was like a strong fortress, quite safe from all attack, protected by the walls surrounding it, as well as by the hills behind.
Thus, Troy was a strong city, strongly protected by its walls and strongly defended by its brave soldiers. But all the kings and heroes of Greece had declared war against the Trojans, because Paris, a prince of Troy, had persuaded Helen, wife of a Greek king Menelaus, to elope with him. He had brought her to Troy. The Greeks wanted to take revenge on Troy for the wrong done to Menelaus. They sailed to Troy and laid siege to the city. The Trojans, too, fought hard and the siege continued for ten long years.
The fighting went on daily, but the siege did not end. On the one hand, the Greeks could not take the city, and on the other hand the Trojans could not force them to sail away. Every day the Trojans came out of their gates, and the Greeks came out of their tents and ships, and the fighting went on. Sometimes there were great battles between the two armies. Sometimes there were single fights between two great heroes. Sometimes the Trojans had the better of it and sometimes the Greeks. But still the fighting went on.
Great heroes on both sides were killed in the course of the war. After leading the defence of his city for nine years, the brave Hector was at last killed by Achilles, whom none could resist. But Achilles himself was killed later on by a poisoned arrow that entered his heel, the only part of his body where he could be wounded. Still later, Paris himself was killed, also by a poisoned arrow. The Trojans were tired of being shut up in their city, and the Greeks were longing to see their homes again. But still the fighting went on
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