“Was this the face that launch’d a thousand ships And burnt the topless towers of Ilium?”
– Christopher Marlowe, Doctor Faustus
A story of gods and mortals, of such famous episodes as the Trojan Horse and Achilles mortally wounded in his heel, of warriors such as Odysseus and Hector, of beauties such as Helen, of leaders such as Agamemnon and Menelaus, the Trojan War is a classic story from the ancient world that never ceases to lose its appeal. But how well do we really know it? Do we remember Odysseus feigning madness to avoid the battle? Or Achilles, that great warrior, disguising himself as a woman so that he didn’t have to fight?
Troy – An Epic Tale of Rage, Deception & Destruction tells the story of the Trojan War from its beginnings with the sparring of the gods to the love story between Paris and Helen to the war fleet, the siege, and on to the final battles and destruction of the city. From a conflict that’s set in motion by Helen – ‘the face that launched a thousand ships’ – it ends, ten years later, with Odysseus setting sail on what turns out to be his own ten- year voyage home.
The book offers a fascinating history that provides a broader context for the war, examining the social and political background, the role of women in Greek society, and the weapons and style of warfare practiced. It also highlights where sources differ on aspects of the story. Illustrated with more than 180 colour and black-and-white artworks, photographs and maps, the book is an expertly written account and investigation of one of the classic stories of ancient mythology.