Facts of Troy Trivia Quiz

Answer: Theseus

When Helen was just a young girl, she was kidnapped by Theseus, the king of Athens, along with his friend Pirithous. Later on, her two brothers, Castor and Pollux, helped save her.

Answer: Oenone

Later, when Paris had a fatal wound, he went back to Oenone to beg her to help heal him. When she refused, he died by her door. Later, when Oenone realized what she had done, she ran to Troy and threw herself on Paris' funeral pyre.

Answer: Leda

Leda was the wife of King Tyndareus of Sparta. She was raped by Zeus in the form of a swan and Helen (along with Castor and Pollux) were born from an egg.

Answer: All of these.

A series of events led to the Trojan war. Although in the romantic version of the story, it was above all (or only) the kidnap of Helen that caused the start of the war. However, there were more issues such as the oath of Tyndareus, an oath that every suitor of Helen made to protect her husband's honour before Helen's husband was chosen. And underneath it all, was also Agamemnon's lust for power and control of Troy's riches that cemented the war altogether.

Answer: False

Thetis went to many measures to avoid her son, Achilles', death. She dipped him in the River Styx to make him immortal (while missing his heel). When she heard that he was wanted to fight in the Trojan war, she sent him to King Lycomedes disguised as a girl.

Answer: "the face that launched a thousand ships"

These words are, of course, not from the "Iliad", but from Christopher Marlowe's "Dr Faustus". They do refer to Helen, however.

Answer: Clytemnestra

In Greek mythology, many deaths are avenged by more murders. Clytemnestra was the wife of Agamemnon and mother of Iphigenia. After Clytemnestra murdered Agamemnon, her son Orestes killed her and her lover.

Answer: Myrmidons

The Myceneans were led by Agamemnon and the Spartans were led by Menelaus. Achilles and his Myrmidons fought for themselves and not for any king. Achilles himself was not a king.

Answer: Patroclus

Hector never meant to kill Patroclus. He thought that he was Achilles. Achilles was tormented in grief by the death of his beloved friend. He later avenged his death by killing Hector.

Answer: They could speak.

It was said that the horses of Achilles had the gift of speech. In one version of the Trojan war, the author said that it was Patroclus' disguised mutterings that gave the impression that the horses could speak, and that they themselves did not have that power.

Answer: Herakles

Philoctetes was biten by a serpent on the way to Troy. His comrades left him on an island to die but when they found out they couldn't win the war without him and his arrows, they went back and persuaded him to join the war. In the book "Sirena", it talks of Philoctetes' adventures on that island.

Answer: Odysseus

It was said that Athena had planted the idea in Odysseus' head during a dream. It was this strategy that finally gave victory to the Greeks.

Answer: After Hector's death, by Paris

Paris shot Achilles in the heel, his only weak spot, with an arrow.

Answer: Neoptolemus, Achilles's son.

Even though Neoptolemus was the son of her husband's murderer, she led a rather "okay" life. He treated her fairly well.

Answer: no

It was a long journey that lasted a few years. It was said that they stopped at Egypt before coming home.