0 Prologue

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Prologue The immortal gods and goddesses of Mount Olympus ruled over the lives of mortal humans on earth. Zeus, the god of thunder, was the leader of the gods. His brothers Poseidon, god of the sea, and Hades, god of the underworld, had the power to shake the ocean and the earth. But they were not as mighty as Zeus. Hera, Zeus's wife; Athena, goddess of war; and Aphrodite, goddess of love, could change the weather from sunny to stormy. But they were not as mighty as Zeus. Ares, the god of war, and Apollo, the sun god and master archer, could change the outcome of a battle. But they were not as mighty as Zeus. The king of gods could see all. He held the fate of the world in his

hands. Now, dear reader, you will hear the tale of Achilles and his rage. Achilles was not a god like Zeus. But he was a mighty and powerful man. He was a swift runner and a brave warrior. He was a hero of the Trojan War, which is the war this story is about. Achilles was part of the Achaean army, from Greece. The Achaean army battled the Trojan army near their home city of Troy. Achilles held much rage in his heart. That rage caused many deaths among both Achaeans and Trojans. But this story does not start with Achilles. It starts many years earlier with a fight among three goddesses. The gods were hosting a banquet at their home on Mount Olympus. They feasted and drank. They sang and told stories. During the meal, Eris, goddess of trouble, left an apple on the table. She had placed a sign next to the apple. This sign said, "For the

fairest." Hera, Athena, and Aphrodite all tried to take the apple. Each goddess claimed to be the fairest. They fought over this apple. They asked Zeus to decide who should have the apple, but he refused. He sent the goddesses to visit Paris, prince of the city of Troy. Paris would judge who was the fairest. Each goddess offered Paris something so that he would call her the fairest. Hera offered him political power. Athena offered him wisdom and strength in battle. Aphrodite offered him the love of the most beautiful woman in the world. Paris chose Aphrodite as the fairest. Aphrodite sent Paris to the city of Sparta, where Helen lived. Helen was the most beautiful woman in the world. Aphrodite made this woman fall in love with Paris. But Helen was already married to a man named Menelaus. Under Aphrodite's spell, Helen left her husband and went back to Troy with

Paris. Hera and Athena never forgave Paris, or the city of Troy, for not choosing either of them as the fairest. From that moment onward, the two goddesses had great hatred for Troy. Menelaus felt great hatred for the man who stole his wife. Menelaus's brother, King Agamemnon, declared war on the people of Troy. He wanted revenge—to honor his brother and punish the Trojans. Agamemnon's bravest generals—Menelaus, Nestor, Odysseus, Diomedes, Ajax, and Achilles—joined him in the war. They agreed to follow the king in his quest to destroy Troy and bring Helen home. Each general brought his own ships with troops of soldiers and chariots to drive into battle. Achilles was joined by his closest friend, Patroclus. This mighty group was known as the Achaean army.

The Achaeans fought against the Trojans for nine years. With each battle they moved closer to the city of Troy. But the men were tired after so many years of fighting. They wanted to go home. King Priam of Troy guarded his city while his oldest son, Hector, led his army. Paris, Priam's younger son, and Aeneas, Aphrodite's son, fought alongside Hector. The Trojan army was strong. That army—led by Pisander, Dolon, Sarpedon, and Teucer— was mighty and brave. The walls of the city were secure. No other army had broken through the gates. The Trojans feared only Achilles, the greatest Achaean fighter. Achilles was a great warrior and a man of legend. He was the son of a sea goddess named Thetis and a mortal man named Peleus. He was favored by the gods. He was both loved and feared by men—and for good reason. It was Achilles who set this story in