BLOG#1-"The Decease of Trojans"

Odysseus came up with a plan to get the Greeks into Troy. Under Athena's direction, the Greeks built a gigantic wooden horse with a hollow body. Odysseus and an elite group of Greek warriors hid inside the horse. Their Greek companions took the horse to the city gates and left it there with an inscription explaining it was dedicated to Athena. The Greek army then withdrew from sight, pretending to sail away. The Trojans weren't quite sure what to do with the horse. Some wanted to destroy it. Others wanted to bring it inside, and still others could hardly contain their curiosity.

A raggedly dressed Greek soldier, Sinon appeared. He said that the Greek army had planned to sacrifice him to Athena, but he had escaped. Athena was furious with the Greeks, he explained, because they had stolen the Palladium. As if disclosing a great secret, Sinon told the Trojans that the Greeks had built the great wooden horse as an offering to Athena, but that they'd purposely built it to be too big to fit through the city's gates. The horse would replace the Palladium and bring the Trojans victory. Most of the Trojans agreed that they should try to get the horse inside the city walls. One man, however, spoke out against the idea. The prophet Laocoon, wary of what the horse would bring, warned the Trojans not to trust the Greeks. To emphasize his point, Laocoon threw his spear at the horse. Just then, a two fearful serpents glided straight to him. They wrapped their huge coils around him. The people misinterpreted the situation, and so, Laocoon was punished for opposing the entry of the horse. Then after, the Trojans decided to bring the horse into the city. When the horse was inside Troy's walls, they celebrated what they believed was their sure victory. No one noticed Sinon release the Greek warriors who hid inside the horse. The warriors who'd hidden in the horse opened the city gates. They sacked Troy, destroying the city completely and capturing all the Trojans they could find.

As a matter of fact, I really feel compassionate and sympathetic about the fall of Troy and the suffering of Trojans under the Greeks. Too many Trojans had been slaughtered in the battle. By the time the Trojans were awake, before they realized what had happened, while they were struggling into their armor, Troy was burning. Actually, it was not a fighting, it was a butchery. Very many died without ever a chance of dealing a blow in return.

Truthfully, I admired Aeneas’s courageousness in the story. He fought the Greeks as long as he could find a living Trojan to stand with him. But as the slaughter spread and the death came near, he thought of his home, the helpless people he had left there. He could do nothing more for Troy, but perhaps o something could be done for them. He hurried to his old father, his son and his wife. And his mother, Venus, urged him to escape.

When he set sail from Troy, many Trojans had joined him. All were eager to find somewhere to settle, but no one had any clear idea where that should be. Several times they started to build a city, but they were always driven away by misfortune or bad omens. At last Aeneas was told in a dream that the place destined for them was a country far away to the west Italy. Although the Promised Land was distant by a long voyage over unknown seas, they were still thankful for the assurance that they would someday have their own home. Before they reached their desired heaven; however, a long time passed, and much happened which if they had known beforehand might have checked their eagerness. I adored his enthusiasm and keenness in the story. He was really determined to achieve his destiny to found the Rome.

“Perseverance surmount every difficulty. It is the key ingredient in any recipe for achieving greatness.”