21-The Fall of Troy

At midnight it was a full moon when Sinon, signaled the Achaean fleet to Tenedos to approach and at the same time the soldiers of the Trojan horse came out and killed the guards. The Achaeans entered and burned the city and killed its people who slept in their homes. The slaughter continued and the next day. Some Trojans defenders managed to react and fought with great tenacity a desperate battle, although they found themselves disorganized and without a leader to guide them. Finally, the last defender was lost in the whirlwind of destruction and massacres.

Neoptolemus killed Priam, who had taken refuge in the temple of Zeus. Menelaus killed Diiphobos, Helen's husband and moved to kill Helen but once he saw her beauty he lowered his sword and forgave her infidelity. Ajax of Lokris, raped Cassandra in the temple of Athena. Because of this hybris the Achaeans decided with the urge of Odysseus, to stone him to death, but he fled to the sanctuary of Athena and was saved.

Antenor, who had hosted Menelaus and Odysseus, when they sent an embassy to ask for Helen, was not harmed neither he nor his family. The Trojan Aeneas carried to his back his crippled father and escaped.

The Achaeans destroyed the town and shared the loots. Cassandra was given to Agamemnon, Andromache to Neoptolemus and Hecuba Odysseus.

Aethra, Theseus' mother who had come to Troy with Helen, was rescued by her grandchildren, Dimofon and Akamas.

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