The story 

The story of The Trojan War is revised from the book of "Mythology" by Edith Hamilton.

The Trajoan War

Narrator (MING)

More than a thousand years before Christ, near the eastern end of the Mediterranean was a great city very rich and powerful, second to none on earth. The name of it was Troy. The cause of this long-lasting fame was a war and the cause of the war went back to a dispute between three jealous goddesses.

At an important marriage, that king Peleus and the sea nymph Thetis, all god and goddess were invited o attend his banquet, but there was one goddess not popular in Olympus and she was not asked to join.

(THE EVIL GODDESS OF DISCORD, ERIS IN)

ACT I   THE WEDDING PARTY

The evil goddess of Discord, Eris (JENNY CHOU) , Hera (HEAVEN) , Pallas Athena (SUSAN), Aphrodite (JENNY), Zeus (SOLANA)

Eris: I am the goddess of Discord, I don’t understand why I am not welcome at any happy moment. Look this, there is a wedding party. I see all god and goddess are there, they were laughing, dancing, drinking happily. But, why I , also a goddess, am not invited? Why am I destined to be alone, no joy moment to share with others? I “must” do something to response them. I am good at making trouble. Let me throw this golden apple marked “For the Fairest” into banqueting hall, see what will happen…ha ha ha

Narrator: Of course, all the goddess wanted it, but in the end of the choice was narrowed down to three.

(HERA, ATHENA, APHRODITE IN)

Hera: I am Hera, Zeus’s wife, the Queen of Olympus. I am the protector of marriage. This is what you people called me,

“Golden-throned Hera, among immortal the Queen.

Chief among them in beauty, the glorious lady

All the blessed in high Olympus revere,

Honor even as Zeus, the lord of the thunder.”

I certainly must have this golden apple.

Pallas Athena: I am Athena, the daughter of Zeus alone, my father’s favorite child. I defend the state and the home from outside enemies. I am the Goddess of the City, the protector of civilized life, of handicrafts, and agriculture. I am the chief of the three virgin goddesses. My temple is the Parthenon, Athen is my special city, Olive which I create is my tree. The Owl is my bird. I am embodiment of wisdom, reason, and purity. The fairest lady surely is I.

Aphrodite: I am the goddess of Love and Beauty. I sprung from the foam of the sea. I come, beauty comes. The winds flee before me, and the storm clouds; sweet flowers decorate the earth, the waves of the sea laugh.  Without me, there is no joy nor loveliness .  My sweet smile conquers those who see me, steals away even the wits of the wise. Who else can compete me to take this golden apple for the fairest lady.

(HERA, ATHENA AND APHRODITE STRETCH OUT HAND TO GRASP THE APPLE)

Narrator (MING)

Each of the three goddesses considered herself to deserve this apple.  Therefore, they decided to ask Zesu judge between them.

(ZEUS IN)

Zeus was the Lord of the Sky, the rain God and cloud-gatherer, the mightiest of all. However, mentioning about his private life, he fell in love with one woman after another, and descended to all manner of tricks to hide his being unfaithful from his wife. But, Zeus was wisely refused to have anything to do with the matter.

Zeus: You may go to Mount Ida, near Troy, where the young prince Paris, also called Alexander, is keeping his father’s sheep. He is an excellent judge of beauty.

ACT II  THE JUDGEMENT OF PARIS

Paris (JENNY CHOU), Hera (HEAVEN), Pallas Athena (SUSAN), Aphrodite (JENNY)

Narrator (MING)

Paris, though a royal prince, was doing shepherds’ work, because his father Priam, the king of Troy, had been warned that his prince would someday ruin his country, and so had sent him away.

Paris: The life of doing shepherd’s work is boring. I am the prince of Troy, am I supposed now to learn how to lead a country? The mountain is full of rocks, I even have no any person to talk with.

(THREE GODDESSES IN)

Paris: (AMAZING) Oh, my… how come here three great goddesses appear in front of me.

Three Goddesses: You are the judge of beauty among us.

Hera: I promised to make you Lord of Europe and Asia.

Athena: You would lead the Trojans to victory against the Greeks and lay Greece in ruins.

Aphrodite: I will give you the fairest woman in all of the world.

Paris: The choice is not easy. What will a man decide? Power, Victory or Beauty? (ASK YOUR AUDIENCE)

I have made my choice and I decide to give the golden apple to Aphrodite.

ACT III   Paris took Helen away

Narrator(MING):

(HELEN IN )

The fairest woman in the world was Helen, the daughter of Zeus and Leda. She was so pretty that any young prince in Greece wanted to marry her. Her suitors assembled in her home to ask for a formal proposal.  They were so many that her father was afraid to select one among them, fearing that the others would unite against him. He therefore exacted a solemn oath from all that they might be, if any wrong was done to him through his marriage, they all bound themselves to punish to the uttermost any who carried or tried to carry Helen away. And king chose Menelaus king of Sparta

When Paris gave the golden apple to Aphrodite, the goddess of Love and Beauty knew very well where the most beautiful woman on earth was to be found. She led the young shepherd straight to Sparta.

(PARIS IN)

Helen: Welcome to my country. Be our guest! My husband, king of Sparta will go off to Crete after dinner.

Paris: Helen, you are the most beautiful woman I have ever seen. I am led by the goddess of Love and Beauty to meet you here. The goddess of love and beauty let me know that you are my destiny and we are bound to be together.

(PARIS AND HELEN HOLD EACH OTHER AND LEFT AWAY)

Narrator(MING):

Next day, Menelasu, king of Sparta went back home and found Helen gone. He then called upon all Greece to help him. And a ten year Trojan war began.

THE END