39 pages • 1 hour read
Barry StraussThe Trojan War: A New History
Nonfiction | Book | Adult | Published in 2006A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.
Chapter 7Chapter Summaries & Analyses
Chapter 7 Summary: “The Killing Fields”
The armies approach each other, but as they draw near, one Trojan steps forward, and another on the Greek side. A third Trojan steps forward, and the remaining army sits down, attracting a volley of Greek arrows at the standing Trojan. Agamemnon calls a ceasefire as Hector wants a parley, proposing a battle between champions: Paris and Menelaus, the originators of the feud. Helen and the treasure would follow the victor. The Greeks agree, with the proviso that Priam publicly swears an oath to abide by the contract.
Hector pressures Paris to prioritize war over women. Paris wins the right to strike first but his spear breaks on Menelaus’s shield. Menelaus’s spear pierces Paris’s breastplate, but Paris dodges. Menelaus strikes Paris’s helmet with his sword, but the sword shatters. Athena, Paris’s patron goddess, whisks Paris to safety in Troy. Pandarus fires an arrow that wounds Menelaus slightly, and the war resumes. Menelaus is treated by a physician. The fighting is spirited, lasting a day, and Agamemnon is a strong general.
While the Trojans concede ground, the Greeks are weakening. Urged on by the gods, the two sides appear evenly matched. Homer follows Diomedes’s killing spree, during which he nearly kills Aeneas and wounds both Aphrodite and Ares. The Trojans retreat; Sarpedon sends a message telling Hector to rally the troops or face defeat. Hector leads them into battle on foot, to the roars of his men, who reclaim ground. Aeneas, who has been cured by the gods, returns to the fray. The Greeks break through the troops but are again rebutted by Hector. The Greeks pull back, allowing Hector time to return to Troy to consult with the gods.
Hector returns to battle, where he finds the Trojan forces flagging. He challenges Ajax to a duel to end the day’s battle. It is inconclusive, so the men exchange gifts and withdraw. The Greeks’ morale is high, despite severe losses, while the Trojans assemble in the citadel. Antenor proposes the restitution of Helen, but Paris rebuts him, offering to return the treasure but not Helen herself. Priam agrees, without optimism. At dawn, the Trojan herald carries the message to the Greeks, returning with a rebuff and a temporary truce. The dead are collected and burned, and the Greeks erect fortifications.
Chapter 7 Analysis
Bronze Age archers could hit targets at 300-400 yards, while slingers could reach speeds of 100-150 miles per hour with their weapons. The relationship between the Trojan brothers echoes that between two similar Mesopotamian princes, Yashmah-Addu and Ishme-Dagan in c.1800 BCE. The contest between champions was also typical of the Bronze Age. Bronze Age physicians used natural antibiotics such as honey, and surgery implements made from obsidian and bronze. Chariot charges may have played a role in Hittite and Egyptian warfare of the period, but this was not the case at Troy, where the Trojans lacked wealth and the Greeks lacked horsepower.
Elite troops of armored infantrymen marched at one another, while leaders flew around the battlefield in chariots. Few wielded swords, instead opting for spears and javelins. Corpses were stripped by the victor, and duels were common, although Homer’s focus on them to the exclusion of the group effort is likely poetic license. Clearly, so is Aeneas’ miraculous return to battle, though Bronze Age surgeons could have reset his broken bones perfectly.
