Homer rolling in his grave

Rating: Null/10 (16 May 2004)

I think it's sad that so many people worked so hard for so long on a movie that mangles one of Western Civilization's oldest and most-respected stories.
Some of the more glaring inaccuracies:
1) The 'Greek nation' was invented in the Greek War of Independence from the Ottoman Turk Empire (fought 1821 - 1829), NOT by Agamemnon as portrayed in the movie. The concept of a 'nation' as such didn't even exist until the Peace of Westphalia (1648). Homer doesn't even call the Greeks 'Greeks.' He calls them variously 'Danaans,' 'Argives' and 'Achaens.'
2) The Trojan War was a siege--it lasted 10 years, NOT 16 days as portrayed in the movie.
3) The Greek gods and goddesses were all very active in the Trojan War.
4) The Achaean Kings went to war with Troy because of a vow they had made, NOT because they were subject to Agamemnon. At the urging of Odysseus, all of Helen's suitors had sworn to protect her regardless of her choice of a husband. She went on to marry Menelaus.
5) Menelaus did not die on the second day of the war. During the sack of Troy, he slew Paris with his own hand. He and Helen returned to Sparta and lived happily ever after.
6) Briseis was from Lyrnessus. She was not a virgin--Achilles had slain her husband. Achilles captured her along with a girl named Chryseis, whom Achilles gave to Agamemnon. Agamemnon was eventually forced to give up Chryseis in order to end a plague that had been sent as a punishment by Apollo. Agamemnon demanded Briseis from Achilles as a replacement for Chryseis. Achilles responded by refusing to fight. After the death of Patroclus, Agamemnon returned Briseis to Achilles, along with an apology. Briseis remained with Achilles until his death.
7) Paris killed Achilles with a single arrow, well before the sack of Troy. After Achilles' death, Ajax and Odysseus competed for Achilles' fine golden armor. When the armor was awarded to Odysseus, Ajax swore to kill Agamemnon and Menelaus. To prevent this, Athena drove Ajax insane, and he killed himself instead.
8) Agamemnon was murdered by either his wife Clytamnestra or his cousin Aegisthus (with whom his wife was having an affair) after his triumphant return to Mycenae.
9) Aeneas was not a boy when Troy fell--he was a married man with an adolescent son, Ascanius.
No doubt a number of other flaws can be found as well. Shame on Troy for miseducating the movie-going public.